Amok originated from the Malaysian/Indonesian word "meng-âmuk", which when roughly defined means "to make a furious and desperate charge". According to Malaysian and Indonesian cultures, amok was rooted in a deep spiritual belief. They believed that amok was caused by the "hantu belian", which was an evil tiger spirit that entered one's body and caused the heinous act. As a result of the belief, those in Indonesian culture tolerated amok and dealt with the after-effects with no ill will towards the assailant.