PETALING JAYA - Better be paranoid than sorry - that seems to be the motto of many women drivers following reports of crimes at car parks.
Writer Josephine Lau, 29, said that it is important for women to be aware of their surroundings.
"While some say that you can't do much if you are already marked, I really believe that there is something everyone can do to prevent themselves from becoming victims," Lau added.
She said the self-defence class she had just attended "drilled" into her the need to be "paranoid" at all times.
"Some of the tips are simple things we take for granted - like not talking on your phone when you cross the street," she said.
Lau said she always checks her car mirrors when she drives, avoids going out too late at night and steers clear of dimly-lit parking lots.
Her concerned boyfriend had also recently bought her a bamb*oo stick to put in her car and a can of mace to carry around.
Cecilia Ong, in her late 40s, said she felt that car parks in shopping malls were not safe because there was no way of telling who's lurking around.
"I avoid going out unnecessarily these days," said Ong, adding that she parks at open car parks whenever possible.
"I think women should try to only go to places where they are confident of the security of the car park," said Ong.
MCA Public Services and Comp*laints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said he received a lot of complaints about theft after women leave their cars to go for sporting activities.
"Women should be careful because most of the culprits tend to observe women as they are easy targets," said Chong.
He criticised car park operators who did not install CCTVs.
"They need to ask themselves why these people only choose certain places to commit crime?
He also slammed car park operators who took security lightly.
"Why do they only comply with the (minimum) permissible level of lighting when they could increase lighting in the area and employ guards?" Chong said.
Several malls found to have beefed up security
Many shopping malls have taken measures to review and tighten security following the recent spate of crimes at their car parks.
Bukit Bintang and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Tourism Asso*ciation chairman Joyce Yap learnt this after checking with the managements of over 10 shopping malls in the Klang Valley.
"Besides increasing the number of security guards, most mall operators have directed their guards to make more frequent patrols at their car parks," she said.
"Some also provide service to accompany shoppers to their cars," she told The Star.
Yap said all shopping malls must have well-lit car parks with CCTVs installed and monitored.
Chico Force (M) Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Juniur Khoo, whose firm manages secu*- rity at several major malls, stressed the importance of installing high-quality CCTVs, especially at exit points.
"The CCTVs should be able to clearly capture the faces of the dri*ver and passengers at all exit points.
"Security guards must check if they find anything untoward or suspicious. Cars with tinted glasses must be checked.
"It might inconvenience the public a little, but it is safety that we are more concerned with."
List of crimes in M'sia shopping malls over the past 5 years
2005
Feb 17: The body of 32-year-old May Goh Lee Fang who was sexually assaulted and stabbed was found in a pool of blood behind an office boutique in a shopping complex in Mutiara Damansara.
Sept 24: Law student Azzem Izzat Ahmaduniawi Rahimin, 18 went missing for five days after asking his girlfriend to wait while he went to withdraw money at the ATM at a shopping complex in Sungai Petani. He then reappeared in front of his grandfather's house in Kajang. He could not remember his whereabouts during the time of his disappearance. His case was believed to be linked to a satanic cult in Sungai Petani.
2006
June 13: A 24-year-old air stewardess, then a mother of a six-month old baby, was abducted at knifepoint at about 8pm from the carpark of a popular shopping centre in Petaling Jaya. She was robbed and raped twice by a man in his 30s. The man, who wore a basketball cap, raped her in the carpark and later again at a secluded spot, after which he left her and walked away.
2008
Jan 27: A girl, five, was almost abducted by two men on a motorcycle in front of a shopping centre in Klang. Fortunately, the attempt was foiled by a former policeman, who was with several friends at a restaurant near the mall.
2011
March 17: Fifty-year-old Yuen Mei Kien was held captive for 48 hours, brutally beaten and robbed, after she was abducted in the wee hours of the morning by two men from a shopping complex carpark in Bukit Indah, Johor Baru.
2012
June 4: A man with a parang confronted a sales girl as she walked towards her car at an outdoor parking lot near a shopping complex at about 10pm. The robber shoved her into the car and forced her to drive to an automated teller machine and withdraw money.
May 27: Internet marketeer Chin Xin-Ci, 25, was almost abducted by two men at a basement carpark of a shopping mall in Mutiara Damansara. She managed to escape. Less than 24 hours after Chin's incident, two women were robbed of RM80,000 at the same place.
Writer Josephine Lau, 29, said that it is important for women to be aware of their surroundings.
"While some say that you can't do much if you are already marked, I really believe that there is something everyone can do to prevent themselves from becoming victims," Lau added.
She said the self-defence class she had just attended "drilled" into her the need to be "paranoid" at all times.
"Some of the tips are simple things we take for granted - like not talking on your phone when you cross the street," she said.
Lau said she always checks her car mirrors when she drives, avoids going out too late at night and steers clear of dimly-lit parking lots.
Her concerned boyfriend had also recently bought her a bamb*oo stick to put in her car and a can of mace to carry around.
Cecilia Ong, in her late 40s, said she felt that car parks in shopping malls were not safe because there was no way of telling who's lurking around.
"I avoid going out unnecessarily these days," said Ong, adding that she parks at open car parks whenever possible.
"I think women should try to only go to places where they are confident of the security of the car park," said Ong.
MCA Public Services and Comp*laints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said he received a lot of complaints about theft after women leave their cars to go for sporting activities.
"Women should be careful because most of the culprits tend to observe women as they are easy targets," said Chong.
He criticised car park operators who did not install CCTVs.
"They need to ask themselves why these people only choose certain places to commit crime?
He also slammed car park operators who took security lightly.
"Why do they only comply with the (minimum) permissible level of lighting when they could increase lighting in the area and employ guards?" Chong said.
Several malls found to have beefed up security
Many shopping malls have taken measures to review and tighten security following the recent spate of crimes at their car parks.
Bukit Bintang and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Tourism Asso*ciation chairman Joyce Yap learnt this after checking with the managements of over 10 shopping malls in the Klang Valley.
"Besides increasing the number of security guards, most mall operators have directed their guards to make more frequent patrols at their car parks," she said.
"Some also provide service to accompany shoppers to their cars," she told The Star.
Yap said all shopping malls must have well-lit car parks with CCTVs installed and monitored.
Chico Force (M) Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Juniur Khoo, whose firm manages secu*- rity at several major malls, stressed the importance of installing high-quality CCTVs, especially at exit points.
"The CCTVs should be able to clearly capture the faces of the dri*ver and passengers at all exit points.
"Security guards must check if they find anything untoward or suspicious. Cars with tinted glasses must be checked.
"It might inconvenience the public a little, but it is safety that we are more concerned with."
List of crimes in M'sia shopping malls over the past 5 years
2005
Feb 17: The body of 32-year-old May Goh Lee Fang who was sexually assaulted and stabbed was found in a pool of blood behind an office boutique in a shopping complex in Mutiara Damansara.
Sept 24: Law student Azzem Izzat Ahmaduniawi Rahimin, 18 went missing for five days after asking his girlfriend to wait while he went to withdraw money at the ATM at a shopping complex in Sungai Petani. He then reappeared in front of his grandfather's house in Kajang. He could not remember his whereabouts during the time of his disappearance. His case was believed to be linked to a satanic cult in Sungai Petani.
2006
June 13: A 24-year-old air stewardess, then a mother of a six-month old baby, was abducted at knifepoint at about 8pm from the carpark of a popular shopping centre in Petaling Jaya. She was robbed and raped twice by a man in his 30s. The man, who wore a basketball cap, raped her in the carpark and later again at a secluded spot, after which he left her and walked away.
2008
Jan 27: A girl, five, was almost abducted by two men on a motorcycle in front of a shopping centre in Klang. Fortunately, the attempt was foiled by a former policeman, who was with several friends at a restaurant near the mall.
2011
March 17: Fifty-year-old Yuen Mei Kien was held captive for 48 hours, brutally beaten and robbed, after she was abducted in the wee hours of the morning by two men from a shopping complex carpark in Bukit Indah, Johor Baru.
2012
June 4: A man with a parang confronted a sales girl as she walked towards her car at an outdoor parking lot near a shopping complex at about 10pm. The robber shoved her into the car and forced her to drive to an automated teller machine and withdraw money.
May 27: Internet marketeer Chin Xin-Ci, 25, was almost abducted by two men at a basement carpark of a shopping mall in Mutiara Damansara. She managed to escape. Less than 24 hours after Chin's incident, two women were robbed of RM80,000 at the same place.
Maybe that's why I've never had any problem in JB or KL. Oh yes I remember my home was robbed in Spore but that was a long time ago.
