Johor Photos Promoted For Funding?
Posted by: Loren Coleman on July 15th, 2006
According to a new article in the Malaysian newspaper, The New Straits Times, the ultimate motive of all of the recent news about the launch of the Johor Hominid website may have been revealed: a call for funding.
R. Sittamparam, writing in an article on July 15th, notes that Vincent Chow’s and Sean Ang’s website is petitioning UNESCO for “world heritage status.”
The news writer found that the website has
…started a signature campaign among Malaysians and the international community to support the petition, which will also be sent to the Government. The petition states that the discovery of close-up photographs of the hominids in Johor were grounds for the existence of a new species.
“However, time is running out. The lack of sufficient funding for research and continued deforestation of Johor’s jungles and Bigfoot hunting may put the hominids under threat,” the petition says.
Furthermore, Sittamparam adds:
The website states that with the confirmation of the Johor Hominid’s existence by international experts, Unesco should declare the creature as part of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
Cryptomundo commentary: Unfortunately, the article and the website give forth with no new evidence, no publication of the alleged photographs, and no concrete justification for UNESCO to give protection to any new hominid species. This appears to be another publicity release that has overemphasized the existance of photographs that have only been discussed, sketched, and traced. To promote a petition at this point appears premature and ill-advised. The motives for Vincent Chow’s actions of late are hard to understand, unless he is the receipt of less than thoughtful advice from his new partner.
Is this a way to convince people to be patient? Is working on the future scientific publication of the photographs a goal of Chow’s efforts? What is to be gained regarding these objectives from a petition drive now, other than to drive people to a website and get publicity for a hoped-for look at alleged photographs that are being withheld?
How can Chow and Ang be seriously stating that “the discovery of close-up photographs of the hominids in Johor [are] grounds for the existence of a new species,” if only a few have seen these photos? Does not such a position speak more to blind faith versus this being part of the scientific process?
Is this cryptozoology or cryptopolitics?
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About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
For what it’s worth, Ang is now promising that a “close up photo of a possible JH [Johor Hominid] hair” will be posted soon. I’m not sure what will be gained from looking at a photo of a single hair. I don’t think a picture of a hair will get them any funding or signatures on a petition…
Good morning Bloggers….
I’ll continue to collate and reserve judgement til all the facts and photos are in….murky waters seem to be further sullied by third world political issues….JMHO
seeing is believing….
ole bub and the dawgs
By the way, a grand total of 8 people have signed their petition so far. I don’t think that’s going to make much of an impression on the Malaysian government. 🙂
What picture will ever be a proof, in year 2006? Considering the incredible make ups some professionnals are able to create, or the suits, the pictures will really have to be very very very good for me to believe in anything.
As a matter of fact, what kind of picture could be the ultimate proof for yall? I mean, what should the picture show to be a blatent proof?
If Chow really wanted to get funding to research and protect these animals all he would have to do is RELEASE THE PHOTOS (assuming they are legit…)
Isn’t this the way all research has been done? I will bet that most of the “great discoveries” concerning our evolutionary past were influenced by money. Look at the liekis (the ones who discovered lucy) there is no proof that any of their findings were no more than extinct primates (not ancestral humans at any stage) and/or, as in lucy’s case, something more resembling the “hobbits” in the south pacific. I’ve always wondered if they got letters from their funders saying,”give us something or no more money.” the scientific process anymore has dollar signs added in.
simple show the photographic evidence and then get third party verification that they are real not fakethen request money for protection and research .
sigh…….
Sorry guys but I am getting a little short with these 2 show the damn things (pic’s) and lets get on to the real important stuff like trying to protect them and study them in the wild. Kinda of funny they mentioned hunting huh because if someone goes out and captures or kills one. Then these 2 have nothing. they should think about that also. You would think the pics would get them plenty of funding to protect these creatures from the hunters. I wonder how many hunters are out their right now looking?? If this is even the real deal wich I am sorry to say I am doubting even more day by day. AND I HOPE I AM WRONG!!!
Somebody wake me up if the pictures are published.
Until that time, I’m not giving that circus the time of day….
I said it before. These two must be students of the Biscardi school of cryptohype.
Hm.
Pictures + SHOWING THEM= Funding.
I’m with Stonelk, sounds alot like ole TB to me.
Well, playing devil’s advocate once again (as I am want to do at times), if I DID have conclusive evidence, I might prefer to keep folks arguing over the reality of the images, rather than inviting hordes of gun-toting hunters to come and start shooting them up while I was waiting for official protection. If, in fact, Chow does have photos that he is willing to share with UNESCO to guarantee protection for the creatures before he releases them and creates what is, most assuredly, an absolute frenzy, maybe their IS still something to this after all.
Of course, this is me putting away my normal cynical side and being a little more optimistic than usual.
There are many, many puzzling things about this case and the handling of the photos, but, again, if Chow truly is trying to secure protection for the creature before releasing the sort of images that are bound to attract the attention of trophy hunters, then I say “good on ya” to him.
But if this is just more hype, well then woe to him.