Of Madam White Snake and other legendary serpents

One of the snakes most associated with Malaysia is the Malayan king cobra (Ophiophagus bugngarus). In this part of the world, myths about snakes refer to them as 'Nagas' as well as dragons and water spirits. — MUHAMMAD ARIFF KHAIDHIR CHEK MAT

TO mark the Year of the Snake, which begins on Jan 29, 2025, according to the Chinese zodiac, here are some slithery stories about legendary snakes. The real story about Malaysia's serpents is not so rosy, though, thanks to climate change and overdelopment threatening their existence, as explained in "Malaysia's serpents: Caught in the coils of change".