If you read the news and are on social media, you’ve probably noticed an alarming string of missing person cases in our country lately. One of the most high-profile cases recently was the disappearance of six-year-old Albertine Leo, who went missing at Iskandar Puteri, Johor, last month. Thankfully, she was found safe at a budget hotel in Batang Kali.
On August 15, as reported by CNA, the body of Malaysian singer Nidza Afham was found dead in a river, hours after he was reported missing. His death is still being investigated, although his sister claims that he was likely robbed as his debit card and cash were missing from his wallet. On August 18, NST reported that a woman’s decomposed body was found in a drain in Shah Alam. Her body was infested with maggots, and she was wearing only a shirt and underwear.
Meanwhile, on August 18, NST reported that a passenger jumped from an e-hailing vehicle as she feared she was being kidnapped after a driver changed his route. The passenger jumped out of the moving car, but there was a misunderstanding. Due to road maintenance work, the driver had to re-route from their original path and head towards Taman Perling to make a U-turn on Jalan Persisiran Perling. Additionally, the horrifying case of the doctor in India who was raped and murdered has been going viral worldwide.
With these cases in mind, it is better to be safe than sorry, and there are certain precautions you should take before heading out of your house. These are 10 tips to remember before you go anywhere, even to a familiar place.
Inform your loved ones of your whereabouts
Inform anyone, at least one person, of where you are going, what time you plan to head home, and who you’re with. If you have any changes in plans, also make sure to inform them. This can be your parents, partner, sibling, or friend.
Share your live location
Share your live location with your friends. You can use tools such as WhatsApp’s feature, Find My by Apple, or Live360 for Android users.
Image Credit: Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Invest in a self-defence kit
This is one, especially for the ladies but also for men: buy a self-defence kit that you can hang from your pants. This can be a pepper spray (you can usually find this at Watsons or Guardian), an alarm keychain, or even a car escape tool, which you can easily buy from shopping platforms. Or get both while you’re at it. Note that pepper sprays can only be used legally for self-defence.
Avoid going out alone
Try to avoid going out alone, especially at night. If you have to, try to video call someone the whole time.
Be aware of your surroundings
Contionously be aware of your surroundings especially around areas you're unfamiliar with. Don’t be complacent and play with your phone, especially when walking along a dimly lit street or in a car park. That text can wait!
Image Credit: 123RF
Enter your car with caution
Make sure to open your car door at the last second before you go in and lock your doors as soon as you enter the car. Do this as fast as you can before you start turning on the engine, arranging your bags, etc. Even before you get into your car, check your surroundings to make sure no one is hiding underneath or beside it to wait for you.
Keep your phone charged
Keep a charger in your car so you can contact someone in case of an emergency (don’t keep a power bank in your car because the high heat in our weather may cause an explosion).
Avoid isolated areas
Always go to a crowded, public, and safe area. Even if the police stop you at a quiet spot, drive on until you get to a crowded place.
Image Credit: The Star
Trust no one
Do not trust anyone, no matter how nice they seem. Be careful with strangers and even with people you know. People can be very unpredictable. This is especially true if you’re going to a bar or club. Make sure to guard your drink in case someone spikes it!
Be unpredictable
Do not use the same route daily, so people can’t predict your destination. If possible, avoid having the same daily routine of eating at the same spot, etc.
We’ll say it again: stay safe, folks!
Featured Image Credit: 123RF, Maxim Hopman on Unsplash, Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
