The Pirate and the Emperor’s Ship

Khoo Eng Yow • 2009

The notorious “Pirate King” Tan Lian Lay once ruled the waters of Perak and Bagan Siapi-Api. Field researcher Lee Eng Kew retraces how this feared outlaw became a hunted man and later a deity. Blending history, legend, and ritual, the story still shapes communities today.