WATCH: Police Claim Man Who Chanted Azan In Front Of Chinese Ghost King Effigy Is Mentally Ill

By Lara Kramer  •  02 Aug 2022 in News

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Yesterday (August 1), a video depicting the act of a man chanting Azan (call to prayer) in front of a paper effigy believed to be that of the Ghost King, Tai Su Yeah, at a Chinese tokong went viral on Facebook.

Through the clip shared by the World Religions Research Academy, the man clad in a songkok was seen committing the act at Pertubuhan Yulan Bukit Mertajam in Penang.

It is understood that the video was recorded around 2.30 pm on July 26, in line with an event held in conjunction with the Hungry Ghost Festival which is celebrated by Buddhists in July annually.

As per Chinese folk tales, this is the period when the gates of the lower domains are opened, allowing spirits to navigate the human world.

The sharing received various reactions among netizens whereby many criticised the man’s behaviour as they believed he was publicly harming the image of Islam and making a mockery of another religion.

However, Seberang Perai Tengah District Police Chief (SPT), Assistant Commissioner Tan Cheng San subsequently confirmed that the individual actually suffers from mental health issues, and is of unsound mind.

This caused some netizens to sympathise with the man and tell others to stop making harsh remarks against him.

As a result of testimonies from several witnesses, Tan said that this was not the first time the 40-year-old perpetrator had portrayed such a behaviour around the area. Apparently, he had done something similar in 2017, and most of the residents were already familiar with him and his antics.

Following that, the authorities have advised the general public to respect each other’s religious views and to avoid any activity that might offend people of different races or religious faiths.