`Open' sorcerer blends magic and science
`Open' sorcerer blends magic and science
JAKARTA (JP): Upbeat sorcerer Ki Gendeng Pamungkas belongs to
Indonesia's new breed of wizards who blend magic and science.
The man makes no secret of his "dark" business which has made
him amazingly rich with a self-declared monthly income of up to
Rp 60 million and businesses ranging from a car showroom to
shrimp ponds.
His clients come from all walks of life: from newspaper boys
and prostitutes to well-placed bureaucrats striving to secure
their standard of living or positions.
Unlike other wizards or sorcerers who generally consider it
taboo to talk about their activities in public, Ki Gendeng bares
all to the press for publication, except certain information like
his date of birth, the identity of some of his clients and how he
performs the sorcery.
In an informal gathering with journalists at the Jakarta
Jakarta magazine yesterday, the man from East Java admitted to
killing 734 people and disabling more than 500 others since he
made his debut in 1978.
The fees he obtains from clients have rocketed from Rp 500,000
(US$180) in 1978 to several "billion" at present. He said that
since diversifying his business in 1985, he has been selective
about targets.
"I don't want to trigger political chaos," said Ki Gendeng,
who studied his magic skills not only across Indonesia but in
other countries like Haiti and India.
He focuses not only on so-called black magic, but also
practices "white" magic for healing and "gray" magic, a
combination of black and white for "positive purposes."
Ki Gendeng calls his sorcery method "teleco-physicho
kinetics", which relies on mental concentration and the help of a
devil he says is always with him.
His clients are not only Indonesians but foreigners as well
who ask for his help through letters sent by fax, in which the
target person's date of birth and photographs are provided.
"There is no physical barrier to sorcery", he said.
But something does worry him: A controversial government-
sponsored bill which threatens sorcerers with hefty jail terms.
Criminologist Tubagus Roni said the bill contains major flaws
concerning sorcery. "Sorcery cannot be proved scientifically and
law enforcers will have difficulty proving whether the suspect is
guilty or not. (pan)