MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS FROM EMERGING CAT FANCIES
This page contains show reports from countries where the cat fancy has only recently developed.
MALAYSIA
FELINE BEAUTIES ON SHOW - New Straits Times, 7th June, 1995
By Sureth Ganesan
CAT lovers could have hardly asked for more than the spectacle of feline beauties that greeted them at the Malaysian Cat Club (MCC)-Purina International Cat Show recently. The show held at the Sungei Wang Plaza concourse was the second such event organised by the MCC. It was sponsored by established pet food manufacturers. Purina-Rolston.
More than 140 cats competed in four different categories, the Pedigree, Novice, Part Pedigree and local domestics, and the competition featured eight varieties of pedigree cats, long-haired Persians and Birmans, the short-haired breeds of Siamese, Havana, Burmese, Abyssinian, Scottish Fold and Devon Rex vying to become the Top Cat in Malaysia. Prizes were presented by guest-of-honour Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abdullah Fadzil Che Wan.
The Best Cat in Show title went to seven-month-old Burmese short-haired kitten Bajimbi Cream Coral, which also took Best Kitten and Purina’s Choice categories. The kitten belongs to MCC vice-president Kamariah Raffar. In the special Kucing Malaysia category, the winner was Persona Dang Rayarani, owned by Rosly Jonoh.
Judging was conducted by Federation of International Feline (FIFE) Judges Commission secretary Satu Hamalainen from Finland, and Jeffrey White of the Australian Cat Federation. The winners received certificates, ribbons, electrical items and Purina cat food.
To add to the excitement, there was a special appearance by British pop sensation PJ and Duncan Aka, who conducted an autograph session for fans. Students of SRK Convent Kajang staged a "Cat Play".
Datuk Abdullah Fadzil spoke on the effort to create a Kucing Malaysia pure-breed by the year 2020. Local cats recently classified as the basis in the creation of the Malaysian Cat by the FIFE president Swede Alva Uddin were also at the show. The project will be undertaken by the MCC, Ministry of Agriculture, the Veterinary Department and University Pertanian Malaysia. Kamariah said the MCC needed public support for the project, which uses selective breeding techniques to come up with the new breed.
"We need the public’s support to find a bigger gene pool," she added. Among the characteristics of the Kucing Malaysia are a medium-sized body with strong legs, a full coloured medium-length tail, an oval-shaped head with blue eyes, short, silky, fine and close-lying coat and medium-sized ears.