Is Malaysia safe? Experiences and tips to prevent pickpocketing
I will talk about pickpocket prevention, based on my own and othersâ experiences.
As a Japanese living in Malaysia, I would like to convey to you that this article does not mean to say that there is a lot of pickpocketing and it is dangerous in Malaysia.
I have not been pickpocketed in Malaysia yet, but I have been getting more and more advice from my Malaysian friends recently.
So I decided to share experiences of mine and my friendâs as a reminder.
I have also summarized what to be careful of in different situations based on my experience of being pickpocketed when I was in Australia to study.
This article will be of help to those who love foreign countries or are thinking of moving abroad.
When do you get pickpocketed? 1. Restrooms
While I was at a language school in Australia, I was pickpocketed in the school restroom.
I was standing in line at the restroom with my slanted bag because I carried it everywhere trying to be careful with my valuables, and while I was washing my hands with my handkerchief in my hand and left the bag open, someone pulled out my purse for the bag. I didnât feel anything and kept washing my hands.
After leaving the restroom and trying to put away my handkerchief, I noticed my purse was gone.
I looked around the restroom again and again and found my purse was thrown away in the restroom.
All the bills were gone, but my credit cards and other items were still there.
When do you get pickpocketed? 2. Downtown
A Japanese friend of mine had his wallet removed from his slanted bag in downtown Malaysia.
A few weeks later, a kind person called him and gave him his driverâs license and other cards back.
When do you get pickpocketed? 3. Night Street
A Malaysian friend of mine who was grabbed by her bag was walking at night and had her bag slung over her shoulder and was snatched by a motorcycle coming from behind.
Fortunately, she was walking with her house key in her hand, so she was able to enter the house, but it happened in an instant without seeing the culprit. Fortunately, she had no injuries.
Bags to avoid pickpockets
The common denominator in these three experiences is the slanted bag. At first glance, a slanted bag seems safer because it is closer to the body, and I thought so too.
However, you may not notice it even if it is close to your body when you are concentrating on something.
Backpacks require a larger motion to open the bag than diagonal bags, making the offenderâs movements more visible.
With a strap in one arm, it can easily be separated from your body.
A backpack makes criminalâs movement more visible because they have to open your bag with a larger motion than they would with a slanted bag.
Of course, you can never be absolutely safe with a backpack, so you need to be creative in different situations, such as carrying it on the front side when you are on a crowded train.
Here is a summary of things to be careful of in each situation.
Pickpocket Prevention 1. Donât dress like a target
Pickpockets target people who look like they have money.
When I went on a trip to the Philippines, one of the people I went with was dressed like a celebrity in a dress, a wide hat with a spit, and a lot of accessories.
I understand that she was excited to be abroad and wanted to dress up, but I advised her that she would be targeted by pickpockets.
It is best to avoid dressing luxury when going to a crowded place.
Pickpocket Prevention 2. Donât carry too much cash
When I had a purse-snatching incident in Australia, I had about 150 dollars in my purse, which is about the same amount as I usually carry in Japan, since I had just arrived.
However, all the bills were removed from my purse. Since I was pickpocketed, I try not to carry cash as much as possible.
A Malaysian friend experienced robbery more than 10 years ago. Someone waited for him when he got out of his car at night in a parking lot near his house, suddenly threatened him with a knife, and demanded money from him.
He escaped after giving up all the money he had.
In Malaysia, cards are accepted even in small amounts, so I use cash only when going to a cash-only store. You may get your wallet or card back, but once cash leaves your hand, it rarely comes back.
Pickpocket Prevention 3. Take the sidewalks when walking at night
When walking at night, try to avoid narrow streets without sidewalks.
Motorcycles usually do not ride up on the sidewalks, so this kind of snatching can at least be prevented.
Pickpocket Prevention 4. Keep your phone and wallet in your pocket
The other night when I was taking the train home after dinner, my friend told me to put my wallet and cell phone in my pocket when walking instead of putting them in my bag.
If the worst happens and my bag gets snatched, I can manage to go home.
If you have to walk on a street without a sidewalk and your wallet or cell phone does not fit in your bag, hold your bag on the opposite side of the street from the sidewalk.
Pickpocket Prevention 5. Do not hang your bag inside the restroom door
When you close the door of a restroom, you can hang your bag inside, but I have heard stories of people having their bags snatched from above. If you can hang it somewhere else, hang it out of reach.
A Malaysian woman friend of mine almost got hit by a criminal who was waiting for her when she tried to enter the restroom, dropped her smartphone, and the criminal took it and ran away.
Luckily, it was inside an office building, so a male acquaintance from the company next door to my friendâs office subdued the criminal both the smartphone and my friend were safe, but it is a fact that such dangerous crimes can occur in places with blind spots, such as restrooms.
I would be happy if it is helpful for those who are planning to work or move abroad to Malaysia or other countries.
