National climber did not get to spend night in Langkawi mosque

LANGKAWI: National climber Khairil Aslan Ab Rashid's hopes of spending the night at the Al-Hana Mosque in Langkawi as part of his solo cycling expedition through mosques were dashed when he was not allowed to do so by the mosque's management committee.
Arriving from Penang here last night, Khairil Aslan said this was the first time since he began the expedition on April 16 that he had not been given permission to sleep in a mosque.
Speaking to the media here, he said he was not upset with the situation and considered it as part of the experience of the expedition.
"I have stopped in more than 30 mosques and have slept in eight. The experience in Langkawi is different, and I spent the night in a hotel," he said.
The 42-year-old had planned to stop in all 29 mosques on the island before going on to Perlis tomorrow. The Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) is giving publicity support for his expedition.
Khairil Aslan said the expedition was part of his preparation for a 67-day solo cycling-and-climbing expedition which begins in June. — Bernama