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Datuk Fadillah Yusuf
KUCHING: The so-called ‘rumble in the sky’ over Kota Samarahan near here on Jan 11 and 12 was explained by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation as the whistling sound of steam released through a vent in a Felcra palm oil mill.
It said the whistling sound was due to steam which the factory released to the air in the wee hours of Jan 11 and 12 when it was in operation.
This was confirmed by the deputy general manager of the factory Yusmizan Desa when a team of investigators from the department, National Space Agency and Meteorological Department came to see him.
However Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Fadillah Yusuf in a press statement yesterday said he was still cautious.
He described the explanation provided by his team of investigators and the factory located at Kampung Endap as only based on their initial finding.
Felcra palm oil mill, photo from data file
Sadong Jaya road, Kota Samarahan
Image taken from google map
Imgae of close-up, picture taken from google map
The probe was made following public queries and suspicions that it was supernatural.
Among the claims by residents were that the sounds were linked to an earthquake that occurred on Jan 11 in Sumatera and effects of the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Programme (HAARP) conducted by the US to study change of weather pattern.
The probe team, Fadillah said, used various methodologies including interviewing witnesses, identifying the possible sources, getting opinions from local experts over the sounds, getting feedbacks from the residents again and follow-ups.
The factory was also required to conduct several demonstrations of the processes they did on Jan 11 and 12.
The rumble in the sky was the talk of the town and various versions were put forward by residents when explanation was not done immediately.
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