Malaysian UFO Bulletin - No 6 - 1983

Magazine Overview

Title: MALAYSIAN UFO BULLETIN
Issue: Number 6
Date: February 1983

This issue of the Malaysian UFO Bulletin focuses on UFO sightings and related phenomena primarily within Malaysia and Southeast Asia, with a significant report from Indonesia. The publication is a privately produced, non-subscription bulletin by Ahmad Jamaludin, aimed at disseminating UFO reports from the region.

UFOS OVER GALUNGGUNG, INDONESIA

The lead story details a UFO sighting over the active Galunggung volcano in Java, Indonesia, on July 22, 1982. The article posits that volcanic activity can be an indicator of potential UFO manifestations. The sighting was reported by a retired Indonesian air force pilot, Lieut. Col. (Ret) J. Sumarsono, 66, who saw two reddish-yellow unidentified flying objects hovering over the volcano for about 10 minutes. He observed them coming from the direction of Jakarta at a fast speed. The report was published in the daily TERBIT newspaper. The bulletin notes that attempts to obtain UFO reports from leading Indonesian newspapers KOMPAS and MERDEKA were unsuccessful, as they reportedly do not publish such accounts due to credibility issues.

FIREBALL OVER EAST MALAYSIA

This section documents UFO reports from East Malaysia, noting that reporting has been slow due to a lack of public awareness and press interest. However, in August 1982, there was a surge in sightings. The primary report concerns an event on August 16, 1982, in Sarikei, Sarawak, where many people claimed to have seen a 'big ball of fire' falling from the sky. A police party investigated but found no evidence of a crash. Checks with the Aviation Department and private air charter companies also revealed no distress signals. The Meteorological Office suggested it could be a meteorite, though seldom seen in daylight. A government official proposed it might be a distress signal from an express boat, but none were reported missing. The article poses the question of what the unidentified fireball was doing over Sarikei, with an answer suggested to come a week later, possibly relating to the 'RETURN OF THE TINY ENTITIES' section.

RETURN OF THE TINY ENTITIES

This section refers to a newspaper account from August 26, 1982, concerning a UFO encounter case in the same area as the 'fireball' incident. Further details are not provided in the excerpt.

UNIDENTIFIED FALLING OBJECT IN THAILAND

The bulletin references a major UFO wave in Southeast Asia in 1979, with a specific report from Thailand. According to an AP report, an unidentified object landed near the Gulf of Thailand, causing panic. Residents thought it was part of the American Skylab falling to Earth. A resident described it as a cylindrical object that made a loud whistling noise before hitting the ground. Other pieces reportedly fell into the water. The source is cited as The New Straits Times, June 19, 1979.

POLICE QUASH RUMOURS

This short piece addresses rumors in Sarikei, Malaysia, about small men seen wearing an unidentified spacecraft in a durian plantation. These rumors started after the 'fireball' incident, which was later identified as a flare signal. Primary school pupils reported seeing 'midgets' with large heads in the plantation. While some pupils stuck to their story, police believed the story might have been fabricated, possibly by children looking for durians.

UFOS IN PERTH

This report details two sightings by Australian families in Perth. Two families are convinced they saw the same large, unexplainable flying object moving as a brilliant ball of light over Great Eastern Highway. They described it as moving at treetop height, making no sound, and large enough to straddle the road. The sightings occurred about a year apart, approximately 47km from Perth. An Air Force spokesman confirmed a detailed report was made to the RAAF base at Pearce and was under investigation. One witness, Andrew Potocznyj, described the object as initially looking like a brilliant star that descended and moved slowly above the highway. The other witness, Gary Carter, described it as 'like a Hercules plane... glowing brilliantly... but without wings, a tail or a nose.' The report includes a sketch by Mr. Potocznyj.

MALAYSIAN IFOS

This section presents two cases with photographic evidence:

1. Bright Object Sighting (June 6, 1982): A local newspaper featured a photograph of an anomalous bright object. A teacher, Heng Chiang Teck, at Reub's Chung Ching School, sighted a bright circular object in the sky and took a photo with a Yashica FX3 camera. The object remained visible for about 1 minute before disappearing. The photo was taken on August 30, 1981, at 6:15 pm and remained stationary for about 6 seconds. The evaluation of the photo concluded it was a lenticular cloud.

2. Royal Malaysian Air Force F-5E Aerobatic Display: A photographer took several pictures of an aerial display. When developed, all prints showed a hazy circular image at one corner. The evaluation concluded this was lens flare.

THE GOOD AND THE BAD UFO REPORTS

This editorial section discusses the nature of UFO reports. A 'good' report is one that resists identification, while a 'bad' report is an IFO (identified flying object). The author humorously notes that if all reports were good, people would have nervous breakdowns, and if all were bad, the business would cease. The bulletin concludes that it is the combination of both types of reports that sustains interest.

Publisher's Note

The final page states that the MALAYSIAN UFO BULLETIN is produced at least twice a year and is a privately produced, not-for-subscription publication by Ahmad Jamaludin for disseminating UFO reports from Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Permission is granted to quote the content provided credit is given to the author and the bulletin.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings in Southeast Asia, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia, with a focus on detailed case reports and photographic analysis. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, acknowledging both credible sightings and misidentifications. The bulletin aims to collect and disseminate information, encouraging readers to report their observations. There is an emphasis on the challenges of UFO reporting, including media skepticism and the need for careful investigation. The publication itself is presented as a dedicated effort to document these events in the region.