Christmas weekend in the Kampung district. It's well after midnight and around 200 people are patrolling the streets. Many are armed with machetes, axes and sticks. They are determined to defend the neighborhood's young women from the "Orang Minyak" or "Oily Man".
Legend says that the Orang Minyak is a human who is pursuing a path of black magic. As part of his rite of passage, he is required to rape a number of virgins. Once he has fully mastered his magical abilities, the Orang Minyak is purported to be able to vanish into thin air and walk through walls.
Their study of the dark arts has already carried them beyond the abilities of mere humans however. The Orang Minyak are reported to leap great distances and escape from traps with ease.
Sightings of this strange creature have cropped up in Malaysia over the last several decades. They are clad only in underwear and their bodies are drenched in black, shiny oil.
This supernatural being usually attacks between midnight and four a.m. All of the area's resident's are concerned about this series of attacks which began just before Christmas.
Residents on patrol found a spot where they believe the Orang Minyak stopped to bathe in oil and recite mantras. On the ground was a large patch of oil. The following night they found fried rice and noodles at the same location, but returning an hour later, the food was gone. Eaten by the Orang Minyak before his nightly endeavors they believe.
Residents not out on patrol sleep clustered together for safety. All of the residents sleep with their lights on.
Numerous citizens claim to have witnessed the strange being. One man saw it after midnight on the house across from his:
"It was crawling up the stairs of the house, just like Spiderman. When it reached the top it suddenly jumped onto the roof. I don't think a human could do that. It then just disappeared. The hair on my hands just stood up. We can laugh and joke about it but this is serious. All the families here have young girls."
While some may believe stories of the Orang Minyak are simply tales of the imagination, for one small village in Malaysia, the threat of the Oily Man is very real.
