Australian to chronicle family’s ghostly encounter - An Australian writer intrigued by the paranormal happenings at the home of Zainab Sulaiman...

Australian to chronicle family’s ghostly encounter
By SYED AZHAR
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KOTA BARU: An Australian writer intrigued by the paranormal happenings at the home of Zainab Sulaiman, which included unexplained mysterious fires, has flown down to investigate and chronicle it for an upcoming book on the matter.

Paul Cropper, 47, from Sydney arrived here on Friday to meet 75-year-old Zainab in Kampung Penambang Bunga after reading about her ordeal in The Star online.

“Zainab’s experience is similar to the work of a poltergeist or djinn as the locals call it.

“I have personally experienced such entities in Australia where things mysteriously fly. I want to compare Zainab’s experience with the paranormal activities in Australia,” Cropper said.

Poltergeist was here: Zainab showing Cropper the mattress that caught fire, when he paid her a visit yesterday. — SAZUKI EMBONG / The Star

“I expect the book would be completed in six months and I will prominently highlight Zainab’s experience in my book,” said the manager with a major Australian Telecommunications company who has been writing on strange phenomena for over 20 years.

He has co-authored two books on Australian wildlife myths and legends.

More than five paranormal experts had exorcised Zainab’s house, from Chinese sifus to bomohs and she has not experienced any strange phenomena since then.

A delighted Zainab said she was happy with Paul’s visit.

“At least now people believe my story because before this many had thought that I was an insane old woman trying to get attention from the public or trying to cash in on my predicament,” she said to Paul.

She gave him a half-burnt floor mat to bring back to Australia as a momento.

Zainab, who lives in the wooden house with her daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, was plagued with mysterious fires since early December last year.