‘Spell’ of discontent

Spotted this interesting report in the NST today:

PASIR MAS: Villagers here were relieved that six banana trunks were finally removed from the graveyard they were buried in.

But the bomoh who buried them in the Kampung Banggol cemetery said it would affect the “treatment” he gave to a family from Penang.

Six days ago, bomoh Mohamed Ariffin Ibrahim buried the banana trunks, wrapped in burial cloths, to imprison “evil spirits”.

This caused an uproar in the village, with rumours spreading that aliens from outer space had been buried there.

“They don’t believe that the banana trunks contain evil spirits that I was trying to imprison. Removing them will affect the treatment I provided to a family plagued by a group of spirits,” he said at the graveyard.

Ariffin said he would not be responsible for “whatever happened” after they are removed.

The police received a permit from the Kelantan Islamic Affairs Council to dig them up yesterday.

Hundreds of villagers gathered at the cemetery as early as 8am to watch the “exhumation”.

District police chief Superintendent Haliludin Rahim said he hoped this would end all the speculation and rumours.

The 59-year-old bomoh, called “Abang Pin” by the locals, believed that someone might have been jealous of his popularity and “effective” treatment and informed the police.

It is not known what the police have done with the trunks.