It took me some time to be able to objectively look at this event. For many, it would seem like I've "unconsciously" asked for it by walking in an unpopulated alley wearing my jewellery the way I do, and at some point, I may have actually believed that. But not any more. To think that way is to condone this kind of behaviour, which no society should. Before all this analysis, I should probably share with you one of my first nightmares of living in KL.
I had just crossed my one-year mark on the 1-Jun. I can't say I had made the most of my year living in KL, but I did quite well with my travels. All in all, it had been a good year. No major events or injuries (okay, apart from the one where I slipped and popped some elbow skin in my own apartment). So, of course, with all that positive experience, no one would think such a thing would happen. That is exactly where I went wrong.
Having a difficult time waking up, we finally left the house and was slowly making our way to my friend's place near HSBC in Bukit Bintang (this is the centre of Downtown, so to speak, so usually a very populated area). Actually, I've done this walk alone quite a few times when I had to meet up with this friend, so I didn't expect this time to be any different. Okay, maybe I let my guard down a bit more as I had a companion, but the minimal defence mechanisms were still there. But anyway, back to the story. Just as we made a right turn into the tiny street behind HSBC, walking on the right side (which would have been the "inside" or "away from traffic") became the "outside" when we moved towards the left to avoid a motorbike that was coming up from behind us. Yes, we both turned around, saw the vehicle, shifted to the side, and continued walking.
What I didn't realise was the sound of the motorbike gearing down behind us. All of a sudden, I felt someone take a grab at my collar, and out of reflex, I flapped my right arm quite quickly as if to fend of flies or something. Then, it occurred to me as I saw the motorbike scoot by that the passenger was actually trying to take my necklace. Whether he saw it or not prior to the attack, I can't be certain, but I know he was angry that it was a failed attempt. As they rode off- I could still remember- the passenger carried a face as if I owed him a million dollars. The whole event was only a mere 5 seconds, but somehow still so fresh in my mind. It's moments like these that I wish I didn't have a photographic memory.
Maybe I shouldn't be so surprised that this happened. I mean, I've heard so many of these stories. It was probably one of the first things I heard about KL this time last year. Motorbike robberies. Some stories involved people being dragged for many streets because they were wearing a crossed-body bag. Some fell during the whole tugging and burnt parts of their body on the exhaust pipe. It just felt like a defenceless situation in KL. Maybe that's why when people get a chance to retaliate, the effects can be devastating. A pair of motorbike robbers were trying to rob a man, where on top of being a complete epic fail, the passenger was pulled off the bike and beaten to death. The murderer was then imprisoned for manslaughter.
When I think about it, I can't blame the guy. I mean, this sort of thing shouldn't be happening in the first place. Okay, beating the robber to death was not the best course of action, but beating him to a pulp- breaths before death- would be a good lesson for them to learn. Analysing the whole situation with my knowledge of criminal behaviour, it's a result of many factors. But first and foremost, it's the societal acceptance of such behaviour. It's the lack of proactive prevention and punishment for such actions that breeds this. As citizens, there is no sense of safety here. It's not only telling people to be careful because that's how things are in KL, there should be more preventative measures taken. To think we were only a block away from a police centre. You can tell these criminals have a complete disregard for the law and order. Or possibly, they haven't felt the need to care much for them because they're inconsistently upheld.
So many ways to "fix" this issue, but truthfully speaking, I don't feel it's my duty to help Malaysia raise their living standards. If no one cares enough to see things through, why should I? I'm only a visitor, and I don't look to stay here for long. As I don't see the potential for improvement during my time here, I've thought up a more efficient self-protection plan: asking for tasers or pepper sprays for my birthday. Or maybe even a whip- this one should be more fun to practice on motorbikers riding by. Moving targets are more of a challenge anyway. Just kidding! You won't be hearing the news about a Canadian-Taiwanese girl whipping random motorbikers in KL. If you do, it's not me.
To put hope in others, you might as well take action yourself.
- Be careful with your belongings while you walk beside traffic, or avoid it altogether by walking on sidewalks if possible
- Walk against the traffic if possible so you have a clear view of what may come
- Avoid walking through dark/unpopulated alleys by taking larger streets (mind you, even though this incident happened in a small alley, it was 10am, so don't assume crime can only occur in the dark. Crime has no time limitations)
- Familiarise yourself with your surroundings as much as possible as often as possible
For the most part, it's about being ready for whatever happens. Honestly, I never thought such a thing would happen to me, so I never had a thought-out scenario. But now that it had, I'm more prepared to react (grab his hand, flip him down from the bike, and beat him to a pulp with my flipflops). But why wait until it happens to be "forced" into preparations? Learn from others' experiences for some things you definitely don't want a first-hand in.
Be smart. Be proactive. Be safe.