'The first time Dato Hashim set eyes on the Manis was during a charity show at the Plaza Raya in Kota Kinabalu', said talk show host Zarah as she presented her weekly TV programme from Kuala Lumpur. 'As viewers might recall, a whirlwind romance followed and a marriage that was to end in a gruesome murder. 'It is sad to think that in less than an hour from now, Manis a beautiful and talented young woman, will be executed for the murder of Dato Hashim. But, putting sentiment aside, the penalty for such crime is death!
'Let me take you back to the beginning of this romance that was fated to end in tragedy in this special programme, The Dato's Deadly Date.' As a video was shown of the charity show, Zarah told her viewers; 'I well remember that night. I was seated at the same table as Dato Hashim and his wife, Datin Rokiah, to whom he had married for twenty six years. He was the patron of the charity show and they had arrived in Kota Kinabalu from Kuala Lumpur that afternoon. 'We had come to the end of a variety programme featuring some of the country's leading entertainers and it was time for the final item, the grand finale featuring Manis, the sensational star who had performed in Europe and London.
'The orchestra played a rousing fanfare and the lights were dimmed. A spotlight zoomed in on the stage. There was a booming sound of drums. As the curtains parted Manis charged to the centre of the stage like a harimau kumbang, a black panther! She wore a black mask and a tight fitting shiny, black outfit that exposed much of her shapely body. The crowd gaped in silence as she gyrated, snarling and clawing the air with her long fingernails as the drummers increased their tempo in 'The Dance Of Jungle Drums'.
'As she neared the end of the dance she stepped on to a carpeted catwalk that extended into the ballroom packed with people. She crouched and moved quickly, stopping at the edge of the catwalk, snarling like a predator about to pounce on its prey; the bright green contact lenses she wore adding to her panther like appearance. Panting, she stared directly at Dato Hashim and the audience must have wondered if she was going to spring onto the table where he was seated with other VIP guests. There was a roll of drums. Tension mounted. Then, she stood up and removing her mask, smiled and bowed as the ballroom exploded with deafening applause. It was a sensational climax to a sensational performance!
'As she backed away, I saw her eyes and Dato Hashim's meet for a brief moment. I had a strange feeling a secret message was exchanged between them. I do not know what made me think so! I sa Dato Hashim whisper something to his secretary. The man quickly left the ballroom. I was told later that he had delivered a basket of roses to Manis in her dressing room. it was from Dato Hashim in appreciation of her performance. The following day Dato Hashim received a phone call at his golf club. It was Manis. She had called to thank him personally for the flowers. Two days later they were seen having lunch at small restaurant out of town. What happened after that became 'hot news' in every newspaper and magazine across the country', said Zarah.
Viewers were shown various video tapes and photos of Dato Hashim and Manis at parties, playing golf, sailing, their elaborate wedding ceremony three months later and of them waving from the deck of a luxury cruise ship as they set off on a round the world honeymoon. Zarah continued; 'There was criticism about the wide difference in their ages. He was fifty nine. She said she was twenty six. it drew an acid comment from one of her ex-boyfriend who said, 'As far as I know, she's been twenty six for quite a long time!' 'I had become a close friend of Datin Rokiah before her husband's romance with Manis', Zarah told her viewers. 'If you remember, she had previously appeared on two of my talk shows to discuss important social issues. When her husband decided to make Manis his second wife, she told me in confidence that she had had a long and serious talk with him, pointing out that Manis had been divorced three times and that she had a reputation of being a 'gold digger' since she was only interested in the money she could extract from her previous husbands. It was common knowledge that while she was married she also had affairs with various men, the most scandalous being her affair with a well known and wealthy politician. Hearing what his wife had told him, Dato Hashim flew into a rage, something he had never done in all the years they had been married. He told his wife that what she said were lies because people were jealous of Manis who was in fact an honest and sincere person.
'Datin Rokiah told me she thought Manis was using witchcraft on her husband and had put a magic spell on him. 'She seemed to have totally possessed him!' said Datin Rokiah who also said that if he wanted to take a second wife, he could have chosen a respectable woman who would not ruin his reputation! Let us go back to the trial in the High Court, when Manis was charged with the murder of Dato Hashim', said Zarah. 'You will remember that Manis had made a report to the police that Dato Hashim was missing from their home and that she suspected he had been kidnapped. She also told police that she had received anonymous phone calls demanding a ransom of one million US dollars, a report that police later said was false because they suspected Manis had murdered Dato Hashim and her secret lover, a male model named Fred. You will also remember reading about the dramatic courtroom scene when Datin Rokiah was giving evidence and when she had pointed a finger at Manis who was seated in the prisoner's dock, and said; 'You killed my husband because you would received a million dollars and millions more in property when he died! You had planned his murder with your secret lover Fred with whom you were supposed to share the money! But, unfortunately Fred is not here to tell us the whole story because you killed him! And then, you made it appear he had tried to kill you and you had stabbed him to death in self defense! Lies! You had wanted Fred dead because you did not trust him. Moreover, if you both were arrested for the murder of my husband, you were afraid Fred might confess and tell the police that it was your evil plan and not his! I have also discovered who you are! I consulted a bomoh who is willing to come to this court and say that you are a sundal bolong! I discovered the horrible truth that you are a half human vampire after the bomoh sent a spirit in the form of a mosquito to suck some of your blood one night while you were asleep. I sent your blood to be analysed. The laboratory report said it was a mixture of animal and human blood! I have the certified report here with me, if anybody cares to read it!'
'Manis stood up in the dock, tears streaming down her face and cried, 'Lies! Lies!' Datin Rokiah replied, 'What I have said is all true! You were originally a pontianak who became a sundal bolong after a nail was driven into the back of your head! Stand up! Let the judge and everybody in this courtroom see the small lump on the back of your head that covers the nail! I challenge you to stand under the electric lights of this courtroom!' 'When the judge asked Datin Rokiah the reason, she replied; 'Because I wish everyone in this courtroom to see that half human creatures like her do not have shadows because they do not have souls!' Manis screamed, 'I killed your husband! I killed Fred! They deserved to die! They were unfaithful liars! Did you know that your husband had secretly married two other women in Thailand before he married me? Did you ever suspect he could be so unfaithful to you? His lawyers know what I say is true! Ask them! They have copies of his marriage certificates in Thailand!'
Zarah continued; 'Datin Rokiah fainted after hearing what Manis had said and the judge adjourned the trial for one day. later, it was confirmed that Dato Hashim had secretly married two women in Thailand! It was a sensational murder trial, indeed and one of the most gruesome. Only parts of Dato Hashim's dismembered body were found in an abandoned house on a rubber plantation. Police believed Manis and Fred had chopped his body into pieces. Fred had buried some parts while others were found floating in a river. Dato Hashim's head was not found. Fred was murdered by Manis before he could get rid of the other parts. She set the house on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence of the gruesome crime but police were able to find some of the remains of Fred's body. Of course, Manis's real reason for killing Dato hashim and Fred was because of her greed for money!'
The phone on Zarah's desk in the TV studio rang. After a brief conversation, she put the phone down and said to her viewers, 'I had asked the prison warden to call me after Manis was executed, which he just did. It brings this special report to a close. Thank you all for your company. Until next week, goodbye.' But the story about Manis didn't end there. According to a prison officer who wished to remain unnamed, when undertakers went to the mortuary to remove Manis's body from the steel compartment where it was kept, it wasn't there although the compartment was still locked!
A thorough search of the mortuary was carried out but her body had mysteriously disappeared. The news that it was missing soon circulated. The prison authorities however, were quick to deny it. They issued a statement that said; 'The body was unclaimed by the family of the deceased and was disposed of accordingly.' A mortuary attendant told a newspaper reporter; 'I saw an ugly, old woman with a white face and red eyes emerge from the compartment where Manis's body was kept. I was terrified when I saw the old woman change into a large, black bird and fly through a window in the mortuary although the window was locked!'
He said he had reported the matter to the duty officer who laughed and told him that he must have had a bad dream. Prison authorities described the attendant's story as 'nonsense'.
'Let me take you back to the beginning of this romance that was fated to end in tragedy in this special programme, The Dato's Deadly Date.' As a video was shown of the charity show, Zarah told her viewers; 'I well remember that night. I was seated at the same table as Dato Hashim and his wife, Datin Rokiah, to whom he had married for twenty six years. He was the patron of the charity show and they had arrived in Kota Kinabalu from Kuala Lumpur that afternoon. 'We had come to the end of a variety programme featuring some of the country's leading entertainers and it was time for the final item, the grand finale featuring Manis, the sensational star who had performed in Europe and London.
'The orchestra played a rousing fanfare and the lights were dimmed. A spotlight zoomed in on the stage. There was a booming sound of drums. As the curtains parted Manis charged to the centre of the stage like a harimau kumbang, a black panther! She wore a black mask and a tight fitting shiny, black outfit that exposed much of her shapely body. The crowd gaped in silence as she gyrated, snarling and clawing the air with her long fingernails as the drummers increased their tempo in 'The Dance Of Jungle Drums'.
'As she neared the end of the dance she stepped on to a carpeted catwalk that extended into the ballroom packed with people. She crouched and moved quickly, stopping at the edge of the catwalk, snarling like a predator about to pounce on its prey; the bright green contact lenses she wore adding to her panther like appearance. Panting, she stared directly at Dato Hashim and the audience must have wondered if she was going to spring onto the table where he was seated with other VIP guests. There was a roll of drums. Tension mounted. Then, she stood up and removing her mask, smiled and bowed as the ballroom exploded with deafening applause. It was a sensational climax to a sensational performance!
'As she backed away, I saw her eyes and Dato Hashim's meet for a brief moment. I had a strange feeling a secret message was exchanged between them. I do not know what made me think so! I sa Dato Hashim whisper something to his secretary. The man quickly left the ballroom. I was told later that he had delivered a basket of roses to Manis in her dressing room. it was from Dato Hashim in appreciation of her performance. The following day Dato Hashim received a phone call at his golf club. It was Manis. She had called to thank him personally for the flowers. Two days later they were seen having lunch at small restaurant out of town. What happened after that became 'hot news' in every newspaper and magazine across the country', said Zarah.
Viewers were shown various video tapes and photos of Dato Hashim and Manis at parties, playing golf, sailing, their elaborate wedding ceremony three months later and of them waving from the deck of a luxury cruise ship as they set off on a round the world honeymoon. Zarah continued; 'There was criticism about the wide difference in their ages. He was fifty nine. She said she was twenty six. it drew an acid comment from one of her ex-boyfriend who said, 'As far as I know, she's been twenty six for quite a long time!' 'I had become a close friend of Datin Rokiah before her husband's romance with Manis', Zarah told her viewers. 'If you remember, she had previously appeared on two of my talk shows to discuss important social issues. When her husband decided to make Manis his second wife, she told me in confidence that she had had a long and serious talk with him, pointing out that Manis had been divorced three times and that she had a reputation of being a 'gold digger' since she was only interested in the money she could extract from her previous husbands. It was common knowledge that while she was married she also had affairs with various men, the most scandalous being her affair with a well known and wealthy politician. Hearing what his wife had told him, Dato Hashim flew into a rage, something he had never done in all the years they had been married. He told his wife that what she said were lies because people were jealous of Manis who was in fact an honest and sincere person.
'Datin Rokiah told me she thought Manis was using witchcraft on her husband and had put a magic spell on him. 'She seemed to have totally possessed him!' said Datin Rokiah who also said that if he wanted to take a second wife, he could have chosen a respectable woman who would not ruin his reputation! Let us go back to the trial in the High Court, when Manis was charged with the murder of Dato Hashim', said Zarah. 'You will remember that Manis had made a report to the police that Dato Hashim was missing from their home and that she suspected he had been kidnapped. She also told police that she had received anonymous phone calls demanding a ransom of one million US dollars, a report that police later said was false because they suspected Manis had murdered Dato Hashim and her secret lover, a male model named Fred. You will also remember reading about the dramatic courtroom scene when Datin Rokiah was giving evidence and when she had pointed a finger at Manis who was seated in the prisoner's dock, and said; 'You killed my husband because you would received a million dollars and millions more in property when he died! You had planned his murder with your secret lover Fred with whom you were supposed to share the money! But, unfortunately Fred is not here to tell us the whole story because you killed him! And then, you made it appear he had tried to kill you and you had stabbed him to death in self defense! Lies! You had wanted Fred dead because you did not trust him. Moreover, if you both were arrested for the murder of my husband, you were afraid Fred might confess and tell the police that it was your evil plan and not his! I have also discovered who you are! I consulted a bomoh who is willing to come to this court and say that you are a sundal bolong! I discovered the horrible truth that you are a half human vampire after the bomoh sent a spirit in the form of a mosquito to suck some of your blood one night while you were asleep. I sent your blood to be analysed. The laboratory report said it was a mixture of animal and human blood! I have the certified report here with me, if anybody cares to read it!'
'Manis stood up in the dock, tears streaming down her face and cried, 'Lies! Lies!' Datin Rokiah replied, 'What I have said is all true! You were originally a pontianak who became a sundal bolong after a nail was driven into the back of your head! Stand up! Let the judge and everybody in this courtroom see the small lump on the back of your head that covers the nail! I challenge you to stand under the electric lights of this courtroom!' 'When the judge asked Datin Rokiah the reason, she replied; 'Because I wish everyone in this courtroom to see that half human creatures like her do not have shadows because they do not have souls!' Manis screamed, 'I killed your husband! I killed Fred! They deserved to die! They were unfaithful liars! Did you know that your husband had secretly married two other women in Thailand before he married me? Did you ever suspect he could be so unfaithful to you? His lawyers know what I say is true! Ask them! They have copies of his marriage certificates in Thailand!'
Zarah continued; 'Datin Rokiah fainted after hearing what Manis had said and the judge adjourned the trial for one day. later, it was confirmed that Dato Hashim had secretly married two women in Thailand! It was a sensational murder trial, indeed and one of the most gruesome. Only parts of Dato Hashim's dismembered body were found in an abandoned house on a rubber plantation. Police believed Manis and Fred had chopped his body into pieces. Fred had buried some parts while others were found floating in a river. Dato Hashim's head was not found. Fred was murdered by Manis before he could get rid of the other parts. She set the house on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence of the gruesome crime but police were able to find some of the remains of Fred's body. Of course, Manis's real reason for killing Dato hashim and Fred was because of her greed for money!'
The phone on Zarah's desk in the TV studio rang. After a brief conversation, she put the phone down and said to her viewers, 'I had asked the prison warden to call me after Manis was executed, which he just did. It brings this special report to a close. Thank you all for your company. Until next week, goodbye.' But the story about Manis didn't end there. According to a prison officer who wished to remain unnamed, when undertakers went to the mortuary to remove Manis's body from the steel compartment where it was kept, it wasn't there although the compartment was still locked!
A thorough search of the mortuary was carried out but her body had mysteriously disappeared. The news that it was missing soon circulated. The prison authorities however, were quick to deny it. They issued a statement that said; 'The body was unclaimed by the family of the deceased and was disposed of accordingly.' A mortuary attendant told a newspaper reporter; 'I saw an ugly, old woman with a white face and red eyes emerge from the compartment where Manis's body was kept. I was terrified when I saw the old woman change into a large, black bird and fly through a window in the mortuary although the window was locked!'
He said he had reported the matter to the duty officer who laughed and told him that he must have had a bad dream. Prison authorities described the attendant's story as 'nonsense'.
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