Johor sees influx of expatriates from SG buying Johor homes.

[ecureilx]

How about kidnapping in shopping centre car parks. Remember the woman who was kidnapped, raped and burnt to death? Heard about the high profile cargo thieves / robbers in a custom restricted zone. They forced warehouse guards and custom officers to drink chloroform-laced liquid before running off with truckloads of intel chips.

There are lots of horror stories in Malaysia, but those will be saved for another day. Enjoy the country but always be on your guard and don't be lulled by the false sense of security.

I had a relative who bought a brand new Rav 4, and within the day, it was stolen .. only later the guy admitted sheepishly that he left the keys in the ignition ..

And I know enough of people, who drive Plain Protons, and still ensure that they don't leave the car park coupon in the dashboard, and insist on clicking the Gear shift lock, even if they are going to step out for a while ..

And so do a few well to do people, who don't drive very expensive cars, even though they can afford to, but have expensive security systems in their house .. and live a normal life ..

And then again, a Singaporean friend stopped his car, left his phone in the table, Singapore style (or show off ?? ) and while talking he didn't realise a native walking up to the table, pick up the phone and before anybody reacted, with great coolness started his bike and rode off .. and off the looser goes calling Malaysia as a country full of thieves ..

So, yes, have common sense and basic security in mind .. and still I would insist that Malaysia is much safer in the region, probably next to Singapore ??

And I know a few Expats, Brits, who have taken up M2M and moved to Malaysia .. and are owning houses, driving cars .. and all .. and staying out of trouble .. or being the target ..

[nakatago]

An Arab proverb:

"Trust Allah but tie your horse."

[Brah]

As I've be contacted about a role in Malaysia, I've considered it albeit very briefly and not seriously, and some of these things being discussed here were among my considerations.

To have a conversation about Malaysia crime and safety, I think really needs to be place-, and within place, specific.

Just as a NYer there are parts of the deep south US I might not feel comfortable in, the major cities I would, in the right parts of those cities... I lived in Brooklyn for a year in an up-and-coming gentrified area, but a block or two away would not be safe at night.

So if this is strictly about JB, then there must be a general baseline, and good parts and bad parts, as well as common-sense times not be to anywhere.

Same for KL. Same for Penang. And then there's the rest of the country, which is pretty big and diverse, so there's a lot of range here.

I know less about Malaysia than probably everyone on this forum so am left to the ST propaganda and what I hear from others, but I'm not sold on the place nor have any interest to visit it.

[scarbowl]

All of that said I know a bunch of expats living not in Johor proper but in Nusajaya. Love it there - been there several years, never been burgled, and have made a mint by buying up a bunch of land there.

There is a handful of expats living there. Not big numbers. It's the news trying to make it all true. While Marlborough may have 300, about half of these are Singaporeans fleeing the national education system here and almost all of the rest are boarding from elsewhere.

Raffles American is more indicative of the number of expats moving to JB has under a dozen students.

Huge money is being invested there. But the articles we are seeing are paid for by the marketing offices and are not representative of the real dynamics. At least not yet.

[x9200]

How about kidnapping in shopping centre car parks. Remember the woman who was kidnapped, raped and burnt to death? Heard about the high profile cargo thieves / robbers in a custom restricted zone. They forced warehouse guards and custom officers to drink chloroform-laced liquid before running off with truckloads of intel chips.

But then again, things could have been worse if not for Mahathir. 20 years ago, some privileged people in Malaysia can take out a gun and shoot you dead, and not be persecuted. Ironically, it is especially bad in the Malaysian state nearest to Singapore.

There are lots of horror stories in Malaysia, but those will be saved for another day. Enjoy the country but always be on your guard and don't be lulled by the false sense of security.

Have you ever lived in any major "Western" country? Again, nobody says Malaysia is a crime free heaven. What it is said is there is nothing special in it when it comes to the crime. Rapes, kidnappings, assaults, name it happen daily in majority of the civilized Western world and to that extent they often don't make it to the news headlines.

[JR8]

I think many SGns live such a cosseted life that they are inadvertently victims of petty crime abroad. How often do you see a guy with a fat wallet in his back pocket, or even worse on a kopitiam table in front of him?

I remember not so long ago stopping a lady at a crossing on Orchard and telling her I could have stolen her purse (her LV purse in her wide open LV bag, on a $-decked out tai-tai). Result for this good samaritan? > she got p'd off with me lol

[the lynx]

I think many SGns live such a cosseted life that they are inadvertently victims of petty crime abroad. How often do you see a guy with a fat wallet in his back pocket, or even worse on a kopitiam table in front of him?

I remember not so long ago stopping a lady at a crossing on Orchard and telling her I could have stolen her purse (her LV purse in her wide open LV bag, on a $-decked out tai-tai). Result for this good samaritan? > she got p'd off with me lol

That's because you could have said something simpler, like, "Excuse me, but your handbag is wide open." Knowing the sense of humour of Singaporeans, your I-could-have-stolen-your-purse-with-your-handbag-wide-open-like-this line would offend her instead.

Did something similar quite a while ago:

Two Singaporean ladies.

Walking out of the 'safe' CIQ in JB towards the 'vicious' streets of Jalan Wong Ah Fook.

Too engrossed in chatting.

Not just one, but TWO handbags, wide open with their purses and passports sticking out.

Of course I did tell them about it. In fact, I had to lean very close to them and whispered audibly that their handbags are open and they should watch out. The ladies immediately zipped up.

[x9200]

This is not only Singaporeans. The safety of life here spoils and you forget that it is different overseas. My wife (European) has to remind constantly herself to keep her bag zipped when she is abroad.

[mpld1979]

Anyone looking to do car pooling from East Ledang into Singapore?

[JR8]

You might have better luck starting a new topic with an appropriate title.