Highway Trash !!

How safe are our highways ? That's the question I want to pose today. And who is duty-bound to ensure that the highways, lay-bys are properly lit, manned by police (NOT "foreigners" dressed in security uniforms please !) and are fully operated by CCTV at strategic points at ALL rest areas ?? Of course we the tax-paying "morons"( to coin a fellow blogger !) have diligently tolerated the numerous toll hikes which our good 'Minister of Toll' YAB Dato Seri S. Samy Vellu, had soooooo always justified on behalf of the toll concessionaries...(wonder why he's ever ready to 'justify' those blood sucking companies, rather then looking out for the welfare of the honest voting and tax-paying citizens... perhaps he has vested interest or it is not election time yet ???.... just thinking out loud !) With all that money collected from the rakyat, should not the toll concessionaries be liable in securing the ride of users safe ? Maybe the toll concessionaries are harbouring these "highway fiends " within their fenced property and are in cahoots with this bandits ? Or why not the government... hey ! you (the government ) do get a cut (percentage) from the money I pay at the toll-booths ...... right, so...?? Questions after questions cramp my head but with no obvious answer....sigh....

Below is a long list of "happenings" on our 'never' safe highways dating back from 1991...( the list is even longer, but for now 'happy reading' the highway blues !)

MOTORISTS using the highways and expressways have become easy targets for
criminals. In recent years, there have been many reports of robberies,
kidnappings, assaults and even murders, especially at deserted rest areas.
Since 1991, numerous cases have been highlighted in The Malay Mail andNew
Straits Times . One of the most recent cases is the killing of a
Customs officer who was travelling with his family along the North-South
Expressway. He was killed when the family stopped for a break at the
Ladang Bikam lay-by near Bidor in Perak on May 26. Many travellers, aware
of such dangers on the highways, are not taking any chances. They have a
good sleep the previous night, make sure their cars are roadworthy, fill-up the
fuel tank to the brim and off they go on a non-stop drive so as to avoid having
to stop at the rest areas (especially the lay-bys). But will a non-stop
journey reduce the risk of being robbed? Authorities, especially the
police and highway operators, have been urged to provide adequate safety
measures, such as police beat bases along the expressways and regular patrolling
(which can also deter speedfiends). Many motorists feel that once they
collect their tickets at the toll plazas and enter a fenced-up property of the
highway concessionaire, theoperators should be responsible for their
security. Except for one or two ruthless criminal gangs, who do not just
operate along the highways, there seem to be many criminals - either
individually or working in a group - who use the highways as their turf. And why
not? There are no police stations along the highways other than the
beatbases at the toll plazas and the small towns along the highways. Some
motorists using the highways, especially the North-South Expressway, carry lots
of cash and valuables, and drive expensive cars. The criminals adopt
various modus operandi, such as: (*) waiting at rest areas, picking the
victim(s) and tailing them when they resume their journeys. * driving
alongside them and flashing a fake Police/Road
TransportDepartment/Customs/Anti-smuggling unit or any other authority card so theywill pull over. (* wearing fake uniforms). The crooks carry guns and
handcuffs to appear even more authentic. The highway lay-bys, where there
are not many shops and people, are convenient hold-up areas for these
criminals.Like a spider after spinning its web, crooks needed only to wait
for a tired motorist to drive up for a break before making their move.
Sunset will make the job easier, although some times the crimes take place in
broad daylight. Better security needed, say motorists, several motorists
interviewed by the Sunday Mail have expressed their concern over the lack of
police patrol and the absence of police beatbases along highways. Many
agreed that the creation of police beat bases at various parts of the highways,
including rest areas and lay-bys, would help reduce or curb criminal
activities. Lai Yee Keong, a 30-year-old executive from Kuala Lumpur, used
to stop two or three times whenever he drives back to his hometown in Alor
Star,Kedah. His first stop would be somewhere close to Ipoh, where he
would either use the toilet or his wife and two small daughters would buy food
and drinks at the rest areas. The next toilet stop would be somewhere after
Juru, Seberang Prai. "However, now, my wife and I carry food in the car.
We will only stop at the toll plazas if we have to go to the toilet. I don't mind
paying toll and then, making U-turns to collect tickets and enter the highway
again." Nik Razman Zaini, who works in Johor Baru, frequently uses the
North-South Expressway to go back to his hometown in Pasir Mas, Kelantan.
The 27-year-old factory worker will exit at Kuala Kangsar, Perak, to get to the
East-West Highway from Grik. "I prefer the West Coast roads as I will stop
by my uncle's house in Ipoh, Perak. The East Coast roads are not proper highways
and fatal accidents are frequent. "Still, from Johor Baru, I have to make
one or two stops along the way before reaching Ipoh. It is a long journey.
"In my car, there is a one-metre-long thick rotan, a pepper spray, a list of
telephone numbers of the highway company, police, relatives,friends and
tow-truck operators." V. Ramachandran, a hotelier from Port Dickson,
wishes he can carry a gun. Since that is unlikely to happen, the
38-year-old father of three is currently taking karate-do classes. "I have
been doing this for years. I give myself another two to three years to get a
black belt." Ramachandran, who frequently drives up North and East Coast
as part of the requirements of his job, can only depend on himself for
protection. "I really wish there are police beat bases along the highways.
If that is not possible, there should be regular police patrol. "This will
not only reduce crime but also ensure that everyone keep to the 110km speed
limit." Safety tips for motorists; CALL the highway company, call the police,
take down the robber's vehicle registration number (although it could be fake),
remember their physical description and try to use only the crowded rest and
service areas. And don't carry too much valuables or lots of cash.
Remember these basic tips when travelling along the highways. Yesterday,
Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (PLUS) issued a Press statement in response to the concern that there have been many robberies,assaults, kidnappings and even
murders on the highways, including the North-South Expressway. PLUS senior
manager of corporate communications Khalilah Mohd Talha said the company is
"working closely with the police on all aspects of safety along the
expressway". This include 24-hour patrolling along the mainline, rest
areas and lay-bys. "These efforts are also complemented by our PLUSRonda,
which have been appointed as the auxilliary police. Security guards are also
stationed at every rest area," she said. Khalilah advised motorists to do
the following: * Be aware of suspicious characters and immediately report
the matter toPLUSLINE at (03) 2692 0000 or to the police. This can be done
through PLUS's emergency telephones, located every 2km; * In the event of a
robbery, take note of the vehicle registration number and physical description of
the culprits. This will assist the police in their investigation; * Those
travelling alone should use the rest and service areas which are more popular
with motorists and are well-lit; * Avoid travelling with valuables or big
amounts of cash. The Sunday Mail could not get comments from other
highway concessionaires and the police despite several attempts. List of
reported cases. These are some of the crimes-along-highway cases highlighted in
The Malay Mail and the New Straits Times from 1991 to 2001:

1) NST - May 27, 2001: Customs officer Ibrahim Selamat, 42, travelling on the North-South Expressway with his family was shot dead at point-blank range when he stopped for a break at the Ladang Bikam lay-by near Bidor at about 5.30am. The gunman also took RM1,000 and some jewellery fromIbrahim's wife. 2) MM - April 20, 2001: A four-member family from Switzerland on vacation was waylaid by three men at the Karak Highway after they lost their way. They asked three men in a car at a traffic light for directions to the Karak Highway. The family was led to Bandar Baru Sentul, KualaLumpur, where they were robbed of RM2,900. 3) MM - April 14, 2001: A 32-year-old man was stabbed when two men, one armed with a pistol and the other, a knife, robbed him and his brother at the Rawang NSE Rest and Recreation area at 4.30am. 4) NST - April 12, 2001: Two robbers, one armed with a gun and the other a knife, robbed a family of three before escaping with more than RM50,000 in cash and valuables at the Rawang NSE Rest and Recreation area. The family - a woman and her two sons - pulled into the area about 4.30am were travelling to Ipoh. They also lost their Proton Wira to the robbers. 5) MM - March 6, 2001: A man lost his car to another man he stopped to help at Km257 of the NSE at Kuala Kangsar, Perak. The 46-year-old man, his family and a friend were heading for Penang at 11.30am when a car in front of them, using a false Singapore registration plate, skidded and crashed into the road divider. The robber drove off in the man's blue Proton Iswara with his
47-year-old wife, two teenage daughters and the friend in it. The robber let
his victims out before driving off. 6) NST - Feb 20, 2001: A 61-year-old
Singaporean man was robbed of his car, cash and valuables amounting to about
RM136,000 when five people in two cars intercepted his car along the NSE in
Malacca. 7) NST - Feb 2, 2001: Four men posing as policemen forced a
39-year-old hotel executive to stop his car along the NSE in Alor Gajah, Malacca,
and robbed him of his car, cash and other valuables worth about RM100,000.
8) MM - Dec 21, 2000: A group of men armed with M-16 assault rifles blocked an
armoured van carrying RM5 million collected from a resort inGenting Highlands.
They pumped the van with bullets, which was on its way to the Maybank headquarters in Jalan Tun Perak, Kuala Lumpur, between 1pm and1.30pm. The van driver kept his cool and drove off, first to the hospital to send his injured colleague and then, to the bank. 9) MM - Sept 20, 2000: Former badminton star Razif Sidek lost his RM150,000 car after two men robbed his driver of his Honda Accord. The robbers drove the car off with the driver's nine-year-old daughter.Believed to be impersonating Road Transport Department officers, they dropped the girl off some 300 metres from the scene of the crime near theSeri Petaling interchange along the Kesas Highway. 10) MM - Aug 19, 1999: A couple driving along the Damansara-PuchongHighway (LDP) was robbed of RM40,000 after a man in a Proton Perdana,posing as a policeman, told them to stop using a loud-hailer. The robber was accompanied by three other passengers, armed with a gun and wearing vests with a police badge on the chest. 11) NST - July 20, 1999: A 36-year-old contractor lost RM30,000 to agroup of men posing as policemen when he was heading towards Kuala Pilah in Negri Sembilan. It was believed that he was flagged down by a man wearing a police uniform and standing beside a Toyota Camry car at theKesas Highway. 12) NST - June 22, 1999: Four men, one
armed with a pistol, robbed a petrol station supervisor of RM500 along the
LDP. 13) MM - June 16, 1999: A contractor lost RM70,000 to a gang specialising in puncturing the car tyres of their potential victims. The victim was on his way to Seremban when his car tyre went flat along the LDP. 14) NST - June 13, 1999: Police said five Mercedes Benz worth about RM2million were stolen in Klang and Seremban in early June. 15) NST - June 9, 1999: Members of the infamous Mamak Gang robbed acompany managing director of his Mercedes Benz on the Seremban-PedasExpressway in Rembau, Negri Sembilan. The victim said he was flagged downby a group of men travelling in a white Proton Wira. 16) NST - Nov 25, 1998: A 29-year-old marketing eecutive lost RM700 along the NSE near Bukit Tambun, Seberang Perai South, while on his way from Johor to Pendang, Kedah. He had stopped his vehicle at about 6.30am when three men in a car indicated that one of his rear tyres had punctured. The men approached the victim to "help" and pulled out a knife. 17) MM - Aug 18, 1998: Two contractors, whose car was intercepted by another car while on their way to Sepang on the Kesas Highway, lost RM32,000. 18) NST - May 31, 1997: Two men with parangs robbed a 64-year-old man ofa gold bracelet and a watch worth RM6,500 on the Ipoh-Lumut Highway. They had confronted him earlier as he was opening the gate to his house inTaman Silibin, Ipoh, in the middle of the night. 19) NST - Dec 20, 1996: A businessman was robbed of RM25,000 by threemen, one of whom was armed with a gun, at the Pasir Gudang highway. 20) MM - Aug 9, 1996: A contractor was robbed of RM25,000 when the cash kept in his car was stolen. It was believed that the money was taken from his car when he stopped at the rest area along the NSE near Nilai. 21) NST - June 9, 1996: Four men, one armed with a knife, escaped with seven envelopes containing cash after robbing a van driver along the NSEin Seremban, Negri Sembilan. 22) MM - Sept 13, 1995: Two men, on two motorcycles, robbed a housewif of her jewellery worth about RM1,500 while she was waiting inside a car along the LDP. 23) MM - May 5, 1995: A teacher was robbed of RM8,000, some jewelleryand his car after a road "accident" which took place at about 6.30am on May 3 near the Karak-Kuala Lumpur highway toll plaza. On his way to the workshop, he was robbed by one of the passengers in the car which hit his car from behind. 24) NST - March 27, 1993: Two gunmen hijacked a Haadyai-bound expressbus and took its 40 passengers for a 180km terror ride along the Pagoh to Kajang stretch of the NSE. The gunmen robbed the passengers, most of them Singaporeans, of RM150,000. 25) NST - July 14, 1992: Negri Sembilan police scored their biggest success against highway lorry hijackers with the arrest of eight men in Kajang. In one of the cases, according to police, the robbers who went about in a van, had hijacked a trailer lorry, carrying goods worth RM55,000, near the Senawang toll plaza along the Seremban-Air Keroh Highway. 26) NST - Aug 1, 1991: Three men, one armed with a pistol, staged a highway robbery near Shah Alam and fled with more than RM500,000 worth of jewellery. A goldsmith shop manager, who was driving the car, with three salesmen was forced to pull over at the Federal Highway. 27) NST - Jan 18, 1991: A get-rich quick scheme organiser reported that he was robbed of about RM300,000 in jewellery and RM50,000 in cash by four people who claimed to be policeman at the Ipoh-Changkat Jering Highway.

(Courtesy of the Malay Mail and New Straits Times archives)