Galang Camp

Over the SG50 weekend, the DK team had gone over to Batam, with the intention of exploring and finding out the truth behind the stories of Galang Camp. For those who do not know, Galang Camp was a refugee camp set up by the United Nations, to accommodate Vietnamese (and a small number of Cambodians) refugees evading the atrocities of the Vietnamese War. During its years of operation from 1979 to 1996, approximately 250,000 lives had passed through its grounds.

Galang Camp, though basic in its amenities, had a hospital, schools (operated by NGOs such as Save The Children, Ecoles Sans Frontieres, etc), coffee houses, and an administration office. It is here that refugees lived, while waiting to be assigned locations for resettlement.

Our initial plan was to take a look at the grounds while the sun was still up, and to return later on in the night for the recce. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, it was near dusk when we reached the gates of the camp, only to be further delayed by corrupt money-eating human-ghosts that are rampant in the land of Indonesia.

It is here, at the gates of Galang Camp, while sitting in the 14-seater van, that I realized the change in atmosphere. There was a different frequency in the energy surrounding us, agitating, and putting us on the edge, making us a little more vocal and annoyed with each other. It could be that an outsider was putting his hands into our plans, it could be that we were in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no network or reception, it could be that we were fast approaching dusk, and we were being held back by unnecessary hindrances. It could be many things, but it could also be that the negativity in the air was prevalent.

Having gotten past the entrance and guardhouse, we drove to our first stop, the Nghia-Trang Cemetery, one of the few cemeteries on the camp grounds.

A rumour related to us by a local, tells of how a particular grave at the top of this hill, was found to have opened up on its own. Curious, we walked up to check if we could locate it. Unfortunately, due to the decreasing of natural light and the threat of darkness blanketing the skies, we were unable to find the grave to proof that the rumour was indeed, true.

While the rest went back to the waiting van, a few of us (Naz, Arif, Abg Aim, Mail and me), proceeded to the entrance of the cemetery (refer to first pic of cemetery above), where we began to shoot our introduction for the Galang video. It took us an unusually long time (5-10 minutes), to get the hang of our camera, as the screen would go blur frequently, without any reason.

As you can see from the photos above, there was still some natural light when were there in the cemetery. However, approximately 15 minutes into the shooting, I realized that the certain sourish smell that had hit my nostril upon my first step into the cemetery, had gotten stronger. It was faint at first, and then it became stronger and stronger, as if willing me to go away from the grounds. Holding the camera down, and looking at the other members, it seemed like no one was smelling what I did. So I ignored and persevered, till the smell felt like it was going up my nose and wrapping itself around my head, that I tapped Mail and signaled to him that something was not right.

Having done our introduction shoot, we left the cemetery back into the van, to our next stop. Seated in the van, I smelled the sour scent again, and this time, I tapped Boy and signaled to him, asking if he smelled anything, to which he said no. Strange.

Next, quick stop (museum):

The Vietnamese had fled their country, to Galang Camp, in boats, in conditions so dire that sometimes a 12m boat, ferried up to 150 adults and children. So cramped were the boats that refugees had to urinate and defecate in the spots they sat in, till arrival at Galang!

Can you spot one of such boats in the photo below? (Notice the orbs hovering around said boat)

A short drive away later, about 20 metres from the main road, was the hospital. It was made up of one-storey buildings lined in a square formation, in the middle of which could have been a garden, now filled with trees and overgrown shrubbery. Additional buildings could be found to the sides or the back of this main square.

The air was tense, my body picked up on the feelings of fear, sadness and abandonment. It must have been sad, to have to leave your homeland, and be a refugee in a foreign land, awaiting your future in an unknown place. In recorded histories available on the Internet, I read of families torn apart, children arriving at Galang without their parents, and of vulnerable girls being the victims of rape in the camp. I can imagine the chaos, the misery, all the negative energy that was present in 1979-1996, that lingers, till now.

Barely what seemed like 15 minutes into the recce, our emcee, Arif, signalled for help as he felt a sudden discomfort, a lightness/giddiness and a fainting sensation overcoming him. First aided by Abang Aim, followed by Mail, then lastly, Abang Man -- it took all of 3 persons to expel whatever it was that caused Arif to fear that he could not continue with the recce.

Can you guess what room is the following photo of?

Check out the amount of orbs in the following photos:

In the middle of our recce in the old hospital of Galang Camp, we were shooting, as usual, when suddenly, there was a loud BANG! It sounded like something heavy had fallen onto the roof of the building we were in.

Mail and I went to check if there was indeed a large tree that could have had its heavy branch drop onto the roof, only to find that there was no such possibility, as seen in the following photo:

Again, as we were filming part of the closing shoot, this time outside the building structures, suddenly there was a menacing growling, followed by vomiting sounds. Apparently, one of the locals who had tagged along with us, had a near brush with a possession, but was fortunately saved by our guide, Pak Megat.

To view our shortclip (including disturbances mentioned above) on Galang Camp, kindly click the following:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSKEFsKMBTk

It is with much regret that we ended with less than half of our initial photos and footage, due to blurred images, even blank photos, and video without audio. 

Even for the final group photo below, a few attempts were made before we could secure a shot. This was because the first few times one of the locals was trying to capture the photo, the camera switched itself off everytime he clicked the shutter.

Rest assured, we will be back at Galang Camp in the near future.

And this time, we will be better prepared to bring you more evidence and stories!

For videos and photos of DK's recces, please visit the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/dkvengers

Mee Rebus Charm: A True Story

The following is based on true events, as experienced by a personal friend, Alif. All names have been changed to protect identities of persons involved. All images are for illustration purposes only.

"Before my marriage to my ex-wife, Irna, she and her then-husband, Rafi, were running a canteen foodstall in a primary school in the North of Singapore, selling noodles and light snacks.

She once told me how in the beginning, business was not good for them, as another Malay stall selling rice and side dishes were more popular with the students and teachers. However, within one year, Irna and Rafi managed to turned the situation around, as their Mee Rebus and Mee Soto became their topselling dish, popular amongst the students and teachers alike.

After 7 years in the canteen food business, Irna and Rafi's marriage hit the rocks, resulting in their divorce. Nevertheless, Irna persisted with the business, but this time, with me instead. In my time running the foodstall business with her, I had noticed a few peculiar things she did, before opening and upon closing of the stall everyday. However, I did not question her as I thought it might be something routine in the running of a food business.

Personally, I do not consume nor favour Mee Rebus. However, Irna had persuaded me to try her Mee Rebus, which was now so popular in the school that sometimes even parents had told their children to pack them some Mee Rebus after school, for them at home. After some persuasion from her, I did. Upon trying Irna's Mee Rebus, I was hooked! I craved Mee Rebus everyday, and had to have Mee Rebus everyday! (However, I ate Mee Rebus only from our stall, I still did not and would not consume the dish from elsewhere).

Still perturbed by some of the things Irna did, one day I decided to closely watch as she performed her daily routine...

Every morning, before opening our stall, Irna would stand before the door located at the back of the canteen. She would stand at the same spot for an estimated 5 minutes; I observed that as she stood, her lips were moving, as if reading a mantra. It is only after this ritual was done, that she would proceed to open the stall.

Next, she would proceed to sprinkle some water in a clockwise motion from the front of the stall, to the back, to the outside area of the stall, and back inside. An important spot of this sprinkling ritual was the food display, she told me, as this was where the 'penarikan' or attraction sat. This ritual was akin to the ritual of sprinkling holy water, however, the water that Irna used was yellow in colour, and contained leaves. All these were to be done by 430am when there was no one else around, but us as the other stall owners only arrived at 5 in the morning.

In the preparation of the food items to be sold, there were rules that I had to adhere to. For one, when stirring the Mee Rebus gravy, the stirring had to be done in an 'X' formation (I do not know the rationale for this). Secondly, I was not allowed to be nearby during the preparation of the spices.

Once the food were prepared and ready for selling, Irna would retrieve a bundle wrapped in yellow clothe which contained a hundred-dollar note wrapped in plastic, and place it in our cash container.

When the recess bell rang, the students would rush down to queue for food, and all the other stall vendors would comment, "Irna, your business is so good!""

Indeed, those running a business would always be seeking ways to attract customers and means to make their business profitable. However, did Irna have to resort to the above mentioned spiritual ways to target the innocent, primary school kids?

Wallahu alam.

Susuk 101

Before plastic surgery, there was 'susuk', otherwise known as charm needles. Dating from the pre-Islamiczation of this regent, the practice of susuk-wearing has prevailed till now, a time with the advent of modern times and technology.

What is susuk? How does it work? And why do people use it?

Awang Mohd Yahya (Bomoh Artis Malaysia) performing a susuk demonstration

Susuk is more commonly known as metal-based needles made of a gold alloy, inserted into the soft tissues underneath the skin. However, there actually are a varieties of susuk that exist, namely:
● jarum mas (gold needle)
● serbuk mas (gold powder)
● perak (silver)
● kayu nibong (wood)
● raksa (mercury)
● bunga melur (jasmine flower)
● wafaq (kalimah in gold ink)
● berlian (diamond - touted to be the strongest one of all)

Depending on an individual's reason for acquiring the susuk, the susuk can be implanted in various parts of the body, including forehead, cheek, chin, lips, breast/chest, genital area and buttocks.

Susuk found in a radiograph, in a patient's lower jaw/chin area

Some of the reasons that would push an individual to seek this mystical solution are:

● beauty enhancement
● an improved aura
● to attract a specific person or the opposite gender
● increased strength
● protection from physical and spiritual harm

Depending on the type of susuk required, and the practitioner's practice, the susuk can be inserted into the human body in a variety of ways. One way would be to make a small incision on the skin, after which the susuk is physically inplanted. Other ways include the non-physical, spiritual transfer including chanting of undisclosed verses or mantra. A flower bath might be necessary for some, to rid the body of negative aura, prior to the insertion.

The effectiveness of wearing susuk is still debated, with some suggesting that the effects are psychological, alike going to a hair saloon and stepping out with more confidence, even with only a minor trim. Regardless, the susuk is sought after by a spectrum of individuals, from school-going youths, to the elderly.

A struggling singer may seek to have susuk placed in his/her lips. An individual seeking sexual prowess may have his/her placed in the genitalia area; susuk bunga melur can also be implanted in breasts (an alternative to breast implants). And a person seeking to have their beauty enhanced usually has susuk implanted in the facial region. Susuk is also known to be worn by persons owning businesses, as a means to attract more customers.

But this method of attaining beauty, strength and wealth comes with prohibitions, such as:
● no consumption of a certain type of banana
● no consumption of meat from sticks (satay)
● no walking under a clothesline

Going against the prohibitions, whether on purpose or not, will cause the susuk to lose its function, or even drop out from the bodily tissues.

Though this practice is rife in Indonesia, Malaysia and even Singapore, it is not unique to the Malays or people of this region. A quick seacrch on the internet reveals that there are Chinese, Indians and even Caucasians who are susuk-wearers and are believers of its powers.





Reference:
Balasundram, S. , Yee, S. and Shanmuhasuntharam, P. (2013) Susuk: Charm needles in orofacial soft tissues. Open Journal of Stomatology, 3, 155-162. doi: 10.4236/ojst.2013.3202

Susuk: A True Story

(As encountered and narrated by Abg Man, a healer and member of Destinasi Kebenaran. Translated and edited by me)

Susuk

"This was my experience in 2013, when I was called to help a patient who had been critically ill for almost 2 months...

I met up with a friend, Sufie (name has been changed to protect the identity of persons involved), who said to me, "Bro, I need your help". I responded, "What kind of help do you need?". Sufie then told me of his relative who is 'nazak' (on the verge of death), but could not pass on. The family had engaged the help of several ustaz and alternative healers, however, none were successful. Upon hearing this, I made the decision to visit the patient together with Sufie.

Upon my arrival at the patient's residence, I said my greetings, "Assalammualaikum!", and as I took my first step into the house, I felt a negative aura coming at me. 

I met with the patient's parents and husband and asked them a few questions, before I proceeded with the healing session. The husband, Rashid, came forth and told me, "We had been married for 3 years before she confessed... that she has had 'susuk' (charm needles) placed in various parts of her body, before we were married. She did it for the sake of beauty".

"Astaghfirullah... why didn't she get them removed?", I responded. The weary husband replied, "I have advised her to get them removed. Unfortunately, the person who had placed the 'susuk' in for her, has passed away... I told her not to worry, as we'd persevere to look for someone who could remove them for her...".

But days passed, turning into weeks, and then years. Soon, 10 years have gone, and the wife fell ill. After a check-up at the hospital, they discovered that the wife had Stage 3 breast cancer. There was no hope, and very little time.

Upon hearing this, I was determined to help the patient. Together with Rashid, I entered the bedroom where she was in, and when I saw her, I was overcome with sadness and sympathy.

The wife, Suriana, was skinny to the bone, and yelling. As if in fear... of something that we could not see.

I began my session by 'scanning' to see where the various 'susuk' were placed in her body. Once done, I communicated with the 'khodam' (guardian) of the susuk, requesting that they leave the body. However, my request was refused. It was also to my knowledge that Suriana had, in her healthier times, tried to remove the 'susuk' by going against the conditions for a wearer, however, to no avail. The 'susuk' refused to be expelled from her body.

I negotiated with the 'khodam', and read a few verses from the Holy Quran, to agitate it. Finally, it agreed to accede to my request, but on a few conditions. It asked for a bunch of bananas, 7 different types of flowers, and some scented joss sticks.

I informed Rashid of the 'khodam's request, to which he agreed. I also told him to accept whatever comes, after the removal of the 'susuk' was completed; I reminded him that everything happens at God's will. I took my leave and told him I would be back with the necessary items the next day.

As promised, I returned the following day with the items requested by the 'khodam'. Before I proceeded with the session, I told Rashid to snap a photo of Suriana, before and after the removal of the 'susuk'.

I 'surrendered' the items I had brought along to the 'khodam' and successfully transferred it from Suriana's body, into a bottle.  Immediately, her face became extremely sunken, and she was not yelling anymore. I turned to Rashid and informed him that the 'susuk' has been removed from her body, and to be resigned to whatever fate the Almighty had planned for her, and them.

Two days later, I received a call from Rashid, informing that Suriana had just passed away. I offered him my condolences and told him to have strength and patience in accepting God's will. For He is the best Provider and Planner. Amin.

The moral of this story is:

1. Do not be obssessed with the mystical.

2. Be thankful with what you have.

Midnight Cadet: A True Story

The following is based on true events, as experienced by Naz DK Sergeant, a senior member of Destinasi Kebenaran.

(Narrated by Naz, edited by me)

○●○●○●○

"It was 1996, I was serving National Service. My BMT training was in Nee Soon Camp, Echo Company, with my bunk located on the 4th floor of the Echo Company Building.

It is common knowledge that in the army, we have to switch off the lights at 23:59, after which, we lay in our bunks in total darkness. The first week passed, followed by the second. Nothing happened.

However, on the third week of my BMT, my bunkmates and me were sound asleep when I was awoken by the sound of someone running along the corridor. I did a timecheck, it was past 2 in the morning. As my bed was located by the window overlooking the corridor, I could see if anyone was walking or loitering outside. Curious to find out the source of the sounds, I slowly peeked through the window...

... I saw the figure of a man dressed in Full Battle Order (full Army equipment), running from end of the corridor, to the other end. I wondered, who could this be?? And why was he doing this, because no one is supposed to be up and about after 23:59!!

I could not tell if it was one of my platoon mates. In the darkness, I could only make out the body. As I watched him run towards the other end of the corridor... he suddenly CLIMBED OVER THE PARAPET AND JUMPED DOWN!!

"Oh my God!!!" Thinking I may have just witnessed a suicide, I quickly got up from bed and ran to the spot I last saw the figure, and looked down to where he would have landed from the jump.

THERE WAS NO ONE.

By now, I could feel the perspiration on my forehead and goosebumps all over my body.

Without a second thought, I rushed back to my bed and covered myself with the blanket. I could not sleep a wink after that, that night.

Till today, I do not know if it was a ghostly apparition, or my imagination. Only God knows."

Pulau Ubin: Joint Expedition

Last Saturday, the 13th of June 2015, saw the coming together of a few local paranomal groups as they took on Pulau Ubin in a joint overnight expedition. Groups in participation are: Destinasi Kebenaran, Sumpahan MJ12, KMS and D'Unknown.

(Pulau Ubin is an island off eastern Singapore, and considered the last kampung in Singapore. The setting here is akin that of 1960s mainland Singapore.)

With a combined group of 36 men and women, we set off on the trail at approximately 9pm.

A stark difference between Pulau Ubin and mainland Singapore was the non-existence of street lights or lamp posts. As seen from the photos on this post, our source of light were torchlights and handphone camera flashes.

In the darkness, the human eye sees very little. But combined with intuition, sometimes you may get a lucky shot, as follows:

We stopped a little while in a open, water catchment area for the DK crew to film the introduction segment of this trip. Save for the voices of the emcees, guest participants and cameraman, the air was still and silent.

After about half an hour here, we moved along, back on trail. Ten minutes into the walk, I noticed that the people immediately in front of me had stopped walking. Those on the very front, however, was seen rushing forward and checking both sides of the intersection that was ahead of us.

Apparently, what had happened was that while walking, the team members in front had spotted a 'penunggu', or a spiritual entity that guards a place. Abang Man, a DK member, had then moved forward and performed the necessary, in seeking the penunggu's permission for the group to proceed on with the trail.

Following which, Arif managed to capture a pocong on camera:

This took place near here:

As we passed this intersection and back into the forest, I noticed that despite the path being wider and hence the trees further from us, the temperature had taken a plunge. There was a chill I felt as I walked down this path.

About 300m away, we came to another intersection and a resting hut. Here, emcee Arif conducts an interview with Pak Wari, an esteemed healer with over 20 years' experience. 

In the photo below, two entities were captured in the background, observing our activities.

By now, we had walked an estimated 2-3km.

What now laid ahead in our route was a Muslim Cemetery, which was one of the hotspots of fierce spiritual activities. For safety, we walked in a formation where females walked in the middle, while males walked in front, behind and to our sides.

Unknownst to me while I took the photo at this location, an entity watches us as we explored this first cemetery for the night.

(Do you see a face with two eyes on the top left hand corner of the photo? Not edited as editing somehow makes the face disappear)

What we discovered, however, was a grave freshly dugged.

Partially visible is a batu nisan, or tombstone, as seen above. It is not known if the corpse has been removed or is still in the grave, however bits of white cloth can be seen peeking out from the soil.

From here, we walked to the second, larger cemetery with visibly more graves. The air was tense, not sure if it was the atmospheric energy, or the energies of nervous, anxious women in the group.

Here, Abang An, from DK, performed a 'tarikan', where he retrieved the below tool from beneath the soil -- much to the amazement and awe of others present. It is believed to be hundreds of years old and used for protection. It is now in the possession of DK.

It was the first time I witnessed such an event, and I know it was not going to be the last.

After covering an approximate 6-7 km in 5 hours, we finally concluded the expedition at 230am, with sore feet, aching muscles and a desperate need for shower, hydration and sleep.

Nevertheless, if indeed there was a need called the need for spiritual exploration, it was not satiated, but instead, grew, that night.

Looking forward to the next one!

Possessed: A True Story

The following is based on true events, as encountered by Abang Man, a member of Destinasi Kebenaran. He is also a healer with 20 years' experience. May his efforts in healing those in need of spiritual help be rewarded with abundance by the greatest Creator of all. Amin.

Bismillah.

(Original account by Abang Man, translated into English by me)

"Not too long ago, I received a call to help a man who had been possessed. On arriving at the patient's residence, I saw that many of the man's relatives were already there. After talking to them and asking a few questions, I asked to see the patient, who was in the bedroom.

As I made my way to the bedroom, I was stopped by the patient's mother, who called me over to the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, she asked, "How much is your payment?", to which I countered, "Makcik, why are you asking about payment?". She then explained that prior to my arrival, they had seeked help from four other spiritual healers. The first healer had requested $10,000 for payment. The second had asked for $8,000, the third, $6,000, and the fourth, $3,000. I was the fifth. To her question, I responded, "Makcik, I'm not here for the money, and if God wills, I will help you heal your son". Hearing this, she agreed to allow me to proceed.

As I arrived at the door to the bedroom where the patient was, I was shocked to see the state that he was in. The patient had both legs and arms bent, postured like a frog, and mouth that could not say anything except, "Auuungg... auuungg..". I supplicated silently and wondered, "Ya Allah, what is wrong with this servant of yours?"

I began my healing session with a process called 'scanning' to find out what had happened. What I saw was that the patient had gone fishing with his friends and relatives. However, during fishing, the patient's fishing bait had gotten stuck in between some corals. To free his line, he had forcefully tugged on his equipment, and took a step back for balance. While doing so, he had unintentionally stepped on a frog. Annoyed with its presence, the patient had cussed the frog and kicked it away. After which, he continued fishing. However, upon reaching home, he had collapsed and fell chronically ill.

I continued with the 'scanning', wondering why one simple incident with a frog would cause the patient such an extent of illness. It was then it came to me that the unfortunate frog that the patient had stepped on and cussed, was the beloved animal of an otherwordly Princess of the sea that they had gone fishing in. Therefore I tried to spiritually reach the mentioned Princess, to request that she remove the illness that she had cast over the patient.

She replied, "As long as my pet frog is not healed, the patient will suffer". I urged her to forgive the patient for his actions towards the frog. After much negotiation, she finally agreed, with (undisclosed) conditions. I proceeded to accede to her given conditions and with God's grace, the patiently immediately rose from bed and announced, "I'm hungry". To this, I asked him, "What's your name, and what's your mother's name?". He responded correctly, in a weak voice. The patient's brother and I then helped him to the living area, where he was given food, as he had not ingested any food for close to a month. In the period he had been ill, he had only consumed milk for sustenance.

A few of the patient's relatives asked me, "What happened? What had happened to him and what had caused him to be possessed?". To which I replied that it does not matter, and what matters is that the patient is healed and well. It is all in God's plans.

I then informed only the patient's mother of what had actually happened. With praises to Allah, the patient has now fully healed and does not go fishing anymore.

The moral of this story is:

1. Be careful what you say - do not be a loose canon.

2. Money is not, and cannot get you everything.

Allah commands, and it is.

Kun fa ya kun."

Virgin Investigation with Destinasi Kebenaran (Marang)

After the conclusion of the investigation of the suicide in Eastern Singapore, we headed to South of Singapore, to recce a certain trail that has been reported to freak out joggers, regardless of time of day.

The main road, located approximately 30 metres away from this trail, was still lightly buzzing with traffic at 3am. However, as we took our first steps upslope, I became conscious of the sinister, unwelcoming atmosphere. In comparison, the earlier location, though I was fully aware of its hauntedness, did not give me a threatened feeling as did this trail.

About a 100m climb upslope later, we came across a colonial building in the darkness of the surrounding trees.

Said building is standing behind the guys in the above photo, but infortunately not visible in the photo. It is unknown if the building has living occupants.

Moving on from this spot, we climbed another approximate 100m, before we arrived at a spot that according to Abang An, was most rife with spiritual activity.

We stopped for the crew to film, hovering around closely, watching. During the shooting, someone suddenly called out a DK team member, "Boy!". I turned around to where I recalled Boy standing, somewhere a mere 5m behind me and saw Boy's form writhing while standing. Apparently an entity was trying to enter his body, and the member who shouted out for him was now at his side, aiding in the removal of the unwelcomed spirit and discarding it into the forest below us.

Upon completion of the shooting on location, we turned back and went down the trail, back to our starting point. It is here that Abang An told me how on a previous trip here, they had met with a guardian of the location, or a "penunggu", who had denied them entry into the trail. When pressed further, all the trees in the surrounding area, started shaking violently. The only thing was, it was a still, humid night and there was no wind.

According to Abang An, the encounter took place approximately 2 in the morning. This time, however, we did not experience as violent a reaction from the spiritual entities dwelling the area as unfortunately we had arrived a little too late, at almost 4 in the morning.

Perhaps next time, we might get lucky.

*Edit: After publishing this entry, I went through the photos taken at this location and found this:

What do you see? What do you think it is?

Wallahu alam.