Fortean Times, No. 35, 1981 (UK)
Tales from Malaysia
We welcome to our pages another of our Special correspondents, Ahmad
Jamaludin, from Kuantan, in Pahang, Malaysia, whose UFO bulletins from
that country have appeared in FSR. Ahmad’s interest include Fortean phenomena,
and we hope to hear more from him from time to time. This article has been
compiled from two items he sent us: the first summarizing events of note
from 1979, and the second on events in the first quarter of 1981. Ahmad
points out that UFO sightings are quite rare in Malaysia, and earth tremors
rarer still, so that to have so many in such proximity to each other in
1979 was quite remarkable.
FORTEAN IN 1979
On Jan. 2, a RAAF serviceman coming out of a supermarket sighted a round
silvery object in the sky at 6.15 pm. The object was described as glowing
in bright orange colour and had several portholes lining the edge. The
witness took 12 shots with his camera but when the film was developed only
two shots showing the object came out. The UFO hovered for about 20 minutes
before it disappeared.
The National Echo, 4 Jan. 1979
Four farmers going to their rice field at 6.45 in the morning of Jan. 5
sighted a small glittering ball floating in the sky. They claimed that
the object appeared suddenly before them and they stopped to watch it.
No sound was coming from the object but it was moving. The sighting lasted
for about 20 minutes.
The New Straits Times, 6 Jan. 1979.
On 7th Feb. at 10.30 am. two construction workers were resting
under a tree when suddenly both of them caught a glimpse of a round shiny
object flying towards the mainland.
Berita Harian, 9 Feb. 1979
An earth tremor was felt in Penang Island at 11.10 pm. on March 16. The
tremor which occurred twice within a few seconds went unaware by most people.
The New Straits Times, 18 March 1979.
In March a 3-inch nail appearing from nowhere smashed through a window
pane of an institute, whizzed past three members of the teaching staff,
hit an iron railing inside the institute office and ricocheted into the
arm of a laboratory assistant. The nail made a hole an inch long in the
glass pane. The incident occurred at 11.45 am.
The New Straits Times (date uncertain)
Starting from April 20, a display of aerial lights took place near the
village for 5 consecutive nights. The strange brightly lit object was elliptical
in shape and sparkled like a star. It landed in the rice field which was
several miles deep inside the village perimeter. As the UFO landed at about
7 pm, it began to get smaller and then the light split into three smaller
UFOs. About 20 villagers gathered to watch the spectacle.
The New Straits Times, 25 April 1979.
On 27 April, a slight earth tremor was felt by a few people, at 11 am sending
people on the top floor of at least one building scrambling out. However
the tremor went unnoticed in other high-rise building in the city.
The New Straits Times, 29 April 1979.
In early May a farmer left a buffalo near a disused tin-mining pool and
while he was resting under a tree he heard a splash. He ran to the pool
but the animal had disappeared. He saw only a whirlpool in the pond. Another
farmer had also lost his buffalo there and reported to police that he saw
a ‘large snake’ in the water. Residents there also reported that the 'monster
‘ was spotted at least three times on May 19.
The New Straits Times, 21 May 1979.
On 19 May, at 3 pm, six schoolchildren encountered a landed UFO and four
3-inch-tall entities near it. One of the students, it was reported, tried
to catch one of the creatures but was shot in the hand. The creature then
fired another shot at a brick breaking it into two. After the shooting,
the creatures scurried back into the tiny object. Another pupil grabbed
the UFO with both hands but had to let it go when he felt what seemed like
an electric current passing through his hands. The object then took off
leaving in its wake a shower of falling leaves. A 21-year-old youth playing
nearby came to the scene after hearing the commotion just in time to see
the shooting and the object taking off.
The Daily Star, 29 May 1979.
On 26 May, between 8-9 am, three students were playing in the clearing
of a rubber plantation when suddenly they heard a droning sound and turning
saw a tiny object coming in slowly for a landing. The UFO appeared to land
and the student rushed to touch it. As they were about to touch the object
which was luminous, an intense beam of light shot out from its outer rim
into their eyes, temporarily blinding them. They immediately cried for
help which drew the attention of two adults nearby, who rushed to the scene
and managed to see the UFO moving slowly into the jungle. The cattle in
a nearby shed were very restless and were trying to break away from the
posts to which they were tied.
The Daily Star, 30 May 1979, and The New Thrill, 1979.
Several students going to school in the morning saw three mysterious footprints
near a bridge. According to the police there were three foot-prints of
various sizes. One measured 3 ft long, the other 2 ft. and the third a
little smaller. Hundreds of people have crowded to the bridge to see the
prints which were believed to have been made by mysterious entities.
Berita Harian, 9 July 1979.
Since 11 August students of a Vocational Institute have reported that they
have been disturbed by three 10-ft-tall hairy creatures. These strange
happenings occurred between 10pm and 5am. Several of the students reported
that they have seen the entities with their own eyes. These entities have
red eyes and they usually disappeared mysteriously into thin air. The Institute
was later temporarily closed and all the students instructed to go home.
Utusan Malaysia, 18 Aug. 1970.
Several cases of an encounter with a man with a dog’s head were reported
in this town. A local resident reported that he had chased a man carrying
something in his hands behind his house. The man suddenly vanished when
he put the thing that he was carrying on his head. Residents of this small
town lived in fear of this mysterious dog-headed phantom for some time
until all the excitement died down.
Berita Harian, 6 Oct. 1979.
During the month of October, a similar case of a were-dog was reported
from this town. But this time a dog was caught and taken to the Veterinary
Office to determine what it could be. The animal was tied and locked in
a room pending investigation, but the next morning it was found missing.
The rope with which it had been tied was not undone, and the lock of the
door had not been disturbed. Following the mysterious disappearance of
this animal, fear once again gripped the local community. Whatever it was,
it was never seen again.
Berita Harian, 22 Oct. 1979.
FORTEANA IN 1981 (SO FAR) IN MALAYSIA
-
On 13 Feb. 1981, at about 9.30am, 20 students out of 100 taking part in
a cross-country run suddenly went into hysteria. The incident began with
one of the girls started screaming claiming she saw a dark figure in front
of her, then she fainted. This was followed by a few more of the students
falling to the ground. Things became worst when many more began to faint
and they all had to be taken to the hospital.
Utusan Malaysia, 15 Feb. 1981.
-
Sometime in March a rubber tapper was mysteriously killed when a tree he
was cutting pushed him several feet into the swamp. His friend nearby reported
that he saw the tree falling at an odd angle on the victim. The police
and the fire brigade tried for two days to pull the tree out but the cable
of the crane snapped. Only after several medicine men chanted prayers could
the huge tree-trunk, which had buried itself and the victim, be moved.
New Straits Times, March 1981.
-
Some time in March a baby buffalo with eight legs was born at Kampung Pondok
Bharu. The baby buffalo was already dead when the owner found it. It was
described as a ‘Siamese twin’ in nature with two bodies joined and had
two tails but only one head. The day-old baby buffalo had the size of a
two-year old calf.
Utusan Malaysia, 11 March 1981.
-
For two nights in mid-April, near Kuantan, many girl students attending
an animal husbandry course went into hysteria after allegedly seeing a
disembodied black hand waving at them. Its waving seemed to mysteriously
draw the students towards it. In an effort to resist the mysterious pull
they went into hysteria.
(From a witness).
-
On 10 April, there was some excitement near Kota Baru when a chicken that
was slaughtered twice, by two different people, refused to die. The villagers
believed that it was something abnormal and many visited the owner’s home
to see the strange chicken. The following day after the neck of the chicken
was stitched back, the chicken appeared stronger and was able to walk.
(Berita Harian, 19 April 1981). The sad news came a week later when
the chicken finally gave up – not that it’s ready to go to the dinner table
– but it died. This was due to the swelling at the site of the slaughter
which did not receive any treatment. (Mingguan Malaysia, 26 April
1981).
-
As if there is no justice or to see some justice, hundreds of caterpillars
swarmed the local courthouse in Bentong in April. The spokesman for the
court said that this was the second such invasion: the first was in 1979.
Mingguan Malaysia,
26 April 1981.
-
A 30-year old man was attacked by a tiger in the jungles of Bukit Ibam
while searching for firewood on 21st April. He was attacked
from behind and was badly wounded. He nearly died during the struggle with
the tiger but his three dogs put up a fight and the tiger ran away. He
quickly climbed a tree fearing the tiger might return but in his shock
fell down. Although bleeding and in pain, he walked about 8 miles to his
village. From there he was taken to the hospital 60 miles away.
Berita Minggu, 26 April 1981.
….AND IN INDONESIA
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Two gamblers were set on by armed thugs soon after leaving the Jakarta
casino and robbed of more than 100 million rupiahs. The two were thinking
of buying a house and while driving looking for one, were jumped by seven
knife-weilding bandits who made off with their winnings. The men have two
weeks to try to recoup their losses. The casino will be closed from April
1, 1981 under an Indonesian Government ban on gambling.
The Straits Times, March 1981.
-
A 41-year old medicine-seller was imprisoned for five-and-a-half months
for marrying a girl less than 15 years old. When he was released, his youngest
wife and 14 others were happy to receive him at the prison gate. All of
his 15 wives live in harmony with him in one house. Now here is one man
who may be selling some wonderful medicine!
Berita Harian, 17 April 1981.
END