Villa Nabila in Johor Bahru
Mention Danga Bay, and mental images of sandy shores and the sea will come to mind. But there happens to be an abandoned mansion with a storied past in the vicinity of this Johor Bahru destination: Villa Nabila.
Overlooking Danga Bay, the decades-old villa has garnered a reputation as one of the country’s most haunted locations and JB’s scariest yet, with several spine-chilling tales linked to it. Read on to discover the villa’s history and alleged hauntings.
What is the history of Villa Nabila?
Image credit: Upper Cruster
Villa Nabila was built in the 1930s, with a fading grand facade that exhibits clear influences from European and Malay architectural styles, despite its crumbling appearance visible even from photos. Its history, however, is pretty murky in comparison, with several accounts told among locals.
Christine Palace
Some believe that the villa once went by Christine Palace, and that it was owned by Dato’ Yap Sing Hock who named the property after his first daughter. When he defaulted on loans, running into debts that amounted to millions of ringgits, the villa was seized and later abandoned, along with two other properties part of his palatial bungalows known as Christine Houses.
Image credit: Upper Cruster
Others suggest that a wealthy businessman built the villa with the promise to share the land it sat upon with his six siblings. However, he and his family were murdered by a sibling when he failed to deliver on his promise.
The murder of Nabila
A more popular tale of the villa’s past exists, which involves a wealthy Caucasian family who had the mansion named after their only daughter, Nabila. According to widely spread stories, the family met a tragic end, with different versions suggesting they were murdered by robbers, hired hitmen, or even by the father himself after he went mad due to bankruptcy.
Image credit: Berita Harian
Some also claim that Nabila was the sole owner of the villa and its wealth after her parents’ deaths. However, she was murdered by a jealous maid who sought to claim the property for herself. It is often said that Nabila’s body was encased in cement within the villa’s walls, leading to the belief that her vengeful spirit haunts the villa.
A missing teenager incident at Villa Nabila
In 2013, a source from the Johor Bahru City Council revealed that the villa stood on a roughly 248,000sqft plot of land belonging to a Singaporean man, Lim Sue Heng. He had bought the lot in 2008, paying more than RM18,000 in quit rent.
This was revealed after a reported incident in November 2013, where 23 teenagers allegedly went missing after entering Villa Nabila. Netizens circulated that some of the teens were found unconscious, while others were hysterical.
Image credit: Supernatural Confessions
However, this claim was debunked by local police, who confirmed that only one 16-year-old boy had gone missing. His mum had lodged a police report after she was unable to locate him with the help of her friends and a witch doctor, as the boy was last seen around Villa Nabila.
The teen was later found at his girlfriend’s house, and he clarified that he and his friends had only stayed in the villa for about 15 minutes before leaving.
A pet sanctuary
In 2017, it was reported by The Star that Villa Nabila was demolished after the “missing person” incident and that a structure next to it, Christine Villa, had become a sanctuary for stray dogs under Companion Animal Rescue Effort Society (CARES). Its founder and chairman, Joseph Chia, was appointed by Lim to look after his property. To keep curious trespassers away, he housed three dogs, and later over 200 of them, there.
The history of JB’s scariest location, Villa Nabila
Villa Nabila is a structure that has evoked plenty of fascination and fear among anyone who comes across it. With a mysterious past that has fueled numerous spine-chilling stories, the palatial structure will always remain one of Malaysia’s most haunted places for those who believe in the supernatural.
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Cover image adapted from: Upper Cruster