Breast Ghost
by
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In Breast Ghost, Rahim Abdul explores the Asian folklore of ghosts, spirits and genies through a collection of short stories, set specifically in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. In these areas, unlike India, China and the West where traditional ghost stories were written down long ago, tales of haunting, possession and black magic are handed down by word of mouth. The supernatural still features strongly in the culture and Abdul brings together first-hand experiences, stories handed-down by family and from local tradition, of entities such as the ‘Breast Ghost’ which abducts unguarded children in its monstrous, stinking cleavage, the mischievous thieving ‘Toyol’, or the stifling female ‘Pontianak’ whose presence is first indicated by a strong scent of fragrant frangipani before turning foul and rotten. Through vivid and widely varied tales, Abdul portrays a world where the supernatural is ever present, ready to trap the unwary or disrespectful. While some stories feature recognised universal demons, others tell of incidents in specific locations – Singapore’s Mount Pleasant Road, Changi Hospital, local cemeteries or Seletar Base Camp – recording chilling encounters with ghostly taxi passengers, an invisible motorcycle pillion luring the rider into danger, a farmer mysteriously assisted by a goat-legged man, or a phantom security guard outside a tenth-storey window. Abdul is quick to own that these twenty-four stories may be real spirit encounters or not – it’s for the reader to decide – they should not be taken seriously but be read as entertainment. What is certain is that the mind can play tricks in the scary ‘haunted’ realm of midnight graveyards and abandoned sites where evil deeds have been done. Those fears still lurk, and these simply-told tales have the power to send a shiver down the most sceptical spine.
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About the Book
Breast Ghosts is a collection of ghost stories. Malaysian and Indonesian traditions and superstitions pertaining to ghosts are skilfully revealed to the reader as the narrator author relates “personal” experiences and second hand accounts. A fascinating aspect is that these are contemporary stories set in real places in Singapore and Indonesia. We visit both the Singaporean metropolis and the remote jungles of Java. This collection will be enjoyed by readers who like ghost stories, but also by those who are simply interested in the culture of Indonesia, Malaysia or Singapore. What is particularly engaging and unique about this collection is the strong feeling of authenticity owing to the first-person narration and the modern setting; even though the ghosts themselves come from centuries-old Indonesian folklore.
About the Author
Autobiography I'm a Malay man, born, grew up and still living in Singapore. I'm married with three angels. One of the angel was married with a daughter and son. She passed away recently. I studied Malay (mother tongue) and completed a Malay High School in Singapore. English is my second language. Only when my grandson started to talk, I speak more English at home. That was seven years ago. I worked as a Statuary Board Officer for 33 years. The last post I had was as an Admin Executive. In 2003 I was wheeled chaired because of some sickness (Giant Celll Tumour at the vertebrae). I left the job in 2004, and started to pen down my thought as and whenever I walked down the memory lane.This is the first time I'm writing a book. Name: Abdul Rahim Bin Ngarsi Age: 61 years old DOB : 23/10/1951 Address: 45, Jalan Selaseh, Singapore 808459 Tel: 065 64817137 Email: ngarsi@yahoo.com.sg Occupation: Retiree - ambitious enough to be an author Hobby: I read, but I’m not a bookworm. I do Macrame & Crochet occasionally Pen Name: RahimAbdul