Legislator sought witch doctor's help<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): A court was told how a Malaysian
\npolitician sought out the witch doctors accused of murdering him
\nto oust rivals blocking his ministerial ambitions, reports said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Mazlan Idris, a 49-year old U.S.-educated official in Prime
\nMinister Mahathir Mohamad's United Malays National Organization
\n(UMNO), also thought he could use the powers of a talisman he was
\ntold belonged to former Indonesian president Sukarno.<\/p>\n
The high court in central Pahang state heard Tuesday how the
\nlegislator had wanted to become the Pahang chief minister.<\/p>\n
Nor Affendy Rahman, a witch doctor accused of killing the
\npolitician, said Mazlan paid a deposit of 500,000 ringgit
\n(US$200,000) for a 2.5 million ringgit ($1 million) "magic" cane,
\na traditional Malay headgear known as a songkok and the talisman.<\/p>\n
Testifying on the 49th day of one of Malaysia's most bizarre
\nmurder trials, Affendy said Mazlan paid the balance with 10
\npieces of land.<\/p>\n
Affendy, 37, his witch doctor wife Mona Fandey, 38, and their
\nassistant Juraimi Husin, 24, are accused of killing Mazlan in an
\nabandoned house in Pahang on July 2 last year. Mazlan's body was
\nchopped into 18 parts.<\/p>\n
Affendy said he had obtained the cane, headgear and talisman
\npreviously owned by former Indonesian president Sukarno when he
\nwas in West Java.<\/p>\n
The trial has tainted the image of Malaysia's witch doctors,
\nlocally called "bomoh", who are usually sought out to cure
\nailments ranging from spiritual angst to gallstones.<\/p>\n
The court has been given the names of UMNO politicians as well
\nas members of Malaysia's royalty who had sought out the trio.<\/p>\n
Affendy told the court he had sold 700 pieces of talisman
\nmostly to politicians, at about 7,000 ringgit each. He had earned
\n4.9 million ringgit from them.<\/p>\n
"My wife and I also implant golden needles on people for
\nmystical powers for 7,000 ringgit each," he was quoted saying.<\/p>\n
Affendy said he owned four vehicles, including two BMWs, and
\nthat his wife had a sapphire diamond necklace worth 280,000
\nringgit, to illustrate his lavish lifestyle.<\/p>\n
The court also heard how Affendy claimed the power to stop
\nstray dogs from barking by uttering certain "magic" words.<\/p>",
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