Hollywood's love-struck monster King Kong might be smashing box office records around the world. But in the interiors of Johor, its more camera-shy cousin is the star.

The Jakun indigenous people in the state have had several hair raising encounters with a creature similar to Bigfoot, whom they have named Hantu Jarang Gigi or 'Ghost with teeth apart'.

It has been described as 10 feet tall, humanoid in form and covered densely with hair. It's footprints measure 45cm.

The creature also smells like a 'human armpit', according to a Bernama report today.

The eyewitness description corresponds with documented accounts of the elusive Bigfoot in Northern America, whose existence has been hotly debated for almost a century.

Credible evidence

Over here however, the creature has found a believer - Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Johor advisor Vincent Chow.

"Bigfoot exists. We have received reports from many people who said they had seen the creature in the forests of Tanjung Piai, Mersing, Kahang, Endau Rompin National Park and Kota Tinggi," he said.

The latest sighting occurred last month in Kampung Mawai, Kota Tinggi, he added.

Three workers building a fish pond in the village claimed to have seen not one, but an entire Bigfoot family of two adults and a child.

When the workers returned to the site, a set of footprints, both big and small, were found.

"The footprints were proof of what the workers said they saw - a family of Bigfoot. Their claim is credible," insisted Chow.

Broken branches at the site led him to believe that the creatures were between eight to 10 feet high. Brown-coloured fur was also recovered there.

Meanwhile, Chow stressed that studies must be made on the creature and it must be protected from harm.

The Johor National Parks Corporation is among the first to answer Chow's call, with its director Hashim Yusoff pledging to investigate the matter with other interested parties.

"I regard this as a unique feature of Johor's treasures and we must take steps to safeguard it," Chow added.