MELAKA: The ghostbusters are here and they are looking for business, after reports that some hotel guests claimed their rooms were haunted and demanded refunds.
Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) Melaka chapter chairman Khairulnizam Kasim said he received a call from a man claiming to be a medium.
The man had called him well past midnight to offer his ghostbusting service after reading the report.
However, the ghostbuster hit a dead end.
Khairulnizam turned him down.
Melaka has many famous haunts, including Bukit China, the oldest cemetery in the country.
A few years ago, there were reports that there were mysterious “loud knocks” on house doors in Alor Gajah.
There were also reports of apparitions being sighted by villagers in Kampung Lapan, where a “lady in red” was said to have appeared.
Khairulnizam said he had told the “medium” that only a few guests had made claims of ghosts when requesting refunds.
This was because they didn’t want to continue staying in that particular hotel.
“There are no tangible reports of such sightings in hotels,” he said yesterday.
On Saturday, The Star reported that the association had acknowledged that there were such cases among the hotels in the historic city.
Khairulnizam, however, said they remained anecdotal.
“There is no evidence to back up such sightings. Even in Melaka, it’s just rumours.
“There are thousands of hotel staff here, and no one has reported such sightings all this time,” he added.
Any which way, the ghostbuster is not likely to get much business in Melaka.
When reports of the “lady in red” surfaced, a Melaka tourism body had actually suggested a “paranormal” package for tourists who could go ghost-hunting.
Melaka Tourism Business Club vice-chairman Dennis Samford had called for a tour that could also be made into an interactive ghost experience.
Ghosts may be good business for Melaka – not ghostbusters.
