Untold Stories about Bigfoot

[Anonymous]

Okay, so here we go. I’m putting the two translated articles I got thus far and to put it here, and in this thread I’m just going to put in things that are not taken into account, simply because perhaps it is a different language but deserving the attention:

Article 1:
Utusan Online (28 March 2006)
Keghairahan `pemburu’ Bigfoot perlu dikawal
Oleh NORLIZAH ABAS (WARTAWAN UTUSAN)
SEHINGGA kini, kalangan saintis masih membisu mengenai misteri kewujudan Bigfoot – makhluk gergasi berbulu lebat yang didakwa mendiami hutan berpaya Endau-Rompin, Johor walaupun pelbagai versi naratif disebut-sebut orang sejak akhir-akhir ini.
Maka, timbul persoalan adakah mereka `tidak berminat’ untuk memecah kebuntuan masyarakat walaupun ramai yang mendakwa menemui tapak yang kononnya milik makhluk berkenaan.
Seorang pakar perhutanan, Profesor Madya Dr. Mohamed Zakaria Hussin yang mengkhusus dalam penyelidikan hidupan liar mempunyai pendapat tersendiri bagi mendebatkan penemuan demi penemuan oleh pelbagai kumpulan ekspedisi baru-baru ini.
Menurut Pensyarah Jabatan Pengurusan Perhutanan, Fakulti Perhutanan, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) itu, jika benar tapak yang ditemui milik Bigfoot, kerja-kerja mengesannya amat mudah.
“Kalau betul tapak yang begitu dalam dan cantik itu milik Bigfoot, senang sangat kita mencarinya menggunakan anjing pengesan melalui bau yang ditinggalkan asalkan ia masih baru.
“Namun ia bukan semudah itu jika hanya berdasarkan kepada satu-satunya bukti serta cerita lisan mereka yang pernah menemuinya,” ujar beliau kepada Utusan Malaysia ketika ditemui di pejabatnya di Serdang, Selangor baru-baru ini.
Mohamed Zakaria berkata, pada mulanya beliau percaya kewujudan kelompok spesies baru tetapi selepas timbulnya pelbagai versi yang tidak konsisten, kepercayaan itu beransur-ansur kurang.
Beliau menjelaskan, semua pencerita mendakwa bertemu tapak tetapi apabila digambarkan, bentuknya tidak sama.
Pendapat beliau ada logiknya kerana walaupun saiznya berbeza-beza, bentuknya perlu serupa.
Mengulas lanjut mengenai kesimpulan yang boleh diperoleh daripada penemuan tapak Bigfoot dari perspektif sains, Mohamed Zakaria menjelaskan, tapak yang lebar bentuknya itu bukan tapak kaki makhluk yang memanjat pokok.
Ini kerana kata beliau, jenis tapak tersebut bukan tapak yang mencengkam batang pokok seperti yang dimiliki oleh orang utan yang berbentuk panjang dan boleh melekuk.
Sebaliknya, tapak itu bentuknya lebar seperti tapak itik menyebabkan makhluk itu tidak boleh disamakan dengan mawas atau Orang Utan.
Penerangan beliau itu boleh diterima akal kerana kawasan Endau-Rompin adalah kawasan lembah berpaya yang luas dan kaki yang begitu bentuknya memudahkan Bigfoot berpijak pada tanah lembap dan tidak tenggelam.
Bukti lain yang boleh membantu merungkai misteri kewujudannya ialah tulang kerana jika betul Bigfoot wujud, mungkin ada yang telah mati – tetapi di mana tulangnya?
“Sebagai saintis, saya tidak berani mengesahkan kewujudan Bigfoot kerana fakta yang benar-benar konkrit tiada – walaupun saya sudah bertemu dengan beberapa saksi yang mendakwa melihatnya bagi mendapatkan maklumat awal.
“Meskipun begitu, kita tidak boleh menidakkan penemuan mereka kerana mungkin betul apa yang disaksikan itu – ia mungkin Bigfoot atau manusia primitif,” ujar pakar perhutanan itu.
Persoalannya, mengapa sukar untuk menjejaki Bigfoot walaupun pelbagai peralatan canggih digunakan oleh kumpulan-kumpulan penyelidik terdahulu.
Menurut beliau, kelangsungan hidup di hutan menyebabkan spesies itu dapat menghidu kehadiran manusia melalui bau dan getaran tanah.
Justeru katanya, berdasarkan kepekaan yang tinggi, makhluk di hutan akan cepat mengetahui jika habitat mereka cuba diceroboh.
Kesimpulannya, secanggih mana teknologi yang dibawa masuk belum tentu membuahkan hasil kerana mereka lebih cekap.
Oleh kerana itu, beliau menentang kemasukan beramai-ramai pelbagai kumpulan ekspedisi kerana ia hanya akan mengancam habitat semula jadi spesies yang mendiaminya.
Mereka termasuk sekumpulan krew produksi dari Amerika Syarikat (AS) yang dibantu oleh pasukan Penyiasat Paranormal Singapura (SPI) serta krew rancangan tempatan Seekers sejurus selepas penemuan Orang Asli dilaporkan oleh media.
Justeru, kerajaan perlu memelihara kawasan habitat Bigfoot di hutan Endau-Rompin daripada terus `digasak’ oleh penyelidik asing bagi mengelakkan ekosistemnya terganggu yang akhirnya membahayakan nyawa bukan sahaja makhluk itu malah spesies lain.
Ini kerana Bigfoot akan melarikan diri jauh ke dalam hutan menyebabkan kegiatan mengesannya menjadi lebih sukar.
Sehubungan itu, langkah kerajaan Johor berbincang dengan kumpulan saintis daripada beberapa buah universiti bagi menggerakkan satu ekspedisi khas mengesan Bigfoot dalam tempoh terdekat, amat tepat.
“Jika tidak menemuinya sekalipun, kita perlu menjaga habitat untuk membolehkan penyelidikan lanjut dijalankan kerana yang penting kita mempunyai bukti kewujudannya,” ujar Mohamed Zakaria.
Sehubungan itu, beliau memohon penyelidik bebas atau mana-mana individu yang menemui sebarang bukti lain seperti bulu, najis atau tulang supaya berkongsinya dengan saintis.
Ini kerana, melalui najis kajian boleh dijalankan terhadap tumbuhan atau hidupan lain yang dimakannya manakala bulu boleh menentukan ujian DNA sama ada ia haiwan atau manusia.
Pada akhir pertemuan tersebut, beliau turut melahirkan kekesalannya dengan kebanjiran pelbagai penyelidik asing dan kumpulan tertentu yang didakwa hanya bertujuan untuk mengeksploit sumber alam semula jadi negara.
Seperkara lagi yang perlu diambil perhatian ialah kawalan terhadap `keghairahan’ penyelidik asing yang cuba mengeksploitasi pengetahuan tradisi masyarakat Orang Asli ketika menyelidik biodiversiti negara ini, perlu diperketatkan.
Penyelaras Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) Semenanjung Malaysia, Mohd. Nizam Mahshar berkata, selain mengutip maklumat, kumpulan penyelidik itu turut didakwa menggunakan khidmat Orang Asli sebagai penunjuk arah hutan secara berleluasa.
Justeru, ketidakprihatinan kerajaan terhadap `kerakusan’ penyelidik asing mengeksploitasi Orang Asli amat merugikan negara kerana tanpa disedari mereka akan membawa keluar segala maklumat mengenai kekayaan biodiversiti hutan Malaysia.

Overzealous ‘hunt’ for Bigfoot must be controlled
(translated by Angelina)
Until today, scientists are still keeping mum over the mysterious existence of Bigfoot – a gigantic, hairy creature said to be residing in the Endau-Rompin forests of Johor, even though there are various narrative versions by many people lately.
Hence, there exist the question of whether they are “not interested� to dispel the questions in the minds of the public even though many claimed to have found footprints belonging to the creature.
A forestry expert, Professor Madya Dr. Mohamed Zakaria Hussin who went through all odds in the studies of wildlife has his own suggestions to debate about the various findings of the many groups of expeditions of late.
According to this professor who is a lecturer in the Forestry Management Department, Forestry Faculty, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), if the footprints really belongs to Bigfoot, works to track it down will be very easy.
“If the print, made so deep and beautiful, really belongs to Bigfoot, it will be so easy for us to find it, using dogs to track down its scent as long as the prints are still new.�
“However, it is not so easy if it is simply based on that one single evidence and the oral claims of those who had seen it,� he said when interviewed by the Utusan Malaysia at his office in Serdang, Selangor.
Mohamed Zakaria also said, at first he believed in the existence of a new species, but as there arise many different and inconsistent versions, the believe became lesser and lesser.
He explained that all the narrators claimed to have seen the footsteps, but when asked to give an illustration, all the shapes are different.
He thinks that there may be logic if the sizes are different, but the shape of the footsteps must at least be the same.
Further discussing his conclusion based on the findings of the footsteps from a scientific perspective, Mohamed Zakaria explained that a large footprint is not the footprint of a creature that climbs trees.
This is because, he said, that kind of footprints are not meant to claw on to tree branches as those belonging to orang utan which are long and able to bend.
Instead, the footprint that is broad and wide like a duck’s foot makes the creature not similar to the family of the Mawas or Orang Utan.
His explanations can be accepted as Endau-Rompin is a large, swampy area and the feet of such a shape eases the Bigfoot’s movement to step on the wet earth and not drown.
Another evidence which may help clear some mysteries of the existence of Bigfoot is the existence of bones, because if there really was Bigfoot, there may be some that had died – but where are the bones?
“As a scientist, I dare not verify the existence of Bigfoot because the concrete factual evidence are not there – although I had already met with some witnesses who claimed to have seen the creature to get some initial information.�
“However, we cannot deny the possibility of their findings because perhaps what they saw was real – it may be Bigfoot or some primitive human,� said the forestry expert.
The question is, why is it so hard to track down Bigfoot although there were so many sophisticated equipments used by previous groups of researchers?
According to him, the absence of life in the forest makes it easy for the species to smell the scent of human existence or feel the vibrations of the earth.
Hence, he said, based on the heightened senses, the forest creatures will be able to know quickly if their habitat is being trespassed.
In conclusion, no matter how great the technology applied when they enter the forests does not mean that it will bear any fruits, as the animals are even more efficient.
Because of that, he objects to the entering of forests areas in large expedition groups because it will only cause harm to the natural habitat of all the species living in the forest.
“They� included an American production crew from United States, helped by the Singapore Paranormal Investigators (SPI) as well as the local “Seekers� group, after the story of the findings by the Orang Asli was reported by the media.
Hence, the government must protect the habitat of Bigfoot in the Endau-Rompin forest from being “harassed� by foreign investigators to avoid the disturbance to the ecosystem which may lead to the death and extinction of not just the creature but also other species.
This is because Bigfoot will run away further into the jungle, causing it even harder to track it down.
With regards to that, the move by Johor government to discuss with a group of scientists from several universities to form a special expedition to track Bigfoot, is appropriate.
“Even if we do not find it, we need to at least take care of the habitat to enable further research because the most important point is to have evidence of its existence,� said Mohamed Zakaria.
As such, he appeals to all freelance investigators or any individual with findings of any evidence such as hair, excreta or bones to share the findings with the scientists.
This is because, based on the excreta, experiments can be made towards the kinds of plant or animals consumed by it while the hair will help determine whether the creature is an animal or human based on DNA tests.
At the end of the interview, he expressed his regret by the overwhelming response of foreign investigators and certain groups that only has the intention of exploiting the country’s natural resources.
Another point worth of mention is the control of “overzealousness� of foreign investigators who tried to exploit the traditional cultural knowledge of the Orang Asli while studying the biodiversity of the country, needs to be tightened.
Mohd. Nizam Mahshar of the Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) said, besides collecting information, the investigators also used the services of the Orang Asli to show them around the forests recklessly.
Hence, the governments nonchalant attitude towards the ‘clumsiness’ of foreign investigators exploiting the Orang Asli is a loss to the country because inadvertently they will bring out all information about the richness of the Malaysian forest biodiversity.

Article 2:
Utusan Online: 11 Jan 2006
Meragui mitos BigfootOleh DR. MOHD TAJUDDIN ABDULLAH

Saya mengenali Orang Asli bernama Kangkong bin Mintol sejak bulan Disember dalam tahun 1977. Tatkala itu saya telah dibawa oleh seorang penyelidik American Peace Corp. bernama Rodney Flynn untuk mengenali kesan kaki binatang dan menjejaki kesan tapak kaki badak hingga sampai di Sungai Selai yang terletak di tengah hutan belantara Endau Rompin.
Kangkong berasal dari Kampong Juaseh yang terletak lebih kurang 20 kilometer dari pekan Labis, Johor. Berbadan kecil dan sasa, Kangkong telah hidup serasi dengan hutan Endau Rompin sejak dari dia dilahirkan.
Selepas berkahwin beliau telah berpindah ke perkampungan baru yang disediakan kerajaan.
Rumah kayunya mempunyai satu bilik yang dilengkapi dengan “air dari besi dan api dari wayar”. Keadaan sekarang ternyata amat jauh berbeza dengan hidupnya yang berpindah-randah dengan mendirikan pondok kecil di hutan.
Gaya hidup Kangkong yang sederhana itu serupa dahulu tanpa ada apa-apa harta dunia. Beliau pemalu pada kali pertama saya menemui tetapi amat bangga menyambut saya yang berkunjung ke rumahnya hampir tiga dekad yang lalu.
Pada ketika itu saya telah ditugaskan oleh Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara (Perhilitan) untuk mengambil alih tugas Rodney bagi menjalankan penyelidikan mengenai taburan dan ekologi badak sumbu (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) di Malaysia.
Tanpa pegetahuan khusus mengenai spesies badak yang terancam itu, saya terhutang budi kepada Kangkong yang banyak berkongsi pengalamannya mengenai cara-cara menjejaki binatang liar serta pelbagai ilmu yang diperoleh mengenai survival di hutan. Selama lebih kurang lima tahun Kangkong juga telah membawa saya menjelajah dan merentasi hutan Endau-Rompin daripada Juaseh ke Selai dan Kemidak di Labis dan keluar di Kampung Peta di Kluang.
Kadangkala kami berjalan kaki dan keluar di kawasan Felda di negeri Pahang atau Kampung Bekok. Perjalanan dengan kaki yang mengambil masa tujuh hingga 14 hari sambil menanggung beban hoversack dengan muatan makanan dan peralatan kerja seberat 30 hingga 40 kilogram.
Hampir setiap tahun Kangkong dan rakan Perhilitan membantu saya menjalankan inventori hidupan liar di Endau Rompin. Lima atau enam kumpulan penyelidik akan meredah secara serentak hutan Endau Rompin sambil merekod hidupan liar yang ditemui secara langsung atau tidak langsung melalui bunyi, kesan makanan, najis, kubang atau kesan tapak kaki. Setiap pemerhatian direkodkan dalam borang inventori khas dengan maklumat nama spesies, cara cerapan, ukuran kesan dan tarikh serta masa pemerhatian.
Kesahihannya
Setiap data terkumpul akan dibentang dan diperbahaskan di kalangan penyelidik jabatan. Begitulah cara semak dan mengesahkan (check and balance) untuk memastikan kesahihannya maklumat sains biologi dan ekologi.
Pengalaman yang saya peroleh daripada Kangkong membolehkan saya menerokai semua hutan belantara dari Mersing di Johor, Taman Negara hingga Belum di Perak dan Wang Kelian di Perlis. Pegalaman menjejaki badak ini juga telah membawa saya ke hutan Kinabatangan di Sabah dan tanah tinggi Bareo di Sarawak.
Hasil kajian secara saintifik itu telah diterbitkan dalam jurnal antarabangsa Biological Conservation 1984 (Flynn RW, Abdullah MT. 1984. Distribution and status of the Sumatran Rhinoceros in Peninsular Malaysia. Biological Conservation 28: 253-273) dan jurnal terbitan tempatan Malayan Nature Journal 1983 (Flynn RW, and Abdullah MT. 1983. Distribution and number of Sumatran rhinoceros in the Endau-Rompin Region of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal 36: 219-247).
Sebagai pegarang bersama, kami tiada catatan mengenai Bigfoot. Dalam kajian kepelbagaian hidupan liar bersama beberapa rakan hingga kini tidak pernah kami membuat cerapan atau catatan mengenai Bigfoot.
Jadi bagaimana pula cerita Bigfoot mendapat liputan meluas di Malaysia dan luar negara sejak tiga minggu yang lepas?
Persoalan ini ada kaitan rapat dengan budaya serta pemikiran pelbagai masyarakat di Malaysia. Dalam masyarakat Orang Asli dan etnik tempatan memang terdapat banyak cerita-cerita penglipur lara yang berunsurkan mitos dan legenda.
Semasa kami berkhemah di hutan belantara Endau Rompin, Kangkong sering bercerita kepada saya mengenai penglipur lara masyarakatnya.
Saya juga pernah mendengar cerita mitos mawas yang amat besar dan berbulu dadanya. Di Bareo, seorang daripada masyarakat Kelabit menceritakan mengenai kuda belang dan singa yang terdapat di hutan yang terletak 1,000 meter dari aras laut.
Di Sabah dan Sarawak ada masyarakat etnik percaya bahawa kehadiran pokok hujan panas telah meyebabkan harimau takut untuk tinggal di hutan kepulauan Borneo. Sejarah lisan kita juga menceritakan mitos Puteri Gunung Ledang di Johor dan Puteri Santubong di Sarawak.
Demikianlah mitos dan legenda yang ditinggalkan oleh nenek moyang kita dari zaman tanpa Internet dan sistem pesanan ringkas (SMS) yang hidup segar dalam ingatan hingga hari ini.
Sangat malang pula apabila hari ini cerita-cerita sedemikian telah dicampur aduk antara mitos masyarakat kita, kewartawanan pop dan pseudosains. Jika kita lebih cermat dan peka, kita perlu memeriksa kesahihan fakta sains, yang mawas mungkin juga bermaksud orang utan atau bahasa Latin ialah Pongo pygmaeus.
Apakah spesies ini telah disalah- tafsirkan sebagai Bigfoot? Spesies ini hanya terdapat di Borneo dan Sumatera sahaja. Mengenai cerita kuda belang pula, spesies ini hanya terdapat di benua Afrika dan singa pula terdapat di India dan Afrika sahaja.
Apakah masyarakat di Malaysia yang berhasrat maju dalam Wawasan 2020 ini kian terhibur dengan cerita-cerita Bigfoot yang tidak pernah direkodkan oleh ahli sains di negara ini?
Saya juga meragui perakuan seorang bekas zoologis WWF-Malaysia yang seolah-olah cuba megesahkan kehadiran Bigfoot Endau-Rompin. Apakah jenis pseudosains saperti perakuan zoologis tersebut merupakan hidangan minda yang terbaik untuk masyarakat kita? Kita perlu berfikir sejenak agar dapat membezakan antara mitos dan fakta yang sahih.
Berhati-hati
Pengalaman silam saya bersama Orang Asli atau masyarakat etnik tempatan telah banyak mengajar saya untuk berhati-hati. Orang Asli dan masyarakat etnik biasanya adalah orang yang sangat bermurah hati dan amat suka melihat tetamu terhibur, mereka akan cuba mencari impian yang diingini tetamu atau mencerita sesuatu yang mahu didengari. Kalau kita begitu mendesak untuk mendengar Bigfoot maka cerita Bigfootlah akan diperdengarkan. Dan jika memberikan pensel dan kertas, akan terlakar sesuatu yang kita desakkan.
Begitulah juga apabila saya mendesak dengan impian untuk melihat badak berkubang, maka saya telah dibawa oleh seorang Asli di Rompin memanjat puncak gunung yang tidak mungkin boleh dinaiki binatang besar tersebut. Apabila sampai di puncak gunung dan ternyata gagal melihat badak berkubang, dia menunjuk ke arah puncak-puncak gunung yang lain yang kelihatan di sekeliling Endau Rompin. Maka itulah impian kami untuk melihat badak berkubang di puncak gunung yang tidak kesampaian selepas 29 tahun menerokai hutan belantara Malaysia.
Berapa lamakah impian Bigfoot ini akan diteruskan lagi? Kita perlulah bijak menilai antara mitos, legenda, kesahihan fakta sains dan impian melihat Bigfoot.
– Profesor Madya Dr. Mohd. Tajuddin Abdullah ialah Ketua Prgram Sains dan Pengurusan Sumber Haiwan, Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi Sumber, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

Questioning the Myths of Bigfoot
(Translated by Angelina)
I know an Orang Asli by the name of Kangkong bin Mintol since December 1977. At that time I was with an American Peace Corp researcher by the name of Rodney Flynn to identify footprints of animals and search for rhinocerous prints until Sungai Selai located in the middle of the dense forest of Endau-Rompin.
Kangkong came from Kampong Juaseh, located about 20 km from Labis, Johor. Kangkong lived his life parallel to the Endau Rompin forest since he was born.
After he was married, he moved to a new village developed by the government.
His wooden house has one room fitted with “water from iron, fire from wires�. At this point, his life is certainly different from his past where he lived moving around in make-shift huts in the forests.
Kangkong’s simple lifestyle was just as it was before. He was shy when I first met him, but was proud to receive me as I visited his house about 3 decades ago.
At that time, I was appointed as the Chief of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) to take over Rodney’s task of researching on the ecology of the rhinocerous (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) in Malaysia.
Without any specific background knowledge on this endangered species of rhino, I was indebted to Kangkong who shared many of his experiences, such as ways to track down wild animals and all kinds of survival tips in the forests. For about 5 years, Kangkong also brought me to venture across the Endau-Rompin forest, from Juaseh to Selai and Kemidak in Labis and exit in Kampung Peta in Kluang.
Sometimes we walked and exist from the Felda area in Pahang or Kampung Bekok. Foot travel this way took us 7 to 14 days while carrying the burden of a haversack filled with food and working equipments as heavy as 30 to 40 kg.
For almost each year, Kangkong and other Perhilitan friends helped me to record the inventory of wild life in Endau Rompin. Five or six groups of researchers will start off into the Endau Rompin at the same time while recording wild life found directly or indirectly, through its voice, food traces, excreta, or footsteps. Every observation is recorded in the special inventory forms with information on the name of the species, movements, measurements of footsteps and the date and time of observation.
Validity
Every data collected will be presented and debated amongst all research departments. This is the way to check and balance the findings to validate these data against science, biology and ecology evidence.
My experience from Kangkong allowed me to venture all forests from Mersin in Johor Forest Reserve until Belum in Perak and Wang Kelian in Perlis. My experience in tracking the rhino also brought me to the Kinabatangan forests in Sabah and Bareo highlands in Sabah.
The scientific research was published in an international journal, Biological Conservation 1984 (Flynn RW, Abdullah MT. 1984, Distribution and status of the Sumatran Rhinoceros in Peninsular Malaysia. Biological Conservation 28: 253-273) and local journal Malayan Nature Journal 1983 (Flynn RW, and Abdullah MT. 1983. Distribution and number of Sumatran rhinoceros in the Endau-Rompin Region of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal 36: 219-247).
As a co-author, we had no records of Bigfoot. In the research of the variety of wildlife with many other partners until now, we had no records at all about Bigfoot.
So, how did the Bigfoot story gets such a wide coverage locally in Malaysia and overseas for the past 3 months?
This question has close connection to the culture and thoughts of multiple communities in Malaysia. In the Orang Asli local ethnic, there are many folklore based on myths and legends.
While we camped in the forests of Endau Rompin, Kangkong always told me folklore of his community.
I’ve also heard of a mythical Mawas that is very big and hairy. In Bareo, a man from the Kelabit community told me about zebras and lions in the forest as high as 1,000 metres above sealevel.
In Sabah and Sarawak, there are ethnic communities believing that the existence of tropical rain trees will frighten tigers to live in the island of Borneo. Our historical oral account spoke of the myths of the Gunung Ledang Princess in Johor and Santubong Princess in Sarawak.
This is how myths and legends from our forefathers during the age without Internet and SMS keeps alive in our minds till today.
It is such an unfortunate event that such stories are mixed with our modern myths, pop journalism and pseudosciences. If we are more careful and mindful, we need to examine the validity of scientific facts, that Mawas could easily mean Orang utan or in its Latin name, Pongo pygmaeus.
Has this species wrongly misinterpreted as the Bigfoot? This species only exists in Borneo and Sumatera. About the zebra, the animal is found only in Africa and lions in India and Africa only.
Has our Malaysian community, with the intention of development and progress based on Vision 2020, gets more entertained by stories of Bigfoot that had NEVER been recorded by scientists in this country?
I do question the validity of an ex-zoologist of WWF-Malaysia who tried to validate the existence of Bigfoot in Endau-Rompin. What kind of pseudoscience such as the claims by the zoologist that has become an irresistible dish to satisfy the palate of our feeble minds of our community? We must think carefully, so that we are able to differentiate between myths and true facts.
Beware
My past experience with the Orang Asli or the local ethnic community taught me to be very careful. Orang Asli and the ethical groups are usually people with generous hearts and enjoy seeing their guests being entertained. And in their quests they will find the inspiration that is entertaining to the guests or to tell something that the guests will want to hear. If we are too desperate to hear about Bigfoot, so it will be a Bigfoot story that we will hear. And if they are given pencil and paper, then they will sketch out something that we wish to see.
This was exactly how it was when I was driven by the intense desire to see one species of rhino, and I was brought by an Orang Asli in Rompin to hike up a mountain top that is definitely not possible for the animal to reach. When I reach the peak of the mountain and of course, failed to see the animal, he pointed to the many mountain peaks seen around the Endau-Rompin. Hence, that was our dream to see that particular species of rhino at the peak of the mountain that had never been reached, 29 years after venturing into the thick jungles of Malaysia.
How long will this Bigfoot dream go on? We need to be wise, decipher between myths, legends, scientific evidence and the dreams to see Bigfoot.
– Dr Mohd Tajuddin is the Head of Science and Management of Animal Resources Programme, Faculty of Science and Technological Sources, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas)

[Anonymous]

The Star: 31 March 2006: SMS Your Views
Still on Bigfoot
Left only a dozen prints behind. A 100kg wild boar can be tracked for miles, so who is kidding whom?

This SMS, i suspect, is the reaction of Mr Kong’s story about seeing over a dozen footsteps when the earth was wet and fresh, and became blurred after the rain stopped.

SMS 21 March 2006
Leave Bigfoot alone

Have we ever heard Bigfoot being a snatch thief or rapist? No, unlike human beings. So, leave Bigfoot alone!

[Anonymous]

And I thought they will wisen up. Bad enough to say that illogical claims of footprints made people realise the modern version where the boy did not cry ‘wolf’ but cried ‘bigfoot’.

The Star
Tuesday April 4, 2006

Bigfoot hotline getting less calls

JOHOR BARU: Interest in Bigfoot is waning, judging from the declining number of calls to the hotline set up at the height of the euphoria.

Johor National Parks Corporation, which set up and manages the hotline, said there were days with hardly any calls.

“The number of calls have dwindled since we opened the hotline in January,� said director On Jabbar.

“Most of the callers wanted to know if the creature exists,� he said.

“They wanted to know if all the hype about Bigfoot was true. Others wanted to know where Bigfoot was sighted.�

Those interested in learning more about the mythical creature or disclose sightings can call the hotline at 07-222 2221.

[Anonymous]

and today, another sms

The Star 14 April 2006

> One too many

Too many Bigfoot “casesâ€?. It’s becoming hilarious in the eyes of the world. We will be laughed at.

did they only start to realise it now?

[Anonymous]

Okay, earlier Vincent Chow said that Bigfoot is also known as King Kong. No wonder our gorilla on the escape is getting so much publicity!

Utusan Online, 26 December 2005

Tiada bukti saintifik sahkan kewujudannya
KOTA KINABALU 26 Dis. – Pengerusi Lembaga Penggalakkan Pelancongan Sabah (STPC), Datuk Tengku Dr. Zainal Adlin berkata, tiada bukti saintifik yang dapat membuktikan kewujudan Bigfoot di hutan Borneo.

Beliau yang merupakan penulis bersama buku Maliau Basin – Sabah Dunia Yang Hilang berkata, setakat ini, kewujudan Bigfoot hanya daripada `dengar-dengar cakap’ sahaja.

“Saya juga tidak pasti Bigfoot wujud di hutan Borneo, ia tidak dapat dipastikan secara saintifik,” katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Zainal adalah orang pertama yang menerokai Maliau Basin, hutan hujan tropika berusia ratusan juta tahun itu yang terletak di selatan Sabah.

Maliau Basin berbentuk kawah besar adalah hutan yang terletak di tengah-tengah kepulauan Borneo dan kaya dengan rahsia alam semula jadi.

Zainal juga aktif membuat kajian saintifik bersama Yayasan Sabah termasuk di Lembah Danum yang telah menarik ratusan saintis dari luar negara untuk membuat kajian sehingga terhasil lebih 300 buku dan jurnal mengenainya.

Bigfoot dikatakan ditemui di hutan Johor dengan beberapa insiden orang ramai terserempak dengan makhluk itu.

Penasihat Persatuan Alam Malaysia (MNS) Johor, Vincent Chow berkata, beliau yakin dengan kewujudannya yang juga dikenali sebagai `Orang Mawas’ atau `King Kong’.

Katanya, MNS menerima banyak maklumat tentang insiden manusia terserempak dengan makhluk itu seperti di kawasan hutan di Tanjung Piai, Mersing, Kahang, Taman Negara Endau Rompin dan Kota Tinggi.

Translation:
No Concrete Scientific Evidence of its Existence
KOTA KINABALU 26 Dec. – Chairman of the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation, Datuk Tengku Dr. Zainal Adlin said, there were no scientific evidence that can prove the existence of Bigfoot in the forests of Borneo.

He is the co-writer of Maliau Basin – Sabah Dunia Yang Hilang (Lost World of Sabah – Maliau Basin), said, thus far the existence of Bigfoot is only based on “hearsay”.

“I am not sure whether Bigfoot exists in Borneo forests, it cannot be proven scientifically,” he said to the reporters of Utusan Malaysia

Zainal is the first man to explore the Maliau Basin, tropical rainforest ageing hundred million years old south of Sabah.

Maliau Basin is a big forest area right in the middle of the Borneo Island and rich with nature’s secrets.

Zainal is also active in scientific research with the Sabah government including Lembah Danum which had attracted hundreds of foreign scientists for research until there results in more than 300 books and journals about it.

Bigfoot is said to have been seen in Johor with a few reported incidents.

Vincent Chow said he was sure of the existence of the creature, which is also called `Orang Mawas’ or `King Kong’.

He said, MNS received many information about the incidents where humans meet with this creature, such as in the forest areas of Tanjung Piai, Mersing, Kahang, Taman Negara Endau Rompin dan Kota Tinggi.

[Anonymous]

Okay, early days myths. If I read this article earlier, I would scream foul because the descriptions are so absurd, yet Vincent Chow could believe it to be ‘bigfoot’. More like an introduction of a foreign term by those who had not seen it before just to satisfy their own understanding WITHOUT the understanding.

Utusan Online, 24 December 2006

`Hantu Gigi Jarang’ amat ditakuti
KOTA TINGGI 24 Dis. – `Bigfoot’ yang didakwa hidup di dalam kawasan hutan Johor dikatakan ganas dan amat ditakuti oleh penduduk tempatan khususnya di kalangan Orang Asli yang seringkali memasuki kawasan hutan bagi mencari sumber rezeki.

Malah penduduk tempatan dan masyarakat Orang Asli yang menggelarnya sebagai `Hantu Gigi Jarang’ akan berpatah balik sekiranya terserempak dengan makhluk itu atau kesan-kesan tapak kaki dan dahan-dahan pokok yang patah.

Seorang penduduk Perkampungan Orang Asli Selangi, Maarof Baba, 50, berkata, dia pernah terserempak dengan dua `Bigfoot’ di dalam kawasan hutan berdekatan Batu 27, Jalan Mersing dekat sini kira-kira dua tahun lalu.

Ketika itu katanya, dia dan empat lagi rakannya sedang menuju ke sebuah kolam terbiar di kawasan berkenaan untuk menjaring ikan sebelum mengesan bau hapak yang begitu kuat dan pucuk-pucuk pokok yang patah.

“Semasa itu kami ternampak dua Hantu Gigi Jarang seperti sedang menangkap ikan menggunakan tangan sahaja di kolam berkenaan,” katanya yang merupakan Orang Asli keturunan Sakai ketika ditemui di sini hari ini.

Ekoran itu katanya, dia dan rakan-rakannya segera berpatah balik kerana bimbang keselamatan mereka dan percaya makhluk tersebut akan bertindak ganas sekiranya menyedari kehadiran mereka berlima di kawasan berkenaan.

Katanya, makhluk tersebut berbulu tebal dan gelap, tinggi kira-kira tiga meter, bergigi jarang dan tajam, berkuku tajam serta mengeluarkan bunyi seakan-akan salakan anak anjing.

“Kami juga melihat makhluk itu seperti melekatkan cacing pada kuku tangannya untuk dijadikan umpan bagi menangkap ikan dan meletakkan ikan yang ditangkap di celah ketiaknya apabila memperoleh ikan,” katanya.

Mereka juga katanya, menemui kesan tapak kaki `Bigfoot’ itu yang kelihatan seperti terbalik dan hujungnya pula terdapat kesan-kesan kuku yang tajam.

Utusan Malaysia hari ini menyiarkan tentang keyakinan Penasihat Persatuan Alam Malaysia (MNS) Johor, Vincent Chow bahawa `Bigfoot’ yang selama ini dianggap mitos, benar-benar wujud dalam kawasan hutan di negeri ini ekoran beberapa insiden orang ramai terserempak dengan makhluk itu.

“Ia bukanlah suatu perkara yang baru. Malah saya menganggapnya sebagai suatu perkara unik dan khazanah fauna hutan Johor. Kita perlu mengambil langkah untuk melindunginya,” ujar Vincent.

Sementara itu, Tok Batin Perkampungan Orang Asli Selangi, Abu Talib Abdullah, 45, berkata, kehadiran `Bigfoot’ itu sememangnya disedari oleh penduduk kampung berkenaan bagaimanapun ramai yang belum pernah menemuinya.

Katanya, dia sendiri tidak pernah terserempak dengan makhluk itu dan hanya mendengar ceritanya daripada orang lain.

Translation:
“Hantu Gigi Jarang” is very scary

KOTA TINGGI 24 Dec. – `Bigfoot’ which is said to live in the forests of Johor is said to be very violent and scary by the local residents, especially amongst the aborigines that frequent the forests for their livelihood.

In fact, locals and aborigines alike called it “Hantu Gigi Jarang” said that they will turn back if they see the creature or see its footprints and broken branches.

One resident in the Selangi Orang Asli Village, Maarof Baba, 50, said he had met with 2 “bigfoot”s in the forest near Batu 27, Jalan Mersing about two years ago.

At that time, he said, he and 4 other friends were headed towards an abandoned lake nearby to catch fish before they smelt a very strong odour and saw broken branches.

“At that time we saw two Hantu Gigi Jarang as if they were catching fish with bare hands in the lake,” said Maarof Baba who is an aborigine of the Sakai family.

Following that, he and his friends quickly retreated and went home because they feared for their safety and believed that the creature will be violent if they realised the intrusion of the 5 friends in the area.

He said, the creature has thick fur and is dark, about 3 meters tall, with rare and sharp teeth, sharp nails and gives out a voice like the barking of puppies.

“We also saw the creature, as if sticking worms to its nails to create baits to catch fish and tuck the fishes they catch under their armpits after they caught them,” he said.

They also said they saw footprints of the “bigfoot” that is inverted, and its ends has signs of sharp toenails.

Utusan Malaysia today published the confidence of Vincent Chow saying that “bigfoot” which is considered a myth so far really does exist in the forests of the country following a few incidents of the locals meeting with this creature.

“It is not new. In fact, I regard it as an unique event and heritage of the Johor fauna. We need to take steps to protect it,” Vincent said.

Meanwhile, Tok Batin (shaman) of the Selangi village, Abu Talib Abdullah, 45, said the existence of “bigfoot” was realised by villagers but many people had not seen it.

He said that he himself had not seen the creature before and only heard the stories from other people.

[Author]

Posts

[Anonymous]

Okay, so here we go. I’m putting the two translated articles I got thus far and to put it here, and in this thread I’m just going to put in things that are not taken into account, simply because perhaps it is a different language but deserving the attention:

Article 1:
Utusan Online (28 March 2006)
Keghairahan `pemburu’ Bigfoot perlu dikawal
Oleh NORLIZAH ABAS (WARTAWAN UTUSAN)
SEHINGGA kini, kalangan saintis masih membisu mengenai misteri kewujudan Bigfoot – makhluk gergasi berbulu lebat yang didakwa mendiami hutan berpaya Endau-Rompin, Johor walaupun pelbagai versi naratif disebut-sebut orang sejak akhir-akhir ini.
Maka, timbul persoalan adakah mereka `tidak berminat’ untuk memecah kebuntuan masyarakat walaupun ramai yang mendakwa menemui tapak yang kononnya milik makhluk berkenaan.
Seorang pakar perhutanan, Profesor Madya Dr. Mohamed Zakaria Hussin yang mengkhusus dalam penyelidikan hidupan liar mempunyai pendapat tersendiri bagi mendebatkan penemuan demi penemuan oleh pelbagai kumpulan ekspedisi baru-baru ini.
Menurut Pensyarah Jabatan Pengurusan Perhutanan, Fakulti Perhutanan, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) itu, jika benar tapak yang ditemui milik Bigfoot, kerja-kerja mengesannya amat mudah.
“Kalau betul tapak yang begitu dalam dan cantik itu milik Bigfoot, senang sangat kita mencarinya menggunakan anjing pengesan melalui bau yang ditinggalkan asalkan ia masih baru.
“Namun ia bukan semudah itu jika hanya berdasarkan kepada satu-satunya bukti serta cerita lisan mereka yang pernah menemuinya,” ujar beliau kepada Utusan Malaysia ketika ditemui di pejabatnya di Serdang, Selangor baru-baru ini.
Mohamed Zakaria berkata, pada mulanya beliau percaya kewujudan kelompok spesies baru tetapi selepas timbulnya pelbagai versi yang tidak konsisten, kepercayaan itu beransur-ansur kurang.
Beliau menjelaskan, semua pencerita mendakwa bertemu tapak tetapi apabila digambarkan, bentuknya tidak sama.
Pendapat beliau ada logiknya kerana walaupun saiznya berbeza-beza, bentuknya perlu serupa.
Mengulas lanjut mengenai kesimpulan yang boleh diperoleh daripada penemuan tapak Bigfoot dari perspektif sains, Mohamed Zakaria menjelaskan, tapak yang lebar bentuknya itu bukan tapak kaki makhluk yang memanjat pokok.
Ini kerana kata beliau, jenis tapak tersebut bukan tapak yang mencengkam batang pokok seperti yang dimiliki oleh orang utan yang berbentuk panjang dan boleh melekuk.
Sebaliknya, tapak itu bentuknya lebar seperti tapak itik menyebabkan makhluk itu tidak boleh disamakan dengan mawas atau Orang Utan.
Penerangan beliau itu boleh diterima akal kerana kawasan Endau-Rompin adalah kawasan lembah berpaya yang luas dan kaki yang begitu bentuknya memudahkan Bigfoot berpijak pada tanah lembap dan tidak tenggelam.
Bukti lain yang boleh membantu merungkai misteri kewujudannya ialah tulang kerana jika betul Bigfoot wujud, mungkin ada yang telah mati – tetapi di mana tulangnya?
“Sebagai saintis, saya tidak berani mengesahkan kewujudan Bigfoot kerana fakta yang benar-benar konkrit tiada – walaupun saya sudah bertemu dengan beberapa saksi yang mendakwa melihatnya bagi mendapatkan maklumat awal.
“Meskipun begitu, kita tidak boleh menidakkan penemuan mereka kerana mungkin betul apa yang disaksikan itu – ia mungkin Bigfoot atau manusia primitif,” ujar pakar perhutanan itu.
Persoalannya, mengapa sukar untuk menjejaki Bigfoot walaupun pelbagai peralatan canggih digunakan oleh kumpulan-kumpulan penyelidik terdahulu.
Menurut beliau, kelangsungan hidup di hutan menyebabkan spesies itu dapat menghidu kehadiran manusia melalui bau dan getaran tanah.
Justeru katanya, berdasarkan kepekaan yang tinggi, makhluk di hutan akan cepat mengetahui jika habitat mereka cuba diceroboh.
Kesimpulannya, secanggih mana teknologi yang dibawa masuk belum tentu membuahkan hasil kerana mereka lebih cekap.
Oleh kerana itu, beliau menentang kemasukan beramai-ramai pelbagai kumpulan ekspedisi kerana ia hanya akan mengancam habitat semula jadi spesies yang mendiaminya.
Mereka termasuk sekumpulan krew produksi dari Amerika Syarikat (AS) yang dibantu oleh pasukan Penyiasat Paranormal Singapura (SPI) serta krew rancangan tempatan Seekers sejurus selepas penemuan Orang Asli dilaporkan oleh media.
Justeru, kerajaan perlu memelihara kawasan habitat Bigfoot di hutan Endau-Rompin daripada terus `digasak’ oleh penyelidik asing bagi mengelakkan ekosistemnya terganggu yang akhirnya membahayakan nyawa bukan sahaja makhluk itu malah spesies lain.
Ini kerana Bigfoot akan melarikan diri jauh ke dalam hutan menyebabkan kegiatan mengesannya menjadi lebih sukar.
Sehubungan itu, langkah kerajaan Johor berbincang dengan kumpulan saintis daripada beberapa buah universiti bagi menggerakkan satu ekspedisi khas mengesan Bigfoot dalam tempoh terdekat, amat tepat.
“Jika tidak menemuinya sekalipun, kita perlu menjaga habitat untuk membolehkan penyelidikan lanjut dijalankan kerana yang penting kita mempunyai bukti kewujudannya,” ujar Mohamed Zakaria.
Sehubungan itu, beliau memohon penyelidik bebas atau mana-mana individu yang menemui sebarang bukti lain seperti bulu, najis atau tulang supaya berkongsinya dengan saintis.
Ini kerana, melalui najis kajian boleh dijalankan terhadap tumbuhan atau hidupan lain yang dimakannya manakala bulu boleh menentukan ujian DNA sama ada ia haiwan atau manusia.
Pada akhir pertemuan tersebut, beliau turut melahirkan kekesalannya dengan kebanjiran pelbagai penyelidik asing dan kumpulan tertentu yang didakwa hanya bertujuan untuk mengeksploit sumber alam semula jadi negara.
Seperkara lagi yang perlu diambil perhatian ialah kawalan terhadap `keghairahan’ penyelidik asing yang cuba mengeksploitasi pengetahuan tradisi masyarakat Orang Asli ketika menyelidik biodiversiti negara ini, perlu diperketatkan.
Penyelaras Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) Semenanjung Malaysia, Mohd. Nizam Mahshar berkata, selain mengutip maklumat, kumpulan penyelidik itu turut didakwa menggunakan khidmat Orang Asli sebagai penunjuk arah hutan secara berleluasa.
Justeru, ketidakprihatinan kerajaan terhadap `kerakusan’ penyelidik asing mengeksploitasi Orang Asli amat merugikan negara kerana tanpa disedari mereka akan membawa keluar segala maklumat mengenai kekayaan biodiversiti hutan Malaysia.

Overzealous ‘hunt’ for Bigfoot must be controlled
(translated by Angelina)
Until today, scientists are still keeping mum over the mysterious existence of Bigfoot – a gigantic, hairy creature said to be residing in the Endau-Rompin forests of Johor, even though there are various narrative versions by many people lately.
Hence, there exist the question of whether they are “not interested� to dispel the questions in the minds of the public even though many claimed to have found footprints belonging to the creature.
A forestry expert, Professor Madya Dr. Mohamed Zakaria Hussin who went through all odds in the studies of wildlife has his own suggestions to debate about the various findings of the many groups of expeditions of late.
According to this professor who is a lecturer in the Forestry Management Department, Forestry Faculty, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), if the footprints really belongs to Bigfoot, works to track it down will be very easy.
“If the print, made so deep and beautiful, really belongs to Bigfoot, it will be so easy for us to find it, using dogs to track down its scent as long as the prints are still new.�
“However, it is not so easy if it is simply based on that one single evidence and the oral claims of those who had seen it,� he said when interviewed by the Utusan Malaysia at his office in Serdang, Selangor.
Mohamed Zakaria also said, at first he believed in the existence of a new species, but as there arise many different and inconsistent versions, the believe became lesser and lesser.
He explained that all the narrators claimed to have seen the footsteps, but when asked to give an illustration, all the shapes are different.
He thinks that there may be logic if the sizes are different, but the shape of the footsteps must at least be the same.
Further discussing his conclusion based on the findings of the footsteps from a scientific perspective, Mohamed Zakaria explained that a large footprint is not the footprint of a creature that climbs trees.
This is because, he said, that kind of footprints are not meant to claw on to tree branches as those belonging to orang utan which are long and able to bend.
Instead, the footprint that is broad and wide like a duck’s foot makes the creature not similar to the family of the Mawas or Orang Utan.
His explanations can be accepted as Endau-Rompin is a large, swampy area and the feet of such a shape eases the Bigfoot’s movement to step on the wet earth and not drown.
Another evidence which may help clear some mysteries of the existence of Bigfoot is the existence of bones, because if there really was Bigfoot, there may be some that had died – but where are the bones?
“As a scientist, I dare not verify the existence of Bigfoot because the concrete factual evidence are not there – although I had already met with some witnesses who claimed to have seen the creature to get some initial information.�
“However, we cannot deny the possibility of their findings because perhaps what they saw was real – it may be Bigfoot or some primitive human,� said the forestry expert.
The question is, why is it so hard to track down Bigfoot although there were so many sophisticated equipments used by previous groups of researchers?
According to him, the absence of life in the forest makes it easy for the species to smell the scent of human existence or feel the vibrations of the earth.
Hence, he said, based on the heightened senses, the forest creatures will be able to know quickly if their habitat is being trespassed.
In conclusion, no matter how great the technology applied when they enter the forests does not mean that it will bear any fruits, as the animals are even more efficient.
Because of that, he objects to the entering of forests areas in large expedition groups because it will only cause harm to the natural habitat of all the species living in the forest.
“They� included an American production crew from United States, helped by the Singapore Paranormal Investigators (SPI) as well as the local “Seekers� group, after the story of the findings by the Orang Asli was reported by the media.
Hence, the government must protect the habitat of Bigfoot in the Endau-Rompin forest from being “harassed� by foreign investigators to avoid the disturbance to the ecosystem which may lead to the death and extinction of not just the creature but also other species.
This is because Bigfoot will run away further into the jungle, causing it even harder to track it down.
With regards to that, the move by Johor government to discuss with a group of scientists from several universities to form a special expedition to track Bigfoot, is appropriate.
“Even if we do not find it, we need to at least take care of the habitat to enable further research because the most important point is to have evidence of its existence,� said Mohamed Zakaria.
As such, he appeals to all freelance investigators or any individual with findings of any evidence such as hair, excreta or bones to share the findings with the scientists.
This is because, based on the excreta, experiments can be made towards the kinds of plant or animals consumed by it while the hair will help determine whether the creature is an animal or human based on DNA tests.
At the end of the interview, he expressed his regret by the overwhelming response of foreign investigators and certain groups that only has the intention of exploiting the country’s natural resources.
Another point worth of mention is the control of “overzealousness� of foreign investigators who tried to exploit the traditional cultural knowledge of the Orang Asli while studying the biodiversity of the country, needs to be tightened.
Mohd. Nizam Mahshar of the Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) said, besides collecting information, the investigators also used the services of the Orang Asli to show them around the forests recklessly.
Hence, the governments nonchalant attitude towards the ‘clumsiness’ of foreign investigators exploiting the Orang Asli is a loss to the country because inadvertently they will bring out all information about the richness of the Malaysian forest biodiversity.

Article 2:
Utusan Online: 11 Jan 2006
Meragui mitos BigfootOleh DR. MOHD TAJUDDIN ABDULLAH

Saya mengenali Orang Asli bernama Kangkong bin Mintol sejak bulan Disember dalam tahun 1977. Tatkala itu saya telah dibawa oleh seorang penyelidik American Peace Corp. bernama Rodney Flynn untuk mengenali kesan kaki binatang dan menjejaki kesan tapak kaki badak hingga sampai di Sungai Selai yang terletak di tengah hutan belantara Endau Rompin.
Kangkong berasal dari Kampong Juaseh yang terletak lebih kurang 20 kilometer dari pekan Labis, Johor. Berbadan kecil dan sasa, Kangkong telah hidup serasi dengan hutan Endau Rompin sejak dari dia dilahirkan.
Selepas berkahwin beliau telah berpindah ke perkampungan baru yang disediakan kerajaan.
Rumah kayunya mempunyai satu bilik yang dilengkapi dengan “air dari besi dan api dari wayar”. Keadaan sekarang ternyata amat jauh berbeza dengan hidupnya yang berpindah-randah dengan mendirikan pondok kecil di hutan.
Gaya hidup Kangkong yang sederhana itu serupa dahulu tanpa ada apa-apa harta dunia. Beliau pemalu pada kali pertama saya menemui tetapi amat bangga menyambut saya yang berkunjung ke rumahnya hampir tiga dekad yang lalu.
Pada ketika itu saya telah ditugaskan oleh Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara (Perhilitan) untuk mengambil alih tugas Rodney bagi menjalankan penyelidikan mengenai taburan dan ekologi badak sumbu (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) di Malaysia.
Tanpa pegetahuan khusus mengenai spesies badak yang terancam itu, saya terhutang budi kepada Kangkong yang banyak berkongsi pengalamannya mengenai cara-cara menjejaki binatang liar serta pelbagai ilmu yang diperoleh mengenai survival di hutan. Selama lebih kurang lima tahun Kangkong juga telah membawa saya menjelajah dan merentasi hutan Endau-Rompin daripada Juaseh ke Selai dan Kemidak di Labis dan keluar di Kampung Peta di Kluang.
Kadangkala kami berjalan kaki dan keluar di kawasan Felda di negeri Pahang atau Kampung Bekok. Perjalanan dengan kaki yang mengambil masa tujuh hingga 14 hari sambil menanggung beban hoversack dengan muatan makanan dan peralatan kerja seberat 30 hingga 40 kilogram.
Hampir setiap tahun Kangkong dan rakan Perhilitan membantu saya menjalankan inventori hidupan liar di Endau Rompin. Lima atau enam kumpulan penyelidik akan meredah secara serentak hutan Endau Rompin sambil merekod hidupan liar yang ditemui secara langsung atau tidak langsung melalui bunyi, kesan makanan, najis, kubang atau kesan tapak kaki. Setiap pemerhatian direkodkan dalam borang inventori khas dengan maklumat nama spesies, cara cerapan, ukuran kesan dan tarikh serta masa pemerhatian.
Kesahihannya
Setiap data terkumpul akan dibentang dan diperbahaskan di kalangan penyelidik jabatan. Begitulah cara semak dan mengesahkan (check and balance) untuk memastikan kesahihannya maklumat sains biologi dan ekologi.
Pengalaman yang saya peroleh daripada Kangkong membolehkan saya menerokai semua hutan belantara dari Mersing di Johor, Taman Negara hingga Belum di Perak dan Wang Kelian di Perlis. Pegalaman menjejaki badak ini juga telah membawa saya ke hutan Kinabatangan di Sabah dan tanah tinggi Bareo di Sarawak.
Hasil kajian secara saintifik itu telah diterbitkan dalam jurnal antarabangsa Biological Conservation 1984 (Flynn RW, Abdullah MT. 1984. Distribution and status of the Sumatran Rhinoceros in Peninsular Malaysia. Biological Conservation 28: 253-273) dan jurnal terbitan tempatan Malayan Nature Journal 1983 (Flynn RW, and Abdullah MT. 1983. Distribution and number of Sumatran rhinoceros in the Endau-Rompin Region of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal 36: 219-247).
Sebagai pegarang bersama, kami tiada catatan mengenai Bigfoot. Dalam kajian kepelbagaian hidupan liar bersama beberapa rakan hingga kini tidak pernah kami membuat cerapan atau catatan mengenai Bigfoot.
Jadi bagaimana pula cerita Bigfoot mendapat liputan meluas di Malaysia dan luar negara sejak tiga minggu yang lepas?
Persoalan ini ada kaitan rapat dengan budaya serta pemikiran pelbagai masyarakat di Malaysia. Dalam masyarakat Orang Asli dan etnik tempatan memang terdapat banyak cerita-cerita penglipur lara yang berunsurkan mitos dan legenda.
Semasa kami berkhemah di hutan belantara Endau Rompin, Kangkong sering bercerita kepada saya mengenai penglipur lara masyarakatnya.
Saya juga pernah mendengar cerita mitos mawas yang amat besar dan berbulu dadanya. Di Bareo, seorang daripada masyarakat Kelabit menceritakan mengenai kuda belang dan singa yang terdapat di hutan yang terletak 1,000 meter dari aras laut.
Di Sabah dan Sarawak ada masyarakat etnik percaya bahawa kehadiran pokok hujan panas telah meyebabkan harimau takut untuk tinggal di hutan kepulauan Borneo. Sejarah lisan kita juga menceritakan mitos Puteri Gunung Ledang di Johor dan Puteri Santubong di Sarawak.
Demikianlah mitos dan legenda yang ditinggalkan oleh nenek moyang kita dari zaman tanpa Internet dan sistem pesanan ringkas (SMS) yang hidup segar dalam ingatan hingga hari ini.
Sangat malang pula apabila hari ini cerita-cerita sedemikian telah dicampur aduk antara mitos masyarakat kita, kewartawanan pop dan pseudosains. Jika kita lebih cermat dan peka, kita perlu memeriksa kesahihan fakta sains, yang mawas mungkin juga bermaksud orang utan atau bahasa Latin ialah Pongo pygmaeus.
Apakah spesies ini telah disalah- tafsirkan sebagai Bigfoot? Spesies ini hanya terdapat di Borneo dan Sumatera sahaja. Mengenai cerita kuda belang pula, spesies ini hanya terdapat di benua Afrika dan singa pula terdapat di India dan Afrika sahaja.
Apakah masyarakat di Malaysia yang berhasrat maju dalam Wawasan 2020 ini kian terhibur dengan cerita-cerita Bigfoot yang tidak pernah direkodkan oleh ahli sains di negara ini?
Saya juga meragui perakuan seorang bekas zoologis WWF-Malaysia yang seolah-olah cuba megesahkan kehadiran Bigfoot Endau-Rompin. Apakah jenis pseudosains saperti perakuan zoologis tersebut merupakan hidangan minda yang terbaik untuk masyarakat kita? Kita perlu berfikir sejenak agar dapat membezakan antara mitos dan fakta yang sahih.
Berhati-hati
Pengalaman silam saya bersama Orang Asli atau masyarakat etnik tempatan telah banyak mengajar saya untuk berhati-hati. Orang Asli dan masyarakat etnik biasanya adalah orang yang sangat bermurah hati dan amat suka melihat tetamu terhibur, mereka akan cuba mencari impian yang diingini tetamu atau mencerita sesuatu yang mahu didengari. Kalau kita begitu mendesak untuk mendengar Bigfoot maka cerita Bigfootlah akan diperdengarkan. Dan jika memberikan pensel dan kertas, akan terlakar sesuatu yang kita desakkan.
Begitulah juga apabila saya mendesak dengan impian untuk melihat badak berkubang, maka saya telah dibawa oleh seorang Asli di Rompin memanjat puncak gunung yang tidak mungkin boleh dinaiki binatang besar tersebut. Apabila sampai di puncak gunung dan ternyata gagal melihat badak berkubang, dia menunjuk ke arah puncak-puncak gunung yang lain yang kelihatan di sekeliling Endau Rompin. Maka itulah impian kami untuk melihat badak berkubang di puncak gunung yang tidak kesampaian selepas 29 tahun menerokai hutan belantara Malaysia.
Berapa lamakah impian Bigfoot ini akan diteruskan lagi? Kita perlulah bijak menilai antara mitos, legenda, kesahihan fakta sains dan impian melihat Bigfoot.
– Profesor Madya Dr. Mohd. Tajuddin Abdullah ialah Ketua Prgram Sains dan Pengurusan Sumber Haiwan, Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi Sumber, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas).

Questioning the Myths of Bigfoot
(Translated by Angelina)
I know an Orang Asli by the name of Kangkong bin Mintol since December 1977. At that time I was with an American Peace Corp researcher by the name of Rodney Flynn to identify footprints of animals and search for rhinocerous prints until Sungai Selai located in the middle of the dense forest of Endau-Rompin.
Kangkong came from Kampong Juaseh, located about 20 km from Labis, Johor. Kangkong lived his life parallel to the Endau Rompin forest since he was born.
After he was married, he moved to a new village developed by the government.
His wooden house has one room fitted with “water from iron, fire from wires�. At this point, his life is certainly different from his past where he lived moving around in make-shift huts in the forests.
Kangkong’s simple lifestyle was just as it was before. He was shy when I first met him, but was proud to receive me as I visited his house about 3 decades ago.
At that time, I was appointed as the Chief of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) to take over Rodney’s task of researching on the ecology of the rhinocerous (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) in Malaysia.
Without any specific background knowledge on this endangered species of rhino, I was indebted to Kangkong who shared many of his experiences, such as ways to track down wild animals and all kinds of survival tips in the forests. For about 5 years, Kangkong also brought me to venture across the Endau-Rompin forest, from Juaseh to Selai and Kemidak in Labis and exit in Kampung Peta in Kluang.
Sometimes we walked and exist from the Felda area in Pahang or Kampung Bekok. Foot travel this way took us 7 to 14 days while carrying the burden of a haversack filled with food and working equipments as heavy as 30 to 40 kg.
For almost each year, Kangkong and other Perhilitan friends helped me to record the inventory of wild life in Endau Rompin. Five or six groups of researchers will start off into the Endau Rompin at the same time while recording wild life found directly or indirectly, through its voice, food traces, excreta, or footsteps. Every observation is recorded in the special inventory forms with information on the name of the species, movements, measurements of footsteps and the date and time of observation.
Validity
Every data collected will be presented and debated amongst all research departments. This is the way to check and balance the findings to validate these data against science, biology and ecology evidence.
My experience from Kangkong allowed me to venture all forests from Mersin in Johor Forest Reserve until Belum in Perak and Wang Kelian in Perlis. My experience in tracking the rhino also brought me to the Kinabatangan forests in Sabah and Bareo highlands in Sabah.
The scientific research was published in an international journal, Biological Conservation 1984 (Flynn RW, Abdullah MT. 1984, Distribution and status of the Sumatran Rhinoceros in Peninsular Malaysia. Biological Conservation 28: 253-273) and local journal Malayan Nature Journal 1983 (Flynn RW, and Abdullah MT. 1983. Distribution and number of Sumatran rhinoceros in the Endau-Rompin Region of Peninsular Malaysia. Malayan Nature Journal 36: 219-247).
As a co-author, we had no records of Bigfoot. In the research of the variety of wildlife with many other partners until now, we had no records at all about Bigfoot.
So, how did the Bigfoot story gets such a wide coverage locally in Malaysia and overseas for the past 3 months?
This question has close connection to the culture and thoughts of multiple communities in Malaysia. In the Orang Asli local ethnic, there are many folklore based on myths and legends.
While we camped in the forests of Endau Rompin, Kangkong always told me folklore of his community.
I’ve also heard of a mythical Mawas that is very big and hairy. In Bareo, a man from the Kelabit community told me about zebras and lions in the forest as high as 1,000 metres above sealevel.
In Sabah and Sarawak, there are ethnic communities believing that the existence of tropical rain trees will frighten tigers to live in the island of Borneo. Our historical oral account spoke of the myths of the Gunung Ledang Princess in Johor and Santubong Princess in Sarawak.
This is how myths and legends from our forefathers during the age without Internet and SMS keeps alive in our minds till today.
It is such an unfortunate event that such stories are mixed with our modern myths, pop journalism and pseudosciences. If we are more careful and mindful, we need to examine the validity of scientific facts, that Mawas could easily mean Orang utan or in its Latin name, Pongo pygmaeus.
Has this species wrongly misinterpreted as the Bigfoot? This species only exists in Borneo and Sumatera. About the zebra, the animal is found only in Africa and lions in India and Africa only.
Has our Malaysian community, with the intention of development and progress based on Vision 2020, gets more entertained by stories of Bigfoot that had NEVER been recorded by scientists in this country?
I do question the validity of an ex-zoologist of WWF-Malaysia who tried to validate the existence of Bigfoot in Endau-Rompin. What kind of pseudoscience such as the claims by the zoologist that has become an irresistible dish to satisfy the palate of our feeble minds of our community? We must think carefully, so that we are able to differentiate between myths and true facts.
Beware
My past experience with the Orang Asli or the local ethnic community taught me to be very careful. Orang Asli and the ethical groups are usually people with generous hearts and enjoy seeing their guests being entertained. And in their quests they will find the inspiration that is entertaining to the guests or to tell something that the guests will want to hear. If we are too desperate to hear about Bigfoot, so it will be a Bigfoot story that we will hear. And if they are given pencil and paper, then they will sketch out something that we wish to see.
This was exactly how it was when I was driven by the intense desire to see one species of rhino, and I was brought by an Orang Asli in Rompin to hike up a mountain top that is definitely not possible for the animal to reach. When I reach the peak of the mountain and of course, failed to see the animal, he pointed to the many mountain peaks seen around the Endau-Rompin. Hence, that was our dream to see that particular species of rhino at the peak of the mountain that had never been reached, 29 years after venturing into the thick jungles of Malaysia.
How long will this Bigfoot dream go on? We need to be wise, decipher between myths, legends, scientific evidence and the dreams to see Bigfoot.
– Dr Mohd Tajuddin is the Head of Science and Management of Animal Resources Programme, Faculty of Science and Technological Sources, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas)

[Anonymous]

The Star: 31 March 2006: SMS Your Views
Still on Bigfoot
Left only a dozen prints behind. A 100kg wild boar can be tracked for miles, so who is kidding whom?

This SMS, i suspect, is the reaction of Mr Kong’s story about seeing over a dozen footsteps when the earth was wet and fresh, and became blurred after the rain stopped.

SMS 21 March 2006
Leave Bigfoot alone

Have we ever heard Bigfoot being a snatch thief or rapist? No, unlike human beings. So, leave Bigfoot alone!

[Anonymous]

And I thought they will wisen up. Bad enough to say that illogical claims of footprints made people realise the modern version where the boy did not cry ‘wolf’ but cried ‘bigfoot’.

The Star
Tuesday April 4, 2006

Bigfoot hotline getting less calls

JOHOR BARU: Interest in Bigfoot is waning, judging from the declining number of calls to the hotline set up at the height of the euphoria.

Johor National Parks Corporation, which set up and manages the hotline, said there were days with hardly any calls.

“The number of calls have dwindled since we opened the hotline in January,� said director On Jabbar.

“Most of the callers wanted to know if the creature exists,� he said.

“They wanted to know if all the hype about Bigfoot was true. Others wanted to know where Bigfoot was sighted.�

Those interested in learning more about the mythical creature or disclose sightings can call the hotline at 07-222 2221.

[Anonymous]

and today, another sms

The Star 14 April 2006

> One too many

Too many Bigfoot “casesâ€?. It’s becoming hilarious in the eyes of the world. We will be laughed at.

did they only start to realise it now?

[Anonymous]

Okay, earlier Vincent Chow said that Bigfoot is also known as King Kong. No wonder our gorilla on the escape is getting so much publicity!

Utusan Online, 26 December 2005

Tiada bukti saintifik sahkan kewujudannya
KOTA KINABALU 26 Dis. – Pengerusi Lembaga Penggalakkan Pelancongan Sabah (STPC), Datuk Tengku Dr. Zainal Adlin berkata, tiada bukti saintifik yang dapat membuktikan kewujudan Bigfoot di hutan Borneo.

Beliau yang merupakan penulis bersama buku Maliau Basin – Sabah Dunia Yang Hilang berkata, setakat ini, kewujudan Bigfoot hanya daripada `dengar-dengar cakap’ sahaja.

“Saya juga tidak pasti Bigfoot wujud di hutan Borneo, ia tidak dapat dipastikan secara saintifik,” katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Zainal adalah orang pertama yang menerokai Maliau Basin, hutan hujan tropika berusia ratusan juta tahun itu yang terletak di selatan Sabah.

Maliau Basin berbentuk kawah besar adalah hutan yang terletak di tengah-tengah kepulauan Borneo dan kaya dengan rahsia alam semula jadi.

Zainal juga aktif membuat kajian saintifik bersama Yayasan Sabah termasuk di Lembah Danum yang telah menarik ratusan saintis dari luar negara untuk membuat kajian sehingga terhasil lebih 300 buku dan jurnal mengenainya.

Bigfoot dikatakan ditemui di hutan Johor dengan beberapa insiden orang ramai terserempak dengan makhluk itu.

Penasihat Persatuan Alam Malaysia (MNS) Johor, Vincent Chow berkata, beliau yakin dengan kewujudannya yang juga dikenali sebagai `Orang Mawas’ atau `King Kong’.

Katanya, MNS menerima banyak maklumat tentang insiden manusia terserempak dengan makhluk itu seperti di kawasan hutan di Tanjung Piai, Mersing, Kahang, Taman Negara Endau Rompin dan Kota Tinggi.

Translation:
No Concrete Scientific Evidence of its Existence
KOTA KINABALU 26 Dec. – Chairman of the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation, Datuk Tengku Dr. Zainal Adlin said, there were no scientific evidence that can prove the existence of Bigfoot in the forests of Borneo.

He is the co-writer of Maliau Basin – Sabah Dunia Yang Hilang (Lost World of Sabah – Maliau Basin), said, thus far the existence of Bigfoot is only based on “hearsay”.

“I am not sure whether Bigfoot exists in Borneo forests, it cannot be proven scientifically,” he said to the reporters of Utusan Malaysia

Zainal is the first man to explore the Maliau Basin, tropical rainforest ageing hundred million years old south of Sabah.

Maliau Basin is a big forest area right in the middle of the Borneo Island and rich with nature’s secrets.

Zainal is also active in scientific research with the Sabah government including Lembah Danum which had attracted hundreds of foreign scientists for research until there results in more than 300 books and journals about it.

Bigfoot is said to have been seen in Johor with a few reported incidents.

Vincent Chow said he was sure of the existence of the creature, which is also called `Orang Mawas’ or `King Kong’.

He said, MNS received many information about the incidents where humans meet with this creature, such as in the forest areas of Tanjung Piai, Mersing, Kahang, Taman Negara Endau Rompin dan Kota Tinggi.

[Anonymous]

Okay, early days myths. If I read this article earlier, I would scream foul because the descriptions are so absurd, yet Vincent Chow could believe it to be ‘bigfoot’. More like an introduction of a foreign term by those who had not seen it before just to satisfy their own understanding WITHOUT the understanding.

Utusan Online, 24 December 2006

`Hantu Gigi Jarang’ amat ditakuti
KOTA TINGGI 24 Dis. – `Bigfoot’ yang didakwa hidup di dalam kawasan hutan Johor dikatakan ganas dan amat ditakuti oleh penduduk tempatan khususnya di kalangan Orang Asli yang seringkali memasuki kawasan hutan bagi mencari sumber rezeki.

Malah penduduk tempatan dan masyarakat Orang Asli yang menggelarnya sebagai `Hantu Gigi Jarang’ akan berpatah balik sekiranya terserempak dengan makhluk itu atau kesan-kesan tapak kaki dan dahan-dahan pokok yang patah.

Seorang penduduk Perkampungan Orang Asli Selangi, Maarof Baba, 50, berkata, dia pernah terserempak dengan dua `Bigfoot’ di dalam kawasan hutan berdekatan Batu 27, Jalan Mersing dekat sini kira-kira dua tahun lalu.

Ketika itu katanya, dia dan empat lagi rakannya sedang menuju ke sebuah kolam terbiar di kawasan berkenaan untuk menjaring ikan sebelum mengesan bau hapak yang begitu kuat dan pucuk-pucuk pokok yang patah.

“Semasa itu kami ternampak dua Hantu Gigi Jarang seperti sedang menangkap ikan menggunakan tangan sahaja di kolam berkenaan,” katanya yang merupakan Orang Asli keturunan Sakai ketika ditemui di sini hari ini.

Ekoran itu katanya, dia dan rakan-rakannya segera berpatah balik kerana bimbang keselamatan mereka dan percaya makhluk tersebut akan bertindak ganas sekiranya menyedari kehadiran mereka berlima di kawasan berkenaan.

Katanya, makhluk tersebut berbulu tebal dan gelap, tinggi kira-kira tiga meter, bergigi jarang dan tajam, berkuku tajam serta mengeluarkan bunyi seakan-akan salakan anak anjing.

“Kami juga melihat makhluk itu seperti melekatkan cacing pada kuku tangannya untuk dijadikan umpan bagi menangkap ikan dan meletakkan ikan yang ditangkap di celah ketiaknya apabila memperoleh ikan,” katanya.

Mereka juga katanya, menemui kesan tapak kaki `Bigfoot’ itu yang kelihatan seperti terbalik dan hujungnya pula terdapat kesan-kesan kuku yang tajam.

Utusan Malaysia hari ini menyiarkan tentang keyakinan Penasihat Persatuan Alam Malaysia (MNS) Johor, Vincent Chow bahawa `Bigfoot’ yang selama ini dianggap mitos, benar-benar wujud dalam kawasan hutan di negeri ini ekoran beberapa insiden orang ramai terserempak dengan makhluk itu.

“Ia bukanlah suatu perkara yang baru. Malah saya menganggapnya sebagai suatu perkara unik dan khazanah fauna hutan Johor. Kita perlu mengambil langkah untuk melindunginya,” ujar Vincent.

Sementara itu, Tok Batin Perkampungan Orang Asli Selangi, Abu Talib Abdullah, 45, berkata, kehadiran `Bigfoot’ itu sememangnya disedari oleh penduduk kampung berkenaan bagaimanapun ramai yang belum pernah menemuinya.

Katanya, dia sendiri tidak pernah terserempak dengan makhluk itu dan hanya mendengar ceritanya daripada orang lain.

Translation:
“Hantu Gigi Jarang” is very scary

KOTA TINGGI 24 Dec. – `Bigfoot’ which is said to live in the forests of Johor is said to be very violent and scary by the local residents, especially amongst the aborigines that frequent the forests for their livelihood.

In fact, locals and aborigines alike called it “Hantu Gigi Jarang” said that they will turn back if they see the creature or see its footprints and broken branches.

One resident in the Selangi Orang Asli Village, Maarof Baba, 50, said he had met with 2 “bigfoot”s in the forest near Batu 27, Jalan Mersing about two years ago.

At that time, he said, he and 4 other friends were headed towards an abandoned lake nearby to catch fish before they smelt a very strong odour and saw broken branches.

“At that time we saw two Hantu Gigi Jarang as if they were catching fish with bare hands in the lake,” said Maarof Baba who is an aborigine of the Sakai family.

Following that, he and his friends quickly retreated and went home because they feared for their safety and believed that the creature will be violent if they realised the intrusion of the 5 friends in the area.

He said, the creature has thick fur and is dark, about 3 meters tall, with rare and sharp teeth, sharp nails and gives out a voice like the barking of puppies.

“We also saw the creature, as if sticking worms to its nails to create baits to catch fish and tuck the fishes they catch under their armpits after they caught them,” he said.

They also said they saw footprints of the “bigfoot” that is inverted, and its ends has signs of sharp toenails.

Utusan Malaysia today published the confidence of Vincent Chow saying that “bigfoot” which is considered a myth so far really does exist in the forests of the country following a few incidents of the locals meeting with this creature.

“It is not new. In fact, I regard it as an unique event and heritage of the Johor fauna. We need to take steps to protect it,” Vincent said.

Meanwhile, Tok Batin (shaman) of the Selangi village, Abu Talib Abdullah, 45, said the existence of “bigfoot” was realised by villagers but many people had not seen it.

He said that he himself had not seen the creature before and only heard the stories from other people.

[Author]

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