Most people know the story of Keramat Datuk Keramat — the shrine to a pious figure or local guardian spirit, marked by yellow cloth, incense, and offerings of roses and sticky rice. But few speak of Keramat 2 : the site of a 1970s condo development that went inexplicably wrong.
By N. A. Rahman
In 2019, a university student named Mira decided to document Keramat 2 for an anthropology project. She placed a voice recorder on the spot where the grave was believed to be — now the back alley behind a fried chicken shop. At 2:22 AM, the recorder captured what sounds like a woman’s voice humming an old Malay lullaby, “Anak ayam turunlah sepuluh…” Then a sharp whisper: “Jangan bina di sini.” (Don’t build here.) keramat 2
In the shadow of a newly built LRT extension, just off the bustling Jalan Keramat, sits a row of terrace houses that real estate agents politely describe as “vintage.” Residents call it something else: Keramat 2 — not an official address, but a whispered name. It refers to a patch of land where a second, forgotten keramat lies buried beneath concrete, car parks, and karaoke lounges. Most people know the story of Keramat Datuk