Dos muitos OVNI que têm passado pela Malásia

From the middle of September till the middle of October 1995 there was a fresh rash of reports from around Sepang, Malaysia. These came from the local villagers and ranged from hovering lights to close encounter cases. These events proved to be the turning point for Malaysian ufology. UFOs had been sighted in the past, in these areas and elsewhere in the country. But it has never before attracted the media interest to its utmost. Almost every paper in the towns discussed these strange lights in the sky. And curious to know more, the public from the surrounding rural areas and smaller towns came flocking in at night in their thousands. Suddenly, it appears, everybody was interested in UFOs! For the first time in history, the Malaysian Government decided to open its mouth regarding the UFOs. But unfortunately it spoke the same language as the United States did a quarter of a century ago. The Malaysian Government does not wish to study UFOs because the United States has already done it, and there was nothing to it! Two important things however occurred. A month later, The Star newspaper carried an advertisement regarding the First Malaysian UFO Conference, to be held in Kuala Lumpur. This came as a surprise to every UFO student in the country. The bold and giant step for Malaysian ufology was due to the initiative of Mr. Steve Foley and his firm, Foley Associates, in organising our "first ever" UFO conference. Not only that: it also marks the formation of UFORIA (UFO RESEARCH IN ASIA) The Conference was held on December 17, 1995 at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur. The attendance was overwhelming considering the unknown number of UFO watchers in the country and the cost of the event which was high for an average Malaysian. The media too came flocking to see such a strange Conference on a strange subject on a quiet Sunday. The coverage given in the media was above expectation. With this Conference and the formation of UFO Research in Asia (which will be based in Malaysia) the future for ufology in Malaysia and the region of Southeast Asia will be greatly strengthened. For someone like me who, as a loner, has been investigating, compiling, and researching on the subject of UFOs for a good many years, the initiative taken by Mr. Steve Foley is to be congratulated and appreciated. It would mean an end to my lone effort and "one-man show" on such an enormous, complex, and baffling phenomenon as the UFOs in Malaysia and elsewhere.    Ahmad Jamaludin (foto)