It is clearly shown here that people of the new generations tend to have lesser beliefs in the Malay customs of shamans and bomohs. The criticism of various iconic figures such as Tun Dr Mahathir towards this custom has apparently brought about a great influence on the modern lifestyle. Name : Goh Kang Li Group : Another important aspect that should be taken into consideration of the Malay bomoh¶s séances and rituals are the offerings. These form of offerings are crucial in making deals with the spirits that will help or stop harming the person requesting for help. The failure to compromise on a certain bargain may cause the deal to be cancelled by the spirit. In some cases, there are people who attend the shaman¶s/bomoh¶s services but did not complete the payments or offerings due to disbelief of the effectiveness of the ritual. There are stories in which these people were harmed and disturbed by the spirits who did not receive the appropriate amount of payment. As for Pak Long, after the séance conducted for the pregnant lady, he did not hear from them anymore. A few days later, he began falling sick and was sent to the hospital but the cause of his illness could not be determined. When Pak Long began feeling better, he decided to go home but as he was reaching the same spot near his house, he began feeling the same illness again. An emergency séance was immediately called and other shamans/bomoh from the village were asked to help Pak Long. When the spirit was summoned, it was discovered that the spirits were angry because the offering promised to them were not properly given. It was from their point of view that it was Pak Long¶s responsibility to ensure that all proceedings were conducted carefully and fairly. The spirits were then explained toIt is clearly shown here that people of the new generations tend to have lesser beliefs in the Malay customs of shamans and bomohs. The criticism of various iconic figures such as Tun Dr Mahathir towards this custom has apparently brought about a great influence on the modern lifestyle. It is clearly shown here that people of the new generations tend to have lesser beliefs in the Malay customs of shamans and bomohs. The criticism of various iconic figures such as Tun Dr Mahathir towards this custom has apparently brought about a great influence on the modern lifestyle. Name : Goh Kang Li Group : Another important aspect that should be taken into consideration of the Malay bomoh¶s séances and rituals are the offerings. These form of offerings are crucial in making deals with the spirits that will help or stop harming the person requesting for help. The failure to compromise on a certain bargain may cause the deal to be cancelled by the spirit. In some cases, there are people who attend the shaman¶s/bomoh¶s services but did not complete the payments or offerings due to disbelief of the effectiveness of the ritual. There are stories in which these people were harmed and disturbed by the spirits who did not receive the appropriate amount of payment. As for Pak Long, after the séance conducted for the pregnant lady, he did not hear from them anymore. A few days later, he began falling sick and was sent to the hospital but the cause of his illness could not be determined. When Pak Long began feeling better, he decided to go home but as he was reaching the same spot near his house, he began feeling the same illness again. An emergency séance was immediately called and other shamans/bomoh from the village were asked to help Pak Long. When the spirit was summoned, it was discovered that the spirits were angry because the offering promised to them were not properly given. It was from their point of view that it was Pak Long¶s responsibility to ensure that all proceedings were conducted carefully and fairly. The spirits were then explained toby the other shamans that Pak Long was only a medium of communication between the patient asking for help and the spirits and it was the patients who should be held responsible for not keeping to their words. The spirits saw the truth behind the shamans explanation and left Pak Long, returning his energy and health back to normal. When the séance was over, Pak Long insisted on paying the other shamans for their services because he knew that any payments/offerings were crucial in the spirit world.4 Based on the information given, it is very clear that one who deals with shamans/bomoh should not take the offerings lightly. Even for the non-believers of animism and shamanism, a certain level of respect is necessary in the matter of payments and offerings. If a deal has been made, it is purely ethical for one to stay true to their words and ensure that it is done fairly. Pak Long can be said to be a lucky man as he is experienced in handling such matters when attacked by spirits but if a person who has absolutely no knowledge about shamanism and is attacked by spirits, he may suffer for a life time without knowing the cause to it. Shamanism of the Malays in the 21st century may be seen as something ridiculous to the eyes of non-believers but it has been proven on separate occasions that these séances and rituals are actually effective in solving problems. The Malay bomoh in summary involves trances, spirits and offerings. While stories of shamans and bomohs are commonly told to children, it is difficult to find an actual shaman/bomoh in Malaysia today due to the rapidly development of science and technology. The newer generations of Malays begin to lose the belief in their custom as hard facts, data and statistics are not present in proving the effectiveness of a shaman¶s success. To give 4 Connor, Linda H. Samuel, Geoffrey, Healing Powers and Modernity : Traditional Medicine, Shamanism, and Science in Asian Societies,Greenwood Press, 2001, p. 45-46additional problems, cases of fake shamans today cheating and preying on the public is so common that people just find it hard to believe in the customReferences 1. Connor, Linda H and. Samuel, Geoffrey, Healing Powers and Modernity : Traditional Medicine, Shamanism, and Science in Asian Societies, Greenwood Press, 2001