Investigators keen to present Bigfoot's footprint cast to Johor government

JOHOR : Investigators who found what is believed to be a clear footprint of Malaysia's own 'Bigfoot' are waiting to meet the Johor Chief Minister.

They want to present him with a cast of the print found in the rainforest and get his permission to carry out further investigations.

They came from across the world, drawn by a common attraction - the prospect of finding Malaysia's very own Bigfoot.

The paranormal investigators from Singapore, USA and the UK were invited by their Malaysian counterparts, a group known as the "Uncle Seekers."

At Endau-Rompin National Park in the state of Johor, they ventured deep into the forest with the help of local guides.

And after a daylong search - success!

Mr Syed Abdullah Al-Attas, "Uncle Seekers", says: "Actually we saw 10 footprints … but they are not clear. At about 6.15pm, George from Destination Truth, and Jenny from Independent Paper found it. "Yes Uncle! We found it! It's not myths!"

An entire Bigfoot colony is said to have moved there from the jungles of Perak in the North during the 70s.

Also known as the tropical Yeti or Mawas, the huge creatures reportedly have dense growth of hair on several parts of their body.

Mr Eugene Toh, Singapore Paranormal Investogator, says: "We have this department called Crypto-zoology. It is actually the study of hidden animals, which is like Bigfoot, and all those mythical creatures, like the unicorn and stuff like that."

The clearest footprint found by the team had a four-inch depth.

Going by that, and the height of broken tree branches overhead, the investigators believe an adult Bigfoot can reach a height of three and a half metres, and weigh more than 200 kilogrammes!

Ms Lee Qing Yu, Singapore Paranormal Investigator, says: "I brought along some crime scene investigator kit. So I went there and made some solution, pour into the footprint and made the cast."

The team now wants to present a cast of the footprint to Johor authorities and get permission to carry out further investigations.

Eversince this expedition, the Johor State Government has banned all foreigners from going into the area.

It is still opened to Malaysians but they have to pay 5 ringgit, or the equivalent of US$1.50 just to go in there and try their luck at finding Bigfoot.

The Johor government has formed an official committee of research scientists, and are urging Malaysians to consider the creatures as part of the state's heritage. - CNA/de
By Channel NewsAsia's Malaysia Correspondent Johnson Choo

Bigfoot video and not the NYP Tammy!

Singapore Clemency Plea for Took Leng How

25,000 sign Took petition
(http://www.todayonline.com/articles/104116.asp // Thursday, March 2, 2006)

Convicted murderer's parents, wife hopeful he will be granted clemency - Lin Yanqin

IT HAS been more than a month since Took Leng How failed in his appeal against his conviction for the murder of eight-year-old Huang Na.

But the hope that Took will be spared the gallows has not abated.

In fact, with the help of Took's aunt and a few sympathetic people in Singapore, Took's parents and wife say they have collected about 25,000 signatures on a clemency petition to date.

Took's lawyer, Mr Subhas Anandan, is hopeful that double that number of signatures could help his client get clemency.

"I don't think that the public has ever shown support to such an extent before," said Mr Anandan. "The signatures will show what a portion of Singaporeans think."

The rare split decision at the Court of Appeals on Took's sentence could also play a significant part. Chief Justice Yong Pung How and Justice Chao Hick Tin dismissed Took's appeal against the death sentence, but Justice Kan Ting Chiu disagreed with them, the first time such a split had happened in 10 years.

Disagreeing with the actual cause of Huang Na's death, Justice Kan felt that Took should only be convicted of the offence of voluntarily causing hurt, which carries a maximum jail term of one year.

But the Court of Appeals carried through the decision on the two-to-one majority. Despite this, Took's parents are hopeful that Justice Kan's words will have some weight when the clemency appeal goes to the President.

The records show that only six people sentenced to death have been granted clemency since 1965. The last time clemency was granted was in 1998, when then-President Ong Teng Cheong pardoned a 19-year-old youth who was sentenced to death for murder, commuting his sentence to life imprisonment.

Mathavakannan Kalimuthu had pleaded that he had had no intention to kill, and had submitted a petition accompanied by five letters, including one from his mother.

Took's family and their supporters will continue to gather signatures for another two months before submitting the petition in May.

"Anywhere there's a lot of people, we will go," said Took's aunt, who declined to be named. "There have been people who have said nasty things, but a lot of people have been very kind and supportive."

The group have staked out temples, MRT stations and HDB estates to gather signatures. Apart from locals, they have also got the signatures of foreigners from China, Indonesia and Malaysia.

"A lot of people have been calling me, telling me that they want to help, and I even heard something about putting this petition on the Internet," said Took's aunt, who is in her 70s.
"I get their signatures if I can, but if they are overseas, I can't do much."

An online petition has also surfaced, with 746 signatures. (View Current Signatures )
"Of course it is an encouragement to us," said Took's father, Mr Took Long Lai.

"I have told my son to have hope. We will continue to get more signatures to help him."


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