heap of cities selecta cute , cuddly animalas their mascot , but the Indonesian metropolis of Pontianak , site in Borneo ’s West Kalimantan state , may take the polar approach : According to Mashable , local official are recollect about raise a elephantine statue of a female vampiric ghost , in honor of the vicious emotional state the townsfolk is list after .
For those not familiar with Indonesian folklore , thepontianak — also known askuntilanak — isthe vengeful spiritof a woman who give out in childbirth or while pregnant , and has returned to Earth toprey on the living . Tourism functionary think that a 330 - foot statue of the ghoulish phantom would pull visitor to Pontianak , after noting the popularity of interchangeable public works in other Asiatic cities , The Jakarta Postreports .
For example , Singaporehas the Merlion — a statue of an creature with a Panthera leo head and a fish body . The head stand for the Leo that a mythical Malay prince is said to have meet upon his arriver to the island ( he named the region “ Singapura , ” or “ Lion City ” ) , and the tail end symbolizes the urban center ’s origin as a fishing village . Meanwhile , Kuching , Malaysiais filled with big cat statues ; they reference the city ’s name , which is come from the Malay news for “ cat . ”
Mock - ups of the statue have been making the round on Facebook , and Indonesia ’s Public Works and Public Housing Ministry reportedly told tourism functionary that they would contribute funds for the project if the metropolis council collapse it the go - ahead . However , Pontianak ’s giant shade statue is n’t a done deal just yet .
The Straits Times reportsthat local anesthetic have formed a protestation group against the statue , reason that a gargantuan ghost statue would be , well , pretty creepy . Group illustration have meet with city council members , who ’ve reassured them that the spectre statue is only in the provision stages at this detail , and that they ’ve heard no official word from regime higher - ups .
“ It ’s only an idea , ” pronounce council official Irwan Suhandar , according to the paper .
[ h / tMashable ]
