The return of Captain Latib Keroh of Tanjung Dawai.

"Do you know that I believe in being possessed by a spirit?" this friend asked me.
"How's that so?" I inquired with curiosity.

"Well it happened during my childhood days in Tanjung Dawai, Kedah, Malaysia. I was about ten years old when I witnessed a man possessed by a spirit. And this isn't any cock and bull story. It's a true story. I can vouch for it." He nodded his head vigorously as he stressed that it was the truth for he was a witness to what happened when the possessed fisherman was brought back to the beach of Tanjung Dawai.

This is his story:

It was in the evening, about six o'clock when a boat with a few fishermen tied up their boat and pulled and dragged their friend out of the boat onto the beach. This friend was tied with a rope and the reason given was that this friend would struggle frantically and talked gibberish. He was talking in a strange language none of them could understand. He sounded like an Englishman or an European. At that age I could neither understand nor know the difference. To ensure his as well as their safety in the boat, they had no alternative but to tie him up.

I had seen that tied up fisherman's walk and behaviour before as he was a familiar figure on the beach in Tanjung Dawai. That evening, his voice was not similar to his; it being hoarser and louder than his. The manner he carried himself and walked was different too. He moved as one holding some kind of authority and the way his shoulders swung as he strode forward could be described as swaggering.

Then, he gave himself a name, "I'm Captain Latib(possibly 'Latif') Keroh." It sounded like a Malay name but he certainly did not talk in Malay. Not during the first part of that encounter anyway. Was it a Malay name or did our ears associate the sounds of an English name with Malay equivalent sounds?

Then, suddenly, he surprised us with "Lu mau harta? Ada harta. (You want treasure? Have treasure.)"

All those people of Tanjung Dawai who had gathered to watch the incident were interested and went closer to listen to whatever revelation there could be. There were told the conditions for finding the treasure. A goat had to be slaughtered and offered to him. Then, only one person, the one who wanted the treasure, would have to follow him back to the island where he came from, to be shown the treasure.

Upon being told that only one person is allowed to follow him back to one of the islands near Tanjung Dawai, none dared to speak, none was brave enough to go for the treasure. If the spirit of Captain Latib had allowed three or four, perhaps there would have been takers of such a venture to look for treasure. One? No dice. Nobody was game for it.

Eventually, the spirit of Captain Latib said,"If you don't want the treasure, then I am going back." With that, the tied up fisherman fell forward onto his hands and face. When he came to, he looked in astonishment at the crowd gathered around him. He wondered what had transpired and upon being told about the spirit that had taken over his body, he was shocked for some time.

Accoding to this friend who told the story, anyone his age or slightly older would know the story of Captain Latib Keroh. This friend is forty-nine years old.

So, believe it or not, there is such a thing as possession by spirits.In fact I had witness another case in a school I taught where each time it happened, the bomoh (the local spiritual medicine-man)would have to chant and pray to persuade the spirit to leave the victims in peace. Among the Malays, it was and still is quite common although Islam, the religion of the Malays, does not accept the existence of such spirits.

I have seen it happen. So have quite a number of other people. Some think they are merely a creation of the mind. If you are lucky,witness such a happening and realise the truth. Truth is certainly sometimes stranger than fiction.

Spirit world still a mystery in many ways.

A few days ago, I read from the Star online about a marriage ceremony held for the spirits of two lovers. It was a romance that started more than twenty years ago. The ill-fated Chinese could not seal their love in marriage then as they lost their lives in a car accident about twenty kilometres from Gua Musang two decades ago.

Their love for each other remained strong and it culminated in a marriage in the spirit world. The spirits were eager to have their parents give their blessings to the marriage and so, some five years ago, the boy's mother dreamt of their marriage.

However, like some people who do not believe in spirits, the mother did not do anything to indicate agreement with their marriage. It was only when the boy's mother fell ill and consulted a medium that the family was told of the wish of the couple to have a wedding ceremony to indicate the parents blessings to their matrimony.

When parents of both spirits came together to discuss wedding plans, the boy's mother also recovered from her sickness.

Actually this is not the first time, spirits of the dead have sent messages to ask that marriage ceremonies be held to bless their union in love. There have been such reports in newspapers.

Actually, I do not know what to make of this. Although I have encountered people such as my own father who could see spirits of the dead, I have yet to meet people who could give me a first person report of seeing married couples in the other dimension.

Until I have reliable information, I would have to let others think of this and perhaps tell us about anybody who has such knowledge.

However, the report is interesting as, if it is true, then, not only do we live on, relationships still remain and we are constantly in contact with the people we like. Imagine that! And it also bring forth so many other questions. Will there be divorces? How about children? And it can certainly bring new meaning to death.

The Return of the Nine Emperor Deities bringing protection and salvation to mankind.

Here is the newly selected trustee. The trustee at the head of the procession to the river.

The procession begins.

At the river, the deities are invited into the bodies of the humans. However, with too many people crowding around, that could not be seen. Possibly, the atmsophere is recorded as people moves away from the river with the arrival of each deity.

The deities move to the chariots to return to the temple.


Here's one of the Nine Emperor Deities walking and dancing to the temple through the streets in the darkness of the night.
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The Nine Emperor Deities Festival which starts on Sunday, the 18th of October, 2009 is a Taoist festival which celebrates the return of the Nine Emperor Deities from heaven to earth. These Nine Emperor Deities or Kew Ong Yah(九皇爺) are worshiped as one deity known as 'Thien Hou', the Taoist goddess of the sea and queen of heaven who represents health, wealth and prosperity. The festival is celebrated for nine days, from the first day to the ninth day of the ninth moon in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Starting from the evening of the eve of the first day of the ninth moon, Devotees gather at 'Kew Ong Yah temples everywhere for the festival. These nine deities are believed to dwell in the stars in the Northern Heaven.Each year, they are requested to return to give salvation and protection to mankind.

About a week before the eve of the Chinese Ninth Lunar, each Nine Emperor Deities' temple would choose a trustee, usually a wealthy businessperson, would be chosen from among a good number of applicants for the post, to manage the festival.

So, on the eve of the Chinese ninth moon, the Nine Emperor Deities' temples hold a ceremony to welcome the return of the Nine Emperor Deities. Since these deities' passage from heaven to earth is through the waterways, a place at a river or the sea would be selected to welcome them. Sometimes symbolic lions, with lion dancers as well as drums and cymbals are used to welcome them. In the evening, devotees holding joss-sticks would follow a procession to the river to welcome the spirits. The spirits would enter the bodies of humans who had gone through a cleansing of the body. These humans would go into a trance. Later in the night, the devotees would accompany the Nine Emperor Deities back to the temple.

For the next nine days, the Nine Emperor Deities would go through the business centres or areas to bring luck, prosperity and protection.

As we can see, as in all religions, spirits, deities and Gods bring peace of mind as well as a sense of security to all devotees. Through the divine spirit, Man has been able to face the unknown and all other challenges to stay secure in his faith in the divine.

Have you seen spirits?

More than a fortnight ago, I was telling a friend the different beliefs on spirits between the Buddhist and the taoist.

I told him that the Buddhists merely give chants and prayers for a number of days during the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calender because they believe that spirits do not need food and drink as they no longer are of the material world. And it looks like they are right, for who have seen pieces of food ripped off from that which is offered in prayer.

The taoists, on the other hand, believe that we must offer food and tea during prayers as the spirits need them. Yet, the very people who offer the food eat it themselves, after the prayers. This has always been a confusion to me.

However, people like my father who have eyes that can see spirits have told us that spirits do go and lick the food offered, giving me the impression that the 'spirit' part of the food is taken.

At this point, my friend told me of someone whom he knew, who had told him of what he saw. It happened many years ago when the Sungai Petani Moral Uplifting Society was having its usual prayers for the spirits of the dead during the Chinese lunar seventh month. As the people were praying, one of them saw the spirits rush in for the food. Thinking that others could see the same scene, he turned to the others and told them to see how hungry those spirits were. When the others turned in surprise and bewilderment at his words, he pointed to the place the spirits were still going for the food and asked,"Don't you see what I am seeing?"
When there was no reply from the questioning looks directed at him, he realised that he was the only one privileged to the sight of the spirits.

That realisation also brought fear. He ran home and since then had never appeared at such events again.

According to this friend who never tell tall stories, it was a true story.

In telling me this story, my friend confirms my belief that there are other people who can see spirits just like my father. Yes, this merely concludes with what I know, that there are spirits.

One day, I tell you about those who have opened their third eye to be able to see and communicate with the spirits.

Till then, if you have any experiences, do sent me the information or write your comments in this blog. Let us share and understand this world better.

A true healing medium.

Unlike the old dilapidated temple, this new temple is well-built. It is some distance from the location of the old temple.


I once had an accident in Alor Star, Kedah and one month later when I visited my uncle, Mr. Lim Eu Hor, I was caught by surprised at the first question he asked.
"Something happened to you, right? Luckily, it's nothing serious," he smilingly said.
"It was just a very minor accident. How did you know?" I enquired.
"I felt it and I knew it was you," he told me.

At another time, when I was at his temple, I asked him if it was possible for me to learn how to heal others as he was doing.
"Young man, don't hope for that. You see how strong and able I am at healing others but do you know that life is tough for me?" he admonished me. "Take a good look at me. I'm so thin. I cannot eat anything much, just some vegetables and mostly, it's coconut and coconut water. You know, I am so weak physically. When it rains, I feel so cold!" he informed.


Here's a picture of Mr. Lim Eu Hor, the person chosen by Ganesan to be his medium for the Tai Pee Sun Temple in Tanjung Bunga.


What he said was obviously true. He was as thin as a scarecrow. The only beautiful part about him was his ever glowing, smiling face.

It was during my days of searching for spiritual truth that I was introduced to this uncle, the child of one of my father's female cousins. I remember very well the day I searched in vain for a monk who was reputed to have the power of astral travelling from the top of a hill to its foot whild meditating. I returned home to have my father notice the great disappointment I was experiencing. My father enquired about my feelings and upon being told of my disappointment, instantly drew my attention with the story of this uncle who had become a medium.

Lim Eu Hor never thought of becoming a medium. He was earning a good salary distributing cigarettes in Butterworth for a company.That was some time in the 1950's.

Then, one day was he was going his rounds, the spirit of Ganesan came and with that, he could somehow know where there are sick people who needed to be healed. He would go into such a house and with the touch of his hand, healed the sick. News of his daily ability travelled and he became well-known in Butterworth.

Unfortunately, news also reached his employer and soon he was without a job. How could this man do his job well when he spent so much time healing people?

Ganesan told him to continue with his work of healing people. It was his mission in life, according to Ganesan. However, to achieve the powers of healing others, he had to be a vegetarian. That, although difficult, was not a great problem. Then, he would have to purify himself to achieve a higher level by meditating in a glass case for forthy days, if my memory is not faulty. This he did and according to my father, it was recorded by the Chinese newspapers. (One of them could be Kwong Hwa Jit Poh, I am told.)

When I got to know him well, he told me he failed the meditation part. The reason was that he could not stop himself from talking or trying to communicate with friends who came to see him in the glass case.

The most difficult part he had to go through was to part with his wife and his child, forgo all marital joy and duties to his own family. It took some time for that to happen as love is the most difficult to forgo. However, to accomplish his work as a healer, with the great understanding of his wife, he had his wife and child stay in a small house beside the temple a committee built for him. That was the greatest sacrifice he had to make to be a healer.

It was not easy to be a medium in a temple in Tanjung Bunga, Penang where a committee had built for him. To maintain a temple and its committee, there must be money. To have the temple become popular it has to bring people who are willing to supply money. So, the committee asked this medium to give four-digit numbers to attract the crowd.

But Ganesan told this medium that his mission was to heal, not give four-digit numbers. So. there was this conflict of interest.
"Do you know that I had to suffer a lot during this time?" he asked me. "Whenever I follow the directive to give numbers to attract the crowd, Ganesan would use my hand to slap me very hard. And it was really painful. And each time, I gave numbers, I slapped myself hard. Finally, I couldn't stand the pain any longer. I told the committee I cannot give any more numbers. You know what happened. Every member of the committee deserted the temple. Look at the temple now!"

That was in 1969. The temple was in a very poor state with the roof leaking in a few places and everything else in the temple old and worn. There was no one to help this medium upkeep his temple.

That is not to say that nobody knows of its existence. It had many devotees, people who have been healed. Only difference is that nobody sells joss-sticks or oil to anybody. Just a small, hardly noticeable tim with a slit at the top was place at a table to people to put in donations. No money was ever asked for. I believe people did bring jossticks, candles and bottles of oil for the medium.

Once when I asked my uncle how he had survived all that without requesting for donations, he said, "Ganesan told me not to worry about money. When there is a need, money will somehow be given. There's no need to ask."

"Why did Ganesan chose you to be his medium?" I enquired.
This was his reply, "When Ganesan told me that I had to leave my family to help him heal people, I did tell him to look for someone who has no family. Why me? Ganesan told me I was the closest to him. Ganesan told me in a previous reincarnation, I was his, the elephant's keeper. Furthermore, He told me he wanted to help me to reach a higher level."

Thus, this medium spent the rest of his life healing those in search of a cure. There was no monetary gain and in his poor physical shape, he suffered in order that others might be healed.

Once, when I told someone about this medium, this someone said that it was the devil who had possessed my uncle. I did not wish to reply to that. I preferred to allow him to think of it.

In my own mind, I wondered how anyone who wishes to heal the sick can be called the devil. If the devil had such noble deeds and thoughts, I would be the first to support him. Where I am concerned, it's Godly to heal others especially when the healer does not expect any rewards. Divine! That's what it can only be.

Believe it. There are spirits!

The family took a walk every evening after dinner. That night, upon returning to their house, the two young children went up the stairs to their room.
"Stop there!" the father ordered. The children obeyed but turned their faces to the father in askance.
"There's someone at the top of the staircase. Let him pass first." the father continued.
"But there's no one there," one of the children protested.
"Never mind. You can go on now," the father informed them. And they went on and just like most children of those days, did not enquire further on the matter.

It was only when I was big enough to wander around searching for the truth into such psychic and spiritual matters that my father told me that he had the ability to see spirits in the darkness of the night.

Yes, one of the two children in the above true story was me. My father told me that he could see the figures in the dark and that was not the only time. And it was true that such warnings to stop had taken place many times.

Later, one of my uncles, Ong Keng Thoe, told me how my father, at the time a young boy, had run out of the house, leaping over the dining table, a feat which is unbelievable if he had not seen it with his own eyes. It seemed that he had run in fear of a spirit he had seen.

Since then, I had contiuously looked out for evidences of spirits. In an earlier posting I had written about the Malay boy who was possessed by a spirit as he waited for his friends in front of a temple.

At present I am still practising meditation to open up my chakras, especially my third eye. However, the practice is difficult as I have to start the practice each morning at half past three. I have not made much progress as it is extremely difficult to be awake at such a time especially when I usually go to bed only after eleven o'clock at night. Nevertheless, I have a relative who has been able, after more than two years of constant practice, to open his third eye and see things most of us are not privileged to see. I shall write about him in a future posting.

At present I am also looking for opportunities to confirm or disprove that circles of light, otherwise not visible, seen in photographs taken with a flash, are indications of the existence of spirits.

Well, if you have similar experiences to prove or disprove existence of spirits, you are welcome to write to me (my email is given in this blog) or make comments in the comments section. If you wish I will publish what you have written under your own name.

Look at the costumes!


These costumes cost a lot. That's the reason, Por Tor organisers have to pay a lot to hold such shows.


And these are the giant joss-sticks contributed by those who participate in the Por Tor.

During this seventh month, the Buddhist and the taoist pray for the benefit of the departed ones. However, there is a difference between buddhist belief and taoist belief although both believe in the existence of spirits. According to the Buddhist, it all started with Muk Lan who knew that her mother was in hell for the sins she committed, wished to help her. So she approached the monks for help. She requested that they prayed for her mother. The monks prayed to Ti Chang Wang, the god of hell, for help.

Now, who is this Ti chang Wang? Ti Chang Wang was a buddhist who also attained enlightenment. However, instead of going to heaven like the other enlightened ones, he sympathised with the sinners and wanted to help them. Therefore, this big-hearted enlightened soul went to hell to help those poor souls. After all, there is goodness in all, even those who had gone on the wrong path.

When the buddhists pray for those spirits of the dead, no food is offered as spirits do not need the food consumed by humans. When they pray during the Ullambana programme, there is a blesing ceremony with the lighting of a lamp. There is also chanting for three days which ends on the third night with transferring of merits from the good deeds of the living to the dead to improve the karma of the dead. When buddhists pray, they have a glass of water in front of them so that this water would remind them to be as pure as the water; The mind, the thoughts and the deeds as clear as the water, not murky with foul thoughts and deeds.

When it comes to the taoist, there is some influence from the commercial area, encouraging the purchase of food and prayer materials such as some of the big joss-sticks at Por Tay He areas.

No matter, how it is done, the aims are good; to assist the dead get more merits through the living, to have the spirit find peace and to encourage Ti Chang Wang to continue his compassion for such unfortunate souls. In so doing,the living finds peace of mind with this caring attitude. It's a win-win affair for everyone.

The King of Hades.

It's 1.30pm. Nobody except for the organisers are around. The show has started its entertainment for the King of Hades.


And here's the King of Hades in all his glory.


The King is given a feast too by the people.


Prayers are offered for a peaceful time with the spirits wandering around for a month.


Look at the food and joss-sticks.

Here's the first part of the show on the first day.


Here's another part.
(I see what I can add for the night.)

The seventh lunar month this year started on the 20th of August. The 15th day of this lunar month was the 3rd of September. From this day, the Chinese who believes in the spirit world organises shows for the King of Hades to watch. These shows are known as the 'Por Tor He'. The organisers would have the shows start at noon and have a break at four o'clock in the evening. Then, at eight in the evening, the show continues and finishes at midnight. Usually, in the afternoons, very few people attend such shows. Still it is shown as scheduled. The reason is that the show is for the diety, not so much for humans. This goes to show how strong the belief must be. How did this belief started. According to a friend of mine, one person saw in a vision his own dead mother suffering from hunger. He believed that was a kind of SOS message from his beloved mother. He went to request for help from the diety. Eventually, to reward him for his filial piety, approval was given for the gates of Hades to be opened for a month so that human who have lost their loved ones could pray and offer food to these spirits. And to thank the King of Hades for his kindness, shows are organised for him to watch. I know, some people may be pooh-poohing such a belief. Well, I do not blame them, especially those who are scientific minded. Everything needs a logical explanation, failing which it is not possible. Let me ask these individuals: Before we understood telecommunications and such things, before even telegraphy was invented, would anyone be able to see any logic, be able to explain how moving pictures can go through the air, through walls to reach a box, known as the television, to entertain us? Definitely not! Why? It was because they were not privy to such knowledge then. Today, with hindsight and the knowledge brought to us by the inventors, people can understand the logic behind moving pictures from a box. Today, there are cameras able to detect what had not been detected before. Soon, perhaps, we will know that spirits do exist. Then, scientists will explain the existence of such spirits. What logic and knowledge have not been sufficient to explain, some human eyes have been able to see. My own father is one of those people who have such eyes. I believe he is not a very rare case. There are others like him in this world, quiet because of their fear of being considered weird. (I will be writing about what he and my uncles had told me in a later post. In an earlier post, I have also written about a personal experience of watching a Malay boy going into a trance in front of a temple. Those who have experiences on this matter could put them in the comments. Please do so in order that others may realise there is nothing to fear from such happenings.) Whether we believe this or not, the Chinese find a peace of mind in offering the King of Hades prayers, food and entertainment. Peace of mind is important to a happy life. Spirits are also appeased and there is most probably less mischief from some of the naughtier spirits. Do you know that they spend thousands of ringgit to put up such shows? Usually, residents of the area contribute whatever they can. At the end of the three or sometimes more days of entertaining the King of Hades, the excess funds are given to charitable organisations.