Johor Tourism in Malaysia waits for windfall from international interest in ‘bigfoot’

by Y. Sulaiman, eTN
JOHOR BARU, Malaysia ( eTurboNews ): An international interest group has warned the Johor National Parks Corporaion (JNPC) any hurried expidition to look for physical evidence of ‘ bigfoot’ will be futile.

” Even a fairy large expidition , if held over a short duration, is not likely to succeed, ” said
Bigfoot Field Rsearch Organization from the US, which has instead urged authorities to responnd quicker to new sightings by jungle inhabitants, Orang Asli.

The purported sighting of ‘bigfoot’ an ape-like animal by Malaysian aborigines Orang Asli in the dense jungle of Johor state has given Johor Tourism an unexpected new product to sell.
Several international interest groups are organizing expiditions to Johor state, an hour’s drive from neighbouring Singapore city-state, to verify if the elusive creature is alive – and if it at all exists.
A Singapore- based group, Singapore Paranormal Investigation (SPI) is planning a two-day expidition into the jungle of Johor, led by president Professor Kenny Fong, togeher with 20 of its members.
” We will use sound enhancers, which can pick up frequncies not detectable to human ears, and infra-red night-vision binacolulars to aid us. We will also make moulds of footprints for examination by experts.”
International television crews, including the BBC fro the UK and reporters have expressed interest to venture into the forests of Johor to interview the Orang Asli. Researchers, scientists and trackers have also expressed interest in the alleged sightings.
The hairy creature, reported to be about three meters tall, is believed to have been sighted near the forest spine connecting Endau Rompin-Kota Tinggi-Tanjung Piai area over the years. However, to-date the only testimony of sightings have come from the Orang Asli.
Johor Tourism is eager to cash in on the excitement. ” The state should cash in on the craze just as Scotland does with its Loch Ness monster,” said Vincent Chow, adviser to Johor Malaysian Nature Society.” It probably doesn’t exist, but it has not diminished Scotland’s attraction as a tourist attraction.”
Agreeing with the move, Jabar Tahir, general manager of Johor Tourism Action Council said, the craze could give Johor tourism a boost.” This will put Johor on the world map, a major ecotourism attraction.”
Jimmy Long, chairman of Johor Tourist Guides Association said: ” We must maximise the benefits generated from the publicity over the craze. It is a boon or Johor tourism.”
” Telephone calls and emails from media organizations have been pouring in ever since news of bigfoot became international news, ” said Hashim Yussoff, director of the Johor National Parks Corporation ( JNPC), which has jurisdiction over all gazetted national parks in the state. ” The state government will have the final say whether to allow foreigners into our forests.”
Hashim recently led a day-long expedition of park rangers and local newsmen to locate and find physical evidence of the sightings. A detailed report on the information gathered to-date will be submitted to the state government soon.
At the recent Johor Mini Travel Mart in Singapore, a JNPC delegation led by Hashim introduced its new website www.bfro.netВ  featuring ‘bigfoot’ to visitors at the travel mart.

January 17, 2006   Posted in: Malaysia