Night Train Journey

Night Train Journey

A half deserted night train brings a surprising spooky and eerie encounter.

Marcus Wee went to Kuala Lumpur central for his night train (KTM-Kereta Tanah Melayu) trip to his destination in Johor Baru. He was going with his girlfriend, Liv Yip who is also a student at the University, to meet his parents and family. As expected, the train was late as Marcus and Liv finally got on to the train for the journey to Johor Baru. They did not the sleeping coaches, with the double-deckers bunks, as it was more expensive but settled for the normal coaches which can only inclined slightly. After settling down, they both chatted a bit before going to sleep.

Kulai Train Station in Johor

Marcus was woken up by sound of the train and he peered at the window from his carriage. He was worried that they have overslept and miss their stop at Johor Baru. The night was dark with inadequate lightings, he could just barely make out the surrounding. As it was dark and the patches of fog, he realized it only Kulai station. The train started moving again to their next train stop in Johor Baru, Marcus looked at Liv and found her soundly asleep in their carriage.

As Marcus was casually looking at the moving train platform, he saw a movement at the end of the platform. It looked like a large white sack and it was jumping or hopping along the platform. As the “hopping thing” was in the opposite direction to the train, Marcus stared and peered at the thing. He was in total shocked, when he saw it was a body but completely covered by a white cloth and hopping along the platform! The hopping thing in white slowly disappeared as the train slowly sped away.

Shocked and breathless, Marcus quickly woke up Liv and told her what had happened. Half asleep and still dazed, she said that he was dreaming!

An example of Hantu Pocong

Hantu pocong – a Malay ghost when a soul of a dead person is trapped in their shroud (burial cloth). My understanding is that the corpse must be untied (neck, hands and legs) during the burial ceremony. Otherwise the corpse will hop or jump with their body tied together.