Photo shows the Batu Payau priced at RM100,000 each.
MIRI: A man attempted to sell what he claimed were two ‘mystical Batu Payau’ extracted from a deer’s bowels for RM200,000 yesterday.
The man came to The Borneo Post’s office here purporting that the balls possess healing properties, including for diseases such as cancer.
“The selling price is RM100,000 each as they are so rare and were found in the bowels of a deer shot by one haji in the jungle near Miri-bypass,” claimed the man, wishing only to be identified as Yong.
According to him, the efficacy of Batu Paya is greater than that of Batu Landak (purportedly produced by porcupines), which can fetch up to RM80,000 each.
He claimed to have bought the Batu Payau from the farmer who had cut up the deer shot by the latter’s friend around 4am during a hunting trip.
A closer look at the two balls found they were composed of light and dry organic matter, with one appearing to have a fine feather protruding from it while the other seemed to have a fine furry white substance on its surface.
Despite their unimpressive appearance, Yong claimed the Batu Payau are extraordinarily rare and almost unheard of compared to Batu Landak, which is said to be prized by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners.
“A TCM practitioner that I know said he has heard of and come across Batu Landak but has never heard of Batu Payau,” he said.
Yong also claimed a businessman here, who was afflicted with a serious ailment, was cured after taking Batu Landak.