Pulau Besar thriving on superstitious practices

MALACCA: There seems to be no end to the superstitious shenanigans going on in the so-called mystical island of Pulau Besar.
Located about 15km southeast of mainland Malacca and accessible via speedboat or ferry services, the island is known for its ancient tombs, shrines and mausoleums.
Believing that these old graves have mystical powers, hordes of people, mostly from the Hindu and Indian Muslim communities, visit the island on weekends and public holidays to pray or place offerings at the tomb sites.
Although the Islamic authorities frown on such activities as they deviate from the true teachings of Islam, some Muslims have no qualms about visiting Pulau Besar for ritualistic purposes.
During a recent visit to the island by this writer, he noticed that a few new places of worship have sprung up there, among them being the snake and tiger shrines where visitors can pray for the fulfilment of their wishes, meditate or perform other rituals, all of which are considered unIslamic.
Viewing their superstitious beliefs as an avenue to earn some money, some of the local residents have set up stalls to sell flowers and garlands, incense sticks, rose water, coconuts and other paraphernalia commonly used by the devotees for their rituals.
There are also traders selling supposedly sacred items like gemstones, bezoars (stones procured from the bodies of certain animals that are said to have therapeutic values), antique rings and antique Malay daggers or keris at stiff prices.
Source of income
This writer was also saddened to see the presence of individuals wearing skull caps and armed with walking sticks trying to pass themselves off as an "ustaz" or religious preacher.
Charging a fee of between RM30 and RM50, these make-belief holy men "dispense" incantations and bottles of spell-infused water to both Muslim and non-Muslim visitors who seek their help to get their prayers answered or ailments cured.
At the snake shrine, this writer met a flower seller who was a Muslim man in his 20s. Only identifying himself as Mamat, he said while he himself dismissed all forms of superstitious practices, the only reason he was doing business there was to earn some extra money.
"In fact, most of the people who buy my flowers for their rituals are non-Muslims. Not many Muslims who come here buy the flowers," he said.
Not far from the snake shrine several teenagers can be seen peddling all kinds of stones and rings purportedly procured from the Nenek Kebayan well, which is located on the island.
One of the boys, who only wanted to be known as Ramli, said his family was poor and the money he earned from selling the stones and rings helped to defray his personal expenses as he had to take the ferry to go to school on the mainland.

Advice unheeded
This writer also had the opportunity to talk one of the islanders, a 60-something man who identified himself as Haron. He is clearly frustrated that Pulau Besar continues to be a haven for unIslamic practices despite action taken by the religious authorities in the past.
What is more frustrating is the attitude of the locals who are bent on profiting from the deviant activities.
"I've been advising these people so much that I'm frothing at the mouth," blurted out Haron.
He has also been urging Pulau Besar visitors, regardless of whether they were Muslims or Hindus, to stop worshipping or fulfilling their vows at the tombs but his advice has gone unheeded.
According to Haron, even people from a neighbouring country were known to zip to Pulau Besar at night in a boat, ostensibly to visit the tomb of one Sultan Al-Ariffin, located next to the island's main mosque.
"Most of these visitors (from the neighbouring country) are silat practitioners who sit by the tomb chanting from late night to the early hours of the following day. They leave the island before dawn," he revealed.
Slack enforcement
Haron said based on his observations, some people come to Pulau Besar merely to visit the tombs of Sultan Al-Ariffin and others, a practice which is sanctioned by Islam, without indulging in superstitious rituals.
Others come to the island in the hope of getting a cure for their ailment or getting their wishes fulfilled by using the services of the self-professed religious preachers.
The island's sought-after spots for their rituals are the Sultan Al-Ariffin tomb, graves of the seven sisters, Yunos cave, snake shrine, tiger shrine and Nenek Kebayan's grave.
On the day this writer visited Pulau Besar, he met a visitor who only wanted to be known as Musa. He said he was there to pray at the mosque as he found the island's atmosphere peaceful, compared to the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur when he lived.
"I didn't come here for any rituals or superstitious activities. I just wanted to pray at the mosque here and visit Sultan Al-Ariffin's tomb," the pensioner said.
As a regular visitor to Pulau Besar, Musa regretted that deviant practices were allowed to flourish on the island due to the lack of proper enforcement.
"As long as enforcement officers are not stationed on the island, it will not become free of such practices."
He said when he was in Pulau Besar a few months ago, he saw some officials from the Malacca State Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jaim) taking down the names of visitors at the Sultan Al-Ariffin tomb but he did not see the officials giving any advice to them.
And, seated just beside the same tomb was a religious-looking man who was busy reciting incantations and selling flowers and fragrant essential oil to those who have come there to offer prayers.
"Although Jaim has put up a sign there prohibiting deviant activities, the man is openly defying the order.
"In the past, I myself have rebuked these people (who go against Islamic teachings) but some of them threatened to punch me. It makes me sad to see Muslims themselves insulting the religion," he added. — Bernama