Water Ghosts

Water Ghosts

Some people have described water ghosts as the most vicious and possibly the most dangerous ghost in Malaysia.

 According to some Chinese culture “sui guai” or water ghosts are spirits of people who have drowned. They could for example, leave taps on with water in the rooms like the bedrooms, dining rooms, kitchen etc. Some Chinese believe that water ghosts are the fiercest spirits of them all.

As it was a Sunday, Paul Khoo together with his close friend, Mat, took a drive to Lake Titiwangsa (also known as Taman Tasik Titiwangsa) for a trip of fishing. Taman Tasik Titiwangsa is a recreation park and a lake nearby to downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Photo of Lake Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur

After spending the whole afternoon and evening both of them when back to their homes. That night when Paul and his parents had fallen asleep, Paul’s parents were waken up when they heard someone was talking and were surprised to find him downstairs in the dining room. They found Paul delirious and hallucinating, but the parents finally managed to get him upstairs to his bedroom and go back to sleep.

The next morning, as Paul was still sick his mother brought him to the doctor. Paul spent practically the whole day sleeping. That night Paul’s parents woke up puzzled they heard sounds again from downstairs, thinking that it must be Paul again. Both of them quickly went down out of their bedroom to the staircase but on passing Paul’s room were surprised to find Paul fast asleep.

After they had taken of Paul who still had a high fever, they both slowing crept down the stairs. After turning the lights they found everything was in order except….there was a large puddle of water on the carpet in the living room!

Paul’s parents brought Paul to a Chinese temple where they were told that Paul had encountered a water ghost in the lake. The Chinese medium chanted and Paul had to drink some water from the temple.

The story happened in the 1990’s when Calvin lived in Butterworth in Penang when he was a little kid of 6 years old then. His parents lived in a big old house that was that was located beside the sea. Calvin’s parents decided to temporary “foster” boy who was 17 years from Sabah, Danny, and he was supposed to live with them for 3 months. 

Danny was like a big brother to Calvin who simply adores and worships him. Danny used to bring Calvin to the beach (with a nanny tagging along). Before long Danny had to leave for Sabah and said goodbye to the family. As time passed Calvin’s parents thought that Calvin would have gotten about Danny’s leave to Sabah.

As Calvin was eating dinner with his parents and his ‘ah mah’ he looked up and pointed his finger and shouted happily that Danny is back. His parents and the nanny looked around their garden which was dimly lit but saw nothing there but bushes and a couple of trees. His parents and the nanny told him that he was mistaken and gently tried to make him eat his dinner. However Danny threw a fit (with legs and feet thrashing) and stubbornly insisted that he saw Danny and he was standing beside a bush in the garden.

Giving up Calvin’s parents turned the garden lights on and they went together with Calvin in tow to convince that Danny wasn’t there. When they got there they looked about the grasses, bushes and a couple of trees but they saw nothing there…except there was a huge puddle of water in the bush. His parents then told Calvin that Danny was with his family in Sabah.

The next morning Calvin’s parents got a call from Danny’s mother with the news that Danny drowned at a beach yesterday in Sabah!

Was it a coincidence that little Calvin saw Danny in the garden? Or was it more likely that Danny came back just to say a final goodbye.