The coffin maker and things that go bump in the night

A MAN recently shared on TikTok a “mystical encounter” that he said he experienced eight years ago in Alor Setar, Kedah, Harian Metro reported.

Muhamad Asrul Abd Khadir, known as Jun, recalled the incident when he assisted in a burial and returned home around 10pm.

“At 2am, I heard the sound of someone crying outside of the house, as if asking for help. I went out to check where the voice was coming from. I tried to search but did not find anyone,” said Jun, now a coffin maker.

He said he recognised the voice and had also handled the deceased’s funeral. He took it as a sign to pray for the deceased.

Despite having no formal training, Jun learned the art of making coffins through observation.

For the past six years, he has been making coffins and tombstones, finding joy in the artistic aspects of his work.

“Since I was a child, I have been interested in seeing the artistic shape of coffins and tombstones. The tombstone carvings look beautiful,” he added.

Jun said he started having an interest in making coffins at the age of 16 and overcame challenges to master it.

Now, he finds happiness in seeing the results of his work and is grateful that people accept him despite his unconventional profession.

“I don’t even ask for wages or think about profit because the job is very special for me. The experience is precious and priceless,” he said.

Jun’s commitment to helping with funeral arrangements is unwavering, even when unwell.

“So that’s why I’m willing to go no matter the time, and if someone calls me in the middle of the night, I’ll go,” he added.

> Singer and composer Aina Abdul spent about RM400,000 on five outfits she wore at the A Night With Aina Abdul (ANWAA) 3.0 concert at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, Berita Harian reported.

Designed by Zaimi Zulkafli, one of the dresses had unique features: it could emit smoke and the flowers adorning it could spin around, all controlled by an engineer backstage.

Aina said Zaimi is an innovative designer who combines elements of science and fashion in his work.

“The smoke and the movement of the flowers have an engineer controlling them. The risky design required careful handling,” she said.

The ANWAA 3.0 concert, through a collaboration with Yayasan Prihatin Nasional, showcased Aina’s versatility as she performed 34 songs, including her smash hit Terus Hidup.

It also featured a touching rendition of Atouna El Toufoule dedicated to the Palestinians.

With over 10,000 audience members, Aina Abdul’s ANWAA 3.0 concert was a resounding success, marking a continuation of the artiste’s impressive string of performances in the ANWAA series.