Taken from today’s news, this unfortunate mum (probably a Malaysian working in Singapore) was in a car with the husband and a 3 year old son early in the morning in JB. The husband stopped the car at a petrol station to ease himself while both mum and the son were in the car.
Then, a man armed with a knife knocked on the car’s window demanding her to open the door. Like any mum, she feared for the son’s safety, complied with the man’s demand. With both in the car, the man drove the car and the next few hours were a tragic incident to the family. The mum was gang-raped and robbed.
It was just another normal day for the family. I do not think the family had done anything wrong or any negligence to invite that. It would happen to any family who was using the petrol station at that point in time. They were on the road at 4am which I think is not abnormal to avoid the jam on the causeway. The husband used the toilet in the petrol station, which is normal too, I did that all the time in KL. He left them in the car with the engine running – I would too if it’s too warm and he obviously locked all the doors. Other than not stopping at the petrol station at all, there’s basically nothing else they could do to avoid that. Maybe the mum should press hard on the honk until the man leaves but how many mums will not first think about her son’s safety?
I am starting to worry as our June’s KL visit is getting closer. I am worried that I may have forgotten the basic precaution measures or habits that I picked up when living in KL. Things like locking car’s door etc. Like the other day, I noticed that Mel was comfortably walking by the main road with her handbag loosely hanging on her right shoulder. In KL, that would have cost an arm or leg if the victim is lucky to be alive. I am also worried that having to be away from home for 2 years leaving me (or us) ignorant of the extent of crime back home. One would be caution which makes him less likely to be the target when he is aware of the crime incidents/news around him. Furthermore, having a baby with us or in the car makes us more vulnerable.
I will just pray that everything will be OK. Hope KL is not as bad and try to remind ourselves to be careful when we are there. Since the police can’t control the crime, this is the least I could do as I am not big or with a face like a Rottweiler.