Of robbers and muggers...

Last week, I had a sense of dread knowing that I was due to fly back to KL. Apart from another bout of separation from Hubs, it is knowing that I'm coming back to a land of crimes and daylight mugging that worries me. I don't even need to read online Malaysian newspapers to know who's the latest victim and the where, when and how it happened. Thanks to social media, I get to know what's going on in streets of KL on Facebook. In fact a family friend even added me to a social group created by a concerned FB-er to raise citizen awareness about the rising crime rates and what Malaysians can do. Just one click of the mouse and all the happenings are posted here!

But jokes aside, it is extremely unsafe for single females in KL these days. Just couple of nights ago, a new friend that I just made got mugged at the traffic lights in Bangsar. Her car window was smashed and the perpetrator robbed her of her bag and personal belonging which was placed on the front passenger seat. When the news came to me at midnight, I was thinking "this is getting way too close for comfort"

I can't help but to reflect on what happened to me that same day but earlier in the evening, when I flew into KL. While waiting for my friend to come and pick me at LCC terminal for Air Asia flights, I casually rested my handbag on top of my cabin-sized luggage and was holding on to the push-up handle. I was just keeping a lookout for my friend's car when I felt the need to shift my attention to this 50s looking thin Indian man walking intently towards me. Instinctively I grab my handbag and continued looking at him. At the same time, as he walked past me, with a glare in his eyes, his right hand swinged out and flicked away his ciggie butt which flew past in front of me.

I can't imagine what would happen had I not grab my bag. Because the glare he gave, made me uncomfortable and of all places, why did he need to flick away his ciggie butt right in front of me. Just too many coincidences that feels downright uncomfortable.

So be really aware of your surroundings especially in the streets of KL these days!