Throngs of visitors not spooked by Villa Nabila

Popular haunt: Groups of curious visitors walking through the ruins of Villa Nabila.

JOHOR BARU: Even after it was found that the 16-year-old teenager who allegedly went missing after entering Villa Nabila was actually sleeping elsewhere, nosey visitors and supernatural enthusiasts continued to throng its crumbled ruins.

Rahimah Ahmad, 43, from Pasir Gudang, who was there with her husband and five children, aged between three and nine, said that she was excited when she heard about the “mysterious disappearance” of the teenager and wanted to have a look herself.

“My husband and I went earlier to survey the place and once we were convinced that it was safe, we brought our children with us,” she said.

Rahimah said that even after learning that the teenager was found, she was still convinced that there was something weird about the place.

“I definitely felt something, especially when I stepped into the kitchen area of the main house,” she said.

Filmmaking student Mohd Luqmanul Hakim, 19, who recently injured his arm in an accident, joined his parent in touring the ruins.

“I was thrilled when the news first broke out and wanted to have a closer look,” he said, adding that the villa would be a great place to shoot a movie for his final exam project.

Telephone operator Anim Zumi Salam, 26, said she felt goose bumps while passing by the house in her car.

“I decided to stop by because so many people have been talking about the villa,” she said.

Rows of cars and motorbikes were parkedoutside the villa, and crowds were seen at the abandoned structure.

Several people were also seen climbing a steep slope to gain access to another part of the villa.

Most of the visitors took pictures and recorded videos while others were heard sharing their experiences with each other.

Among the crowd was an ice-cream seller doing brisk business.

Meanwhile, a source at the Johor Baru City Council said that the land on which the ruins stood was owned by a Singaporean.

“The lot was bought in 2008,” he said adding that the area measured more than 23,040sq metres (248,000sq ft) and that the owner was paying more than RM18,000 in quit rent for the place.