living in fear

(i recently had a conversation on this topic and when i read a certain newspaper article, it got me soo worked up, i just had to blog about it)

apart from having unfinished business in oxford, another reason that im not particularly keen to return to malaysia, is the crime rate.

everyone in malaysia personally knows someone that has been robbed, or have themselves been robbed before. if you're malaysian and this doesnt apply to you, it means that either you are some sort of super rich person who has never had to run errands alone or has bodyguards, or you rarely ever leave home and have few friends. but then again, you would have something else to fear... break ins.

so when i read this, it got me quite upset. if you're too lazy to click the link and read the article, its about an armed robber being spared the cane.

the guy is 20 years old, so its no defense to say that he didnt know any better. if he didnt know any better, he must be extremely retarded and violent. which means he needs to be locked up in a facility.

sure, he was given community service as a punishment. but why cant he still be caned??? it would act as a deterrent to others at least. seriously man, community service??? its barely even a punishment! some people even do it as volunteer work!

"He is embarrassed over the whole thing after being teased by his friends and I believe he has learned his lessons. It is a blessing in disguise for him," said Abd Wahab, who came to court with Syafiq mother Rosnah Mahmud, 61, said.

embarrassed??? he ought to be! and "being teased by his friends"??? WTF (????????!!!!)
if any of my friends were found to be a robber, armed or otherwise, i would avoid them like the plague! not TEASE them. it only goes to show that the friends are of the same standard, probably thieves and robbers themselves!

yes, i obviously feel very strongly about the whole matter. come on, we are a nation living in fear! a nation where it becomes common sense not to leave your car or stop your car if someone bangs into your car at night.

here, i can walk the streets at night and feel absolutely safe. back home, to do so would be suicide... or worse. here, when someone asks for directions, they are genuinely lost. back home, its always either a wanker or a robber. f*ck this shit.

now i feel even less like returning. fear is not a feeling i enjoy.