The Infamous Five Evil Spirits Of Malaysia

Forget about vampires and werewolves and jack o’ lanterns. Malaysia has its own ghosts to watch out for during Halloween. Of the hundreds, here are the five most popular ones that will bump you at night.

Orang Bunian

The Orang Bunian are said to be a sentient race that resemble humans. They are long-lived, attractive and posses great powers. While not entirely evil, they are known to abduct children and lead others astray in deep forests.

The western equivalent to the Orang Bunian would be elves.

Toyol

If you have seen a newborn baby, naked and walking, then you have seen a Toyol. It is said that Toyols are created from dead foetus by using powerful black magic. The Toyol needs to feed on blood of its master every day and must be offered candies or toys to keep it entertained. Thievery, sabotage, mischief and minor crimes are attributed to this child spirit.

The Chinese calls the Toyol ‘gwai zai’, literally ghost child.

Pelesit

The Pelesit is a spirit that can assume any form but usually takes on a visage of a grasshopper for its anonymity. To keep it calm, the master has to feed it blood. The Pelesit is usually kept by women who uses the Pelesit to cause others harm; usually for revenge.

Manananggal

Unlike the others in this list, the Manananggal is actually a living person, usually a beautiful woman, who posses powerful black magic. She has the ability to detach their heads or torso from the main body and fly. The Manananggal feed on the blood of women in labour and the newborns to keep the features eternally young.

Hantu Raya

The Hantu Raya is a powerful spirit that is said to be the master of the underworld. To wield its power, one has to enter into a contract with it. Once bound, the Hantu Raya will become the master’s double, performing heinous acts without being caught. However, failure to exit the contract properly with the Hantu Raya will cause it’s master to endure a painful death with a possibility of becoming a living dead.

What do you think? If you think that there are spirits/ghosts that are worth mentioning, comment below. And if you know of a folklore ghost/spirit that's meaner and scarier, share it with us!

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