Why would Malaysian people (pet buyers) be interested in something which they (not considering the finer points) think they can find in a kampung? No - most prefer something novel, I guess. Which explains why the siamese was such a hit in the western world - totally unlike anything they'd seen. Also (I cringe to say it) to own something novel has an element of prestige. Which is probably why LH are so popular in S E Asia and always have been. The Kucing Malaysia, on the other hand, would have some novelty factor to the west.......except that TICA has the snowshow, which is very similar, if 'manufactured'.

An experimental programme requires keeping a lot of cats (which is expensive) and it creates a lot of lives for which you have to find homes. If the K.M. programme has been abandoned, I can understand it.

I remember being asked to help at the very beginning with the Malaysiana - the standard was for a medium framed cat, I think - and a black mackeral tabby. A fellow (UK) judge and I suggested that it'd be better to work on something truly typical of your country - not similar to already existing western cats. (Malaysiana standard as proposed almost described a tabby European SH)

__________________
Lesley (Tasmania)