Bizarre tales of “bomoh” services for May 7 sitting

(The Star) IPOH: The coming sitting of the Perak state assembly on Thursday has taken a bizarre supernatural twist with accusations of assemblymen seeking the help of bomohs coming from both sides.

Pakatan Rakyat claimed these "experts" were supposedly brought in to ensure favourable tidings for both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.

Pakatan's Perak Backbenchers Club chairman Dr Khalil Idham Lim Abdullah alleged that he had proof that an Umno assemblyman had recently brought a bomoh into the assembly hall.

The bomoh, he claimed, had apparently cast a spell on the seat of state Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar and within the premises itself on Friday.

"I was informed on Saturday by a trusted source who said the bomoh cast a jampi (spell) on the Speaker's seat and sprinkled the hall with black pepper.

"Perhaps he wants to give us stomach aches," he quipped during a press conference at Wisma DAP here on Sunday.

As a Muslim, Dr Khalil said he questioned the use of such immoral methods, which were against the teachings of Islam.

He urged state Mufti Datuk Seri Harusani Zakaria to give his stand or issue a fatwa on whether bomohs could be used for such purposes in the assembly hall.

On reports that Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir had denounced the claims as baseless, Dr Khalil insisted that Umno had been known to use the services of bomohs.

"I can prove that a bomoh was brought in. My source can be trusted," he added.

However, Pakatan Rakyat has also not escaped from stories they were resorting to bomohs as well for the assembly meeting.

SMS messages have been circulated, claiming that Sivakumar together with bomohs from Thailand and India were circling the state secretariat.

The purpose was allegedly to "weaken" all government officers, police and Barisan leaders.