How the gruesome 1998 incidents paved the way for black magic to be criminalised last year in 2022, in the predominantly Muslim country of Indonesia.

Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023.

Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

Sorcery is against Islamic teachings, but today, many in Indonesia still consult black magic practitioners for advice. In 1998, a series of killings by unknown masked 'ninjas', targeting suspected sorcerers in East Java, launched the community into a period of mass hysteria, violence and retaliation-attacks.

The killings triggered discussions on the need and ways to regulate sorcery, to prevent similar instances and to stop people from taking the law into their own hands. The legal gap was finally plugged last year in 2022, when laws on sorcery were included in the revised Criminal Code passed by the Parliament.

The government is also seeking to settle the case, along with 11 other human rights abuses, by non-judicial means.   

ST’s Indonesia Bureau Chief Arlina Arshad narrates this podcast. The reporting and scripting for this episode was done by ST’s Indonesia Correspondent Linda Yulisman.

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:20 Why sorcery has long been part of Indonesia’s life and culture, even among the nation's notable figures

10:05 From 1998 till 1999, a ferocious wave of hysteria spreads against purported black magic practitioners

20:15 Larger motives behind attacks? Understanding Banyuwangi region's history and Indonesia’s period of political transition

28:40 Were attacks likely carried out by trained assassins with links to the military?

33:35 Why it took decades to criminalise witchcraft and sorcery in Indonesia

Interviews by: Linda Yulisman (ylinda@sph.com.sg)

Narrated by: Arlina Arshad (aarlina@sph.com.sg)

Executive Producers: Ernest Luis (ernest@sph.com.sg) and Tan Tam Mei (tammei@sph.com.sg)

Podcast Producers: Hadyu Rahim & Fa'izah Sani

Voiceovers: Hairianto Diman, Deepanraj Ganesan, Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Dominic Nathan, Lee Nian Tjoe, Colin Tan, Eddino Abdul Hadi, Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim

Copy editor: Choo Li Meng

Follow ST’s True Crimes Of Asia Podcast:

Channel: https://str.sg/i44T

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/i44q

Spotify: https://str.sg/i44c

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Linda Yulisman's articles: https://str.sg/iif5

Read Arlina Arshad's articles: https://str.sg/iifS

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

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ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#truecrimes

How the gruesome 1998 incidents paved the way for black magic to be criminalised last year in 2022, in the predominantly Muslim country of Indonesia.
Synopsis (headphones recommended): A special edition 6-part series by The Straits Times in Singapore, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. Episodes drop every fourth Tuesday of the month from April 25, 2023.
Warning: This podcast is an audio documentary of a real crime case which may be troubling and upsetting to certain listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
Sorcery is against Islamic teachings, but today, many in Indonesia still consult black magic practitioners for advice. In 1998, a series of killings by unknown masked 'ninjas', targeting suspected sorcerers in East Java, launched the community into a period of mass hysteria, violence and retaliation-attacks.
The killings triggered discussions on the need and ways to regulate sorcery, to prevent similar instances and to stop people from taking the law into their own hands. The legal gap was finally plugged last year in 2022, when laws on sorcery were included in the revised Criminal Code passed by the Parliament.
The government is also seeking to settle the case, along with 11 other human rights abuses, by non-judicial means.   
ST’s Indonesia Bureau Chief Arlina Arshad narrates this podcast. The reporting and scripting for this episode was done by ST’s Indonesia Correspondent Linda Yulisman.
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:20 Why sorcery has long been part of Indonesia’s life and culture, even among the nation's notable figures
10:05 From 1998 till 1999, a ferocious wave of hysteria spreads against purported black magic practitioners
20:15 Larger motives behind attacks? Understanding Banyuwangi region's history and Indonesia’s period of political transition
28:40 Were attacks likely carried out by trained assassins with links to the military?
33:35 Why it took decades to criminalise witchcraft and sorcery in Indonesia
Interviews by: Linda Yulisman (<a href="mailto:ylinda@sph.com.sg">ylinda@sph.com.sg</a>)
Narrated by: Arlina Arshad <a href="mailto:aarlina@sph.com.sg">(aarlina@sph.com.sg</a>)
Executive Producers: Ernest Luis (<a href="mailto:ernest@sph.com.sg">ernest@sph.com.sg</a>) and Tan Tam Mei (<a href="mailto:tammei@sph.com.sg">tammei@sph.com.sg</a>)
Podcast Producers: Hadyu Rahim &amp; Fa'izah Sani
Voiceovers: Hairianto Diman, Deepanraj Ganesan, Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Dominic Nathan, Lee Nian Tjoe, Colin Tan, Eddino Abdul Hadi, Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim
Copy editor: Choo Li Meng
Follow ST’s True Crimes Of Asia Podcast: Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/i44T" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/i44T&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1w2JqgQ6b8isa8Rq8ibTEB">https://str.sg/i44T</a> Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/i44q" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/i44q&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0ysGqAHlm38cCulfGRFen9">https://str.sg/i44q</a> Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/i44c" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/i44c&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3jiUQCPfsC2tYZDmwAiD47">https://str.sg/i44c</a> SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.awedio.sg/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0A1wFA9A-GaMGZCjztCdG9">https://www.awedio.sg/</a> Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684426916422000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1cslXd9JWb_9ut5RLY0dLj">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a> Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a> Read Linda Yulisman's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iif5">https://str.sg/iif5</a>
Read Arlina Arshad's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iifS">https://str.sg/iifS</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
The Usual Place: <a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wEr7u" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a>
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
COE Watch: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE">https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
Hard Tackle: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
---
ST Podcast website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
ST Podcasts YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
#truecrimes

Synopsis: A 6-part series from April till September 2023, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. 

Executive Producers: Ernest Luis, Tan Tam Mei & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: A 6-part series from April till September 2023, exploring recent real crimes that gripped, horrified and laid bare the issues that afflicted societies in Asia. 
Executive Producers: Ernest Luis, Tan Tam Mei &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

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