Holiday time...

I will be a part of the "balik kampung" exodus this weekend. We still have not decided what day we should leave for Bukit Mertajam. I wonder what the journey will be like this year! Last year if I rememember correctly we took only an extra hour to reach our destination and it was the same coming back. Hopefully we will have equally good luck this year. (Normally we take 3 hours)

The thing about leaving for this exodus that we dread every year is leaving the house. It is a known fact that "perompak" are more active during the festive season. It is always worrying to leave your house alone. But then again, they can attack anytime if they want right. At a moment where times are bad and the going is tough, people get more desperate. If you read the crime stories, it all boils down to that ... a slower economy and desperation.

Just the other day, in broad daylight at the Petronas station, a car was hijacked. The owner was left screaming at the station. And a few nights ago, while my friend was out at her in-laws place for buka puasa, her house was broken into and all her personals stolen. What a way to be violated. A few months ago, a BFF of mine had her car stolen. The thiefs drove it out of her driveway, and they closed the gate after too. Nice of them eh? My sis-in-laws dad runs a petrol station and he has had two robberies in a month. My cousin has had her handphone snatched from her ears (she was talking on the phone and walking when a guy on a bike snatched it) and her notebook taken from her car. A few Hari Raya's ago, my other sis-in-law came back from BM and found her house broken into. Every valuable was gone. But they left the television I think. Ah well, the list can go on as I am sure you know. Oh ya! And just yesterday a friend from Berita Harian had an escapade with a snatch theif.

Tawakal saje lah kan. That's what everyone will say. In the meantime we can only do our best to make sure its secure. Inform the police, rig the alarm systems up. Hire a guard. Get a caretaker.

How else can you prevent theft? It is part of any society. You have cases like this everywhere. Is there something that can be done to prevent stealing, robbery and theft? If there is, who should be given this wonderful task. Why do cars get stolen? The thief wants money. Why do handbags get snatched? They want money. Why do houses get robbed? They want money.

Which means thiefs don't have enough money correct and they obviously don't have jobs because they resort to theft. This is something the Government or whoever should be responsible for the people's welfare to look into seriously. I hope it will not be a "Kita akan kaji" scenario but some concrete efforts taken. When there is theft, there is a problem. What and where is the root of the problem is what needs to be studied indepth and with a fine tooth comb. I hope others see it that way too.

Then again, since even the "tong gas" price has increased by RM2, what choice does a desperate person have correct?