September 15, 2008
LOOK at the red areas on this map.
These are some of the so-called 'places of interest' that are located along Malaysia's North-South Highway.
Not to tourists or visitors, but 'highway pirates' who ply the highway to look for lone and unsuspecting motorists.
These rob-and-run pirates not only hold up cars, they also stop trucks and hijack their cargo.
The Malaysian police said that more than 200 cases of lorry hijacks were reported in the last few years and these caused the victims to lose more than RM80 million ($34 million) to the pirates.
The scourge of the highway pirates came into focus on 5 Sep when they reportedly harassed a convoy of Singapore-registered sports cars on their way to Genting Highlands.
In the end, the thugs, who drove a black Mercedes, allegedly attacked and robbed a Ferrari driver, who was a Malaysian, after he crashed just before the Sungei Besi exit near Kuala Lumpur.
In an exclusive interview with The New Paper on Sunday, Malaysia's Federal Criminal Investigation Department director, Datuk Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin warned drivers that they should not draw too much attention to themselves so that they can 'minimise opportunities' for the robbers.
Highways safe
He said: 'Our highways are still safe, but you need to take extra precautions.'
Commenting on the recent Ferrari robbery, he noted that the robbers might have observed the convoy or had 'inside information' about the entourage.
He was referring to instances of other robberies in the past which saw victims being robbed along Malaysian highways after they won money at the casino there.
Police believe that these robbers could have followed the victims from the casino.
Datuk Mohd Bakri said no suspects have been arrested in connection with the Ferrari robbery yet and investigations are still on-going.
He said: 'The truth is, Singapore drivers with normal cars seldom get robbed. You become a target only when you convey to the highway pirates that you are a prize catch.
'It's like they have struck a lottery when they see a flashy car. But unless you're carrying a lot of money or expensive cargo like security vans and lorries, you won't be robbed.'
Popular target
Highly valuable to thieves are consignments of semiconductor chips, disk drives, electronic goods and cigarettes.
Looking at the map, it appears that the whole of the North-South Highway is a playground for lorry hijackers.
A newspaper report in 2004 showed three favourite spots for lorry hijacks.
They are Penang (island) to the Penang Bridge, North-South Highway from Johor to Kuala Lumpur, and expressways in Kuala Lumpur.
An earlier news report in 2001 stated that most cargo robberies happened on expressways in Johor, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Negri Sembilan.
The lorries were most vulnerable near rest stops and toll plazas, where the slow-moving vehicles were easily intercepted by robbers impersonating enforcement officers.
In most scenarios, the hijackers were armed with parangs, crowbars or guns.
A 240km stretch of highway between Parit Buntar and Tanjung Malim in Perak was said to be a crime-prone area.
In the first two months of 2002, four car drivers were robbed.
In one case, three armed men robbed a businessman of RM503,000 ($250,000).
Next, at the Ladang Bikam rest area near Ipoh, robbers drove off with a Proton Perdana worth RM81,000 ($39,000).
In car stick-ups, the modus operandi used include cornering a lone car or staging an accident.
The robbers also impersonate authority-figures using false documents. Often, they flee in their victims' cars.
Based on the methods used, the CID director told drivers to 'be alert for the signs'.
Datuk Mohd Bakri said: 'Be suspicious of road blocks where two or three people stand in the middle of the highway with only one cone. You shouldn't stop.
'The police have procedures whenever they conduct road blocks. We have proper barriers, beacons and equipment to show we are the police.'
If you get involved in a suspicious accident, head to the nearest rest stop, toll plaza or police station, Datuk Mohd Bakri said.
Robbers will not dare to do anything foolish in the presence of a lot of people.
Datuk Mohd Bakri said cameras have been installed at rest stops and toll areas.
He added: 'Singaporeans using the highways should always know important contact numbers before they start their journey. But all you need to know is one - the police's. We're connected and will be able to direct help to you.'
Plus Expressways Berhad, the operators of the North-South Highway, noted that the recent Ferrari robbery had caused quite a stir because the robbers struck even though the group had travelled in a convoy.
Ms Khalilah Mohd Talha, spokesman for Plus, said: 'The highway robbery of the sports car is quite unusual.
'What's more common are lorries with sensitive and expensive cargo getting hijacked. So are theft and vandalism cases at highway rest stops.'
Since the notorious Mamak Gang had been crushed by the police, highway robberies have dropped, Datuk Mohd Bakri said.
The Mamak Gang, well-known for hijacking luxury cars and robbing people who had just withdrawn money from banks, were behind 150 robberies, police said in a January report this year.