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Pulau Pemanggil sits 45kms east of Mersing, the take-off point to
most islands off the Southern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. To get
to Mersing itself takes 4½ hours by car or roughly 6 hours by
coach from KL (we use Kuala Lumpur as a point of reference) and
from Mersing it takes another 4½ hours (by traditional fishing
boats) to paradise island . And of course, there is the waiting
time to take into account - waiting for the tidal changes, for the
boat, for the coach, for tardy friends hitching a ride down with
you. But then again, these are the little joys of traveling to
far-off places for when you arrive, you know the tough journey has
been all worth the effort - you have left the masses behind!
As with most inhabited islands dotted around Malaysia, P.Pemanggil
has its fair share of history, mystery and spooky tales. Such
tales intrigue me and I was determined to find out more about the
island and its people, and wallow in waters of Malaysia's best
maintained marine parks
The Myth
It all starts with Batu Buau (The Buau Rock). Almost a century
ago, a boat carrying an Indonesian family searching for new land
came by these waters. One night, the father had a dream and in
this dream he heard a voice beckoning him to settle on the island.
The voice as was believed, belonged to the guardian (or the 'Penunggu'
in traditional Malay folklore) of the island. Taking heed of the
Guardian's advice, these first inhabitants steered off in the
direction of the island and landed on the beach at the foot of the
rock. They named their village, kampung Buau, after this rock,
Buau Rock.
As years past many more Indonesians were invited to stay on the
island followed by a number of Malay folk arriving from P.Aur.
Hence the name 'Pemanggil' or 'The Caller' was bestowed on the
island. It is believed that Nenek Buau, the Guardian of the island
lives on Batu Buau. Every year the penghulu (the village head)
pays respect to this highly revered 'sentient being' by leaving an
offering of polished rice and a payment of 1sen at the top of the
rock. Failing to do so, it is believed, would bring untold
hardship to the island community.
Kampung Pontianak
In the early days, there lived a 'Pontianak', a banshee who fed on
newborn babies. This particular breed of banshee, the one found on
the island, is also known as 'Hantu Langsuir' . The Langsuir can
detach her head from the body in times of attacks. What is
normally reported of the Langsuir is a flying head with entrails
attached and of course the ear-piercing screeches and wails.
This resident banshee had a palatable fancy for male babies-
waiting eagerly for new-borns but only attacking at night. One
night, she heard the groans of a villager in labour, in the nearby
village. Having been waiting for months now for a newborn, her
thirst for young blood was insatiable.
She hastily detached her head from her body and flew off to the
house unaware of the villagers lying in wait to ambush her. On
arrival at the house, she noticed that all the doors and windows
to the house were barred from within. In desperation, she decided
to enter from under the house, through the cracks of the
floorboards. The villagers, in position for the attack, threw a
net over her. Her wails from the surprise of the ambush alerted
her body but before the body could be reunited with the head,
another group of villagers infiltrated the Pontianak's house and
put flames to body. Without a body to return to, the Pontianak was
finally destroyed.
The village has still retained the name 'Pontianak' but is now a
quiet, serene beach.
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Answering
Mysteries
Come