I am just back from visiting a friend in hospital in Penang today – a snatch theft victim.
She was walking home to her flat after work at 7.30pm a couple of nights ago when someone on a motobike sped up and suddenly tugged at her handbag slung over her shoulder. It didn’t come off easily and she lost her balance, fell to the ground and was dragged on the rough tar road for a bit (ouch!).
She won’t be able to walk for a week (but thank God, no fractures or concussion).
This is not improving my perception of the crime rate – and it’s going to get worse with the economy sliding downhill next year.
Meanwhile, Paula Khoo, the singer-guitarist-emcee who was arrested at a Penang Abolish ISA vigil a few weeks ago, continues to face uncertainty.
She found out on 28 November when she reported back to the police that her police bail had been extended by two months. She has to return to the police station on 28 January, the third day of the Lunar New Year.
In another development, Jerit coordinator Kohila sent an email alert, describing the situation this afternoon in Penang:
… the bus carrying (Jerit cycling team) participants to the place they were going to stay was stopped and police demanded the names and IC number of the cyclists. The organisers demanded why they had to give the details; the police had no concrete reasons. So the organisers refused to give the details but only gave details of themselves. There was a half-hour standoff in the middle of the road near Balik Pulau. Practically the bus was (held up) in the middle of the road.
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Dear Anil, Thank you for highlighting the news about my bail extension. I am deeply traumatized and have yet to get a proper night’s sleep since Nov. 15th. My 25th wedding anniversary is coming up and also my birthday and in the light of this bail extension, I do not know how I can go through the next couple of weeks. I do not know what is real or unreal anymore. While the 23 in PJ had their bail canceled and the other 9 as well, I have to dwell in uncertainty, fear, and like what my dear friend Antares… Read more »
crime is just a perception, so says the minister and IGP. ask anyone and they or their friends are victims of snatch thieves. i have personally witnessed 4 such incidents and of which happened to my relative. she had a concussion and broken collar bone and was hospitalised. lucky, she came out well. the nurse told her to count her blessings coz she had known far worse injuries. ya, Ministers and IGP, its a perception coz it will never happen to you all coz you are well protected now. hope after your retirement, you all will never suffer the same… Read more »
Hi Anil, You have to be in the same neighborhood with Najib to be able to feel the same perception lah. At the meantime, the rest of us have to be vigilant and do whatever is necessary to take care of our families safety loh. We have to be on guard all the time these days, be alert of your surroundings or setup our own housing areas own security personals. The housing area in Bandar Utama these days are doing that now. Each area(eg. BU1, BU2, BU3 etc) residents setup a fund where we pay twice yearly and setup security… Read more »
While the PM has gone on another overseas trip with his family on our expense and the DPM is too is out of sight, the police is having a field day playing politics instead of looking after public safety. And they want us to fool ourselves that crime rate in the country is lower than Australia? How long are we going to tolerate this nonsense?
My brother was in ICU for a week when he was beaten up badly by “Mat Rempits” at SS2 2 weeks’ ago! At the same time, they had floored a couple on a motorbike passing by and robbed them. You hear similar stories all the time.
On a different issue, everyday, we would hear explosives coming from a mountain behind Tanjung Bunga. There is now an obvious unsightly wide patch on the side of the beautiful mountain (similar to the mountains in Ipoh as you pass by on the highway!).
Why detain people like Paula Khoo when you have such a big Mat Rempit problem? In KL, the Mat Rempit and road bullies are so common that people fear for their lifes. Mat Rempits just get down of the bikes and bash all your windscreens with their helmet. Once, a guy bashed and shattered ALL my windscreens and lights in front of me. I was injured badly too as half my face was bleeding because of the driver’s side windows was smashed with such force that all the glass flew and cut my face. When I reported the matter, the… Read more »
huh……sad
http://hikayatmamakbendahara.blogspot.com/
Regarding Paula Khoo’s extension of bail, I really don’t think we can accept this harassment by the police lying down. This country is now entering into a true definition of a police state, and it’s time we take countermeasures in the form of mass demonstrations, publicizing her case internationally, and getting Pakatan to speak up everyday until the harassment stops.
Don’t sing. Next time, bring the beat box out and put on Mel Brook’s To be or not to be (The Hitler rap).
We now know that Mahathir appoints only … to head the PDRM – look at Rahim Noor & Musa Hassan. Why? These Executive … can then do his dirty work & intimidate his detractors. Why didn’t Badawi replace Musa Hassan when he came in? Obviously, Musa controls the SB and they have dossiers on ALL the politicians – not only Opposition leaders but the BN chaps as well. In other words, the PDRM calls the shots in many instances … In effect, why are we surprised that crime rules in Malaysia? So do VVVVVVIP criminals! 🙂 As for Paula’s bail… Read more »
With a new state administration voted in, it is perhaps no surprise the good people of Penang are under constant siege, harass by sinister forces. Believe me,’they’ will try all sorts to make life difficult – inflame sentiments, stir up communial issues or worse – but all Penangnite’s need to be vigilant, exercise discretion and have the patience of a Saint to overcome these irritants and their childish games. Sad to hear about the unfortunate encounter but all things considered, your friend got off lightly when many others paid more dearly. High time for a more concerted push to place… Read more »
Those mata-mata think they get their pay rise to do UMNO’s … job, not it’s the rakyat’s tax money, our money damnit!
(Are) the police too busy doing BN-UMNO’s dirty work to pay attention to “petty crimes”?
The solution, according to the annointed PM-in-waiting, is that we all need to change our perception of crime. Just feel safe, you will be alright…..