Increasing Security Incidents in Malaysia's Capital

Crime & Safety Report

Executive Summary

In a three-week period, OSAC has received three reports of security incidents in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Two of these incidents were robberies; in one, the victim was drugged prior to the occurrence of theft. The third incident involved both physical and verbal harassment. This report details the three incidents, which demonstrate the trend of increasing crime in the area.

Robbery

On Monday, July 28, at approximately 2:30 p.m., a female employee of an OSAC constituent was forced into a vehicle by two unidentified males. The incident occurred in the car park of the Overseas United Gardens Plaza (Plaza OUG) in Kuala Lumpur. The victim sustained bruising throughout her body, resulting from her struggling with the two men. One of the men demanded her keys and took her vehicle out of the car park. The victim was driven to four different ATMs and forced to withdraw 5000 Ringgits ($1500), using her PIN number. The two males were apparently directed by a third male via two-way radio. In addition to the currency, some personal property was taken. The victim was later released after three hours, approximately an hour away from Kuala Lumpur in a town called Bendar Baru Bengi.  A suspect was arrested one week later, leading police to the victim’s car along with three other suspects.  The company believes this was a random attack.

In response, the constituent is planning to re-evaluate its current security posture with the aid of a private security consultant.  Safety and security awareness training will be provided to the company’s employees in Kuala Lumpur.

Drugging and Robbery

On Wednesday, August 6, an employee of an OSAC constituent went to a Western-owned hotel for a drink. After some time, a man came and sat down to employee's left but made no attempt at conversation. Later, a woman approached and sat to the right of the employee and engaged in friendly conversation. After a while, the employee began to feel tired and decided to return to the hotel room. The woman acted concerned and said she would accompany the employee to make sure everything was ok. On the way, she and the employee ate some chocolate. The last thing the employee remembers was entering the room and wanting to lie down. The employee was woken at midday the next day by a telephone call, and discovered he had been robbed. The constituent believes its employee was drugged either in the hotel or by the chocolate consumed. Upon viewing the camera footage of the hotel corridor the next day, the woman can be seen leaving the room, then returning with the man who had been sitting to the left of the employee in the hotel bar. They both re-entered the room using the employee's room key, and both subsequently left the room with the man seen carrying the employee's computer bag. The employee's passport, cash, credit cards, ID card, mobile phone, and MP3 player were also stolen. The incident was reported to the local police immediately.  The employee did not recover from the effects of the drugging until two days after the incident took place.

Harassment

On Saturday, August 16, two Chinese nationals employed by an OSAC constituent traveled to Singapore and took a one-day bus trip to Kuala Lumpur. During their trip, the employees visited Time Square and the Petronas Twin Towers. At 9 p.m., as they were taking pictures near the lake side of the Twin Towers, the individuals were confronted by five or six local teenagers. The teenagers blocked the employees from crossing the bridge and proceeded to surround them, yelling in a local language and kicking the employees as they tried to walk away. The victims managed to escape and the teenagers did not follow. No money was taken.

Conclusion

Constituents operating in Kuala Lumpur should be cognizant of the security challenges the city poses. As detailed in this report, constituents should be mindful of their surroundings at all times and be cautious when confronted by curious strangers. Additionally, individuals should limit the amount of cash and valuables that they carry. OSAC constituents are asked to report any security infractions they face, and can consult with RISC’s Regional Coordinator for East Asia/Pacific for additional information.