Terror bus ride for student

Free Malaysia Today, January 20, 2014

Ikhwan Zulkaflee

 

A short bus ride between the commuter terminal and home turned sour for a local hair dressing saloon student when he was robbed by two men.

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The incident happened on Jan 9, around 8pm, when J D Yeo, 18, boarded a mini bus at the Kajang Commuter Station and was on the way home in Taman Reko Jaya, a 1 km ride.

A police report regarding the incident was made but to date there has been no feedback from the authorities, instigating Yeo to seek help from the Gerakan public service and complaints bureau chief Wilson Lau Hoi Keong.

Yeo did not suspect anything when boarding the bus packed with almost 20 passengers.

“When I entered the bus, two men followed and told the passengers that ‘all non-Muslims, give (us) all your belongings’.

“Expecting danger, I tried to exit the bus but they blocked me and pushed me to the back. One man, who was armed with a butcher’s knife pointed it at my chest while the other kicked my private parts before taking all my belongings,” Yeo said in a press conference at the Gerakan office today.

“It happened very fast, in 5 minutes they managed to take all my belongings. An Indian lady was also robbed of all her belongings.

“Luckily, a passenger took pity on me and guided me to lodge a police report,” he added.

Yeo said that he suspected the bus driver might be in cahoots with the robbers as the driver has declined to cooperate.

“The incident inItialy took place at the front of the bus, near the driver.

“When I tried to get the driver’s details, he refused to give it to me and said that he saw nothing,” said Yeo, adding that the robbers even thanked the bus driver when they got off.

Yeo claims the incident has left him traumatized and he now avoids using the bus when he needs to go for his classes.

“I just walk all the way to the commuter station,” he said.

He also fears for his safety as the robbers have his address and house-keys.

“Lately, I have noticed that a motorcycle is always patrolling my neighborhood and one person on the bike resembles one of the suspects,” added Yeo.

The Gerakan public service and complaints bureau chief Wilson Lau Hoi Keong said that he will write to the bus company today demanding an answer as to whether a police report has been lodged by them.

“So far, the bus driver himself did not lodge a police report.

“The driver should report the incident to the company, and the company should have lodged a police report as it is a public security threat.

“If not, the incident will be repeated and made easy for such robbers to prey on their next victim,” Wilson said.

Wilson added that he will liaise with the investigating police officer handling the case.

Yeo lost close to RM2,000 including his smart phone, wallet and his hair clippers set used for hair dressing course.