Welcome Guest   |  Login   |   Signup
JG Logo
Fri, May 25, 2012
Archive Search

Ghost Sightings Spark Scenes of Hysteria in Indonesian Capital
Jakarta Globe | December 02, 2011

A photograph purporting to show a pocong (shrouded corpse ghost), center, in an old mahogany tree in Roxy, Central Jakarta. The tree was cut down on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of Kaskus) A photograph purporting to show a pocong (shrouded corpse ghost), center, in an old mahogany tree in Roxy, Central Jakarta. The tree was cut down on Thursday. (Photo courtesy of Kaskus)
Share This Page
343
46
0
23
Share with google+ :


Post a comment
Please login to post comment

Comments

sixstringswizards
4:26pm Dec 6, 2011

i guess a future job in Indonesia would be "Ghostbusters" since there's an increasing numbers of sightings of Ghosts and any other mystical creatures in Jakarta....so be prepared Guys for "Ghostbusters" Job openings...

blightyboy
7:24am Dec 4, 2011

This has already been explained. A more recent report confirms that this was all a big mistake. It was in-fact Fuzzi, Jakarta's governor, with a torch trying to find his way to a flood meeting.

Fuzzi explained, "I was on my way to this important meeting about flooding, but needed to pee urgently. I got my driver to stop at this cemetery. I wondered through the trees looking for a convenient place, and suddenly I spotted what I thought was a small ghost relieving itself against a tree. I was so frightened I ran and got lost. I was trying to find my way back to my car when I heard people screaming, - Ghost! Ghost!. And yes I did have a female companion with me who I took to hold the torch so I didn't pee on my shoes. Sadly this incident prevented me from getting to my meeting".

JohnnyCool
8:58pm Dec 3, 2011

"Ghostbusters" don't have work permits yet for Indonesia.

As for the ghosts, any of them "corrupt spirits" from the past? If so, they should be put into the proposed "zoo".

The photo of the "ghost" looks like a cross between "The Wicker Man" and Australia's Ned Kelly - sort of.

icwhyte
8:35pm Dec 3, 2011

Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali said people should not be influenced by the reports.

“These kinds of things [pocong and kuntilanak] cannot be seen with normal eyes, especially in the afternoon,” Suryadharma said at the Presidential Palace. “Therefore, people should not believe in mysticism.”

Doesn't that same reasoning work for god? I have never seen god in the afternoon/morning or night....

DrDez
5:58pm Dec 3, 2011

has the child been arrested for pissing off ghosts or has he got a TV deal??


The Jakarta city administration has moved with exceptional speed to cut down an old mahogany tree said to harbor two distinct forms of Indonesian ghosts.

The extraordinary turn of events has led the religious affairs minister to call on people not to be influenced by “mystical” stories and the National Police chief to appeal for calm.

The saga began when a pocong (shrouded corpse ghost) and kuntilanak (vampiric female ghost) revealed themselves to a child who reportedly made the mistake of relieving himself against the old tree in Roxy, Central Jakarta, on Nov. 26.

In the hysteria that has followed since, hundreds of people have begun visiting the tree with at least ten becoming possessed by spirits.

Photographs and video purporting to be of both the pocong and kuntilanak are now circulating on the Internet.

Ferry Abdillah Kadir, a local official, told Detik.com that the sightings had drawn large crowds that had caused major traffic congestion.

He said he had sent a letter of request to the Jakarta Park and Cemetery Agency to remove the tree.

Though the agency acted quickly and cut down the tree on Thursday, the spectacle is not over — speculation is mounting that the ghosts have simply moved to one of three neighboring mahogany trees, Detik.com reported.

“Someone said the ghosts have moved to the other tree but we cannot cut down all the trees,” Ferry said.

Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali said people should not be influenced by the reports.

“These kinds of things [pocong and kuntilanak] cannot be seen with normal eyes, especially in the afternoon,” Suryadharma said at the Presidential Palace. “Therefore, people should not believe in mysticism.”

National Police Chief Gen. Timur Pradopo also commented on the issue.

“People should remain calm,” Timur said. “The National Police have taken action. Thank you.”