SECURESAFE

Zulkifli Abd Khir a Malaysian on FBI's most wanted list

2011-05-07T13:31:00.000+08:00

Kuching
Saturday, 7th May 2011

Zulkifli Abd Khir, who fought alongside Osama in Afghanistan, is on the FBI's "most wanted terrorists" list for his role in a string of terror activities here, Indonesia and in the Philippines.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Osama bin Laden may have been removed from the FBI's "10 most wanted" list but among those still being sought is a Malaysian who has a US$5 million (RM15 million) reward on his head.

Zulkifli Abd Khir, who fought alongside Osama in Afghanistan, is on the FBI's "most wanted terrorists" list for his role in a string of terror activities here, Indonesia and in the Philippines.

He is the head of Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM) and a member of Jemaah Islamiyah's (JI) central command.

He was a protege of JI bomb expert Dr Azahari Hussin, a Malaysian who was killed by an Indonesian anti-terrorism unit on Nov 9, 2005.

Zulkifli, 45, is wanted for his role in leading KMM in the Southern Bank robbery in Petaling Jaya in May 2001, the murder of Lunas assemblyman Dr Joe Fernandez in early 2000 and the bombing of a Hindu temple in Pudu here.

A reward of RM50,000 was offered for his capture but he fled to Indonesia where he was believed to be involved in the Bali bombings in 2002, which claimed more than 200 lives.

In the Philippines, he got together with Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and attacked and bombed several American interests and military bases there.

He is also high on the Philippine police's wanted list after two police officers were killed in a clash while trying to approach his hideout near Manila in August 2006.

Zulkifli, from Muar, is said to be hiding in central Mindanao where he is holed up with the Abu Sayyaf and MILF.

The father of four, who is fluent in English, Tagalog and Arabic, is an engineering wizard with a penchant for explosives and studied in the United States on a government scholarship.

Upon completing his degree in 1989, he become a mujahideen fighter where his role was to defuse Soviet bombs and land mines.

Three years later, he returned home where he found a job as a district engineer with a local council. It was then he founded KMM.

Two other family members are serving prison sentences in the United States and in Indonesia for terrorist activities.

His brother, Rahmat Abd Khir, allegedly provided Zulkifli and JI with cash and radios for the Bali bombings. Rahmat, who is two years older than Zulkifli, studied computer engineering in the US before obtaining citizenship there.

He was tracked down by US federal officers and was arrested at his office in Sunnyvale, California in 2007.

The authorities also found ammunition, sniper scopes and military training manuals in his home.

Another relative, brother-in-law Taufik Abdul Halim, is languishing in an Indonesian jail for his role in the botched bombing of the Atrium shopping mall in Jakarta in 2002.

He placed a bomb in a cardboard Dunkin' Donuts box and was carrying it into the mall when it exploded prematurely. Taufik lost a leg while six others were arrested.

The attack was against a Christian group which had an office there.

Taufik, from Kampung Jeram Masjid in Muar, was also a KMM member.

Taufik entered Indonesia illegally in 2000 and went to Ambon, the provincial capital of the Moluccas, to join a three-year-old jihad against Christians there.

Several months later, he travelled to Jakarta, where he took part in church bombings.

BA worker Of Bangladesh Origin ‘conspired to blow up plane’

2011-02-07T15:42:00.000+08:00

Kuching
Friday, 4th February 2011

An Islamist extremist who worked as a British Airways computer expert conspired with a radical preacher to blow up a plane bound for the United States, a court was told on Tuesday.

Rajib Karim, 31, moved to Britain from Bangladesh in 2006 and was employed with the airline in Newcastle, joining a gym, playing football and never airing extreme views, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

But all the while, the prosecution claimed, he was communicating with a terrorist cell and radical cleric Anwar al Awlaki who is believed to be in Yemen.

“The defendant, as will become plain to you from the ideological and operational material recovered from his home after his arrest, is entirely committed to an extreme jihadist and religious cause,” Jonathan Laidlaw, prosecuting, told the court.

“He believes that terrorism, including the murder of civilians, is permissible to establish, as he views it, a true Islamic state.

“The defendant, as you will see from his own writings, was anxious himself to carry out such an attack and he was determined to seek martyrdom - to die and to sacrifice himself for his cause.”

In secret email exchanges, Karim, who had access to offices in Newcastle and London's Heathrow airport, shared details of his BA contacts, the Press Association reported.

The prosecution said he had received a degree of terrorist training and was highly skilled in conducting secret communications, including codes and encryption.

The defendant is accused of plotting to blow up a plane - no details of which were immediately available - sharing information of use to groups such as al Qaeda, offering to help financial or disruptive attacks on BA and gaining a job in Britain to “exploit terrorist purposes”.

He denies the charges. The jury was told that Karim pleaded guilty to three terrorism charges on Monday.

Google accuses Microsoft on search data

2011-02-03T02:09:00.005+08:00

Kuching
Thursday, 3rd February 2011

Google has accused arch-rival Microsoft of plagiarising its internet search results in an

attempt to narrow the big lead  that Google still holds in the highly profitable search business.
Matt Cutts, head of search quality at Google, called the Microsoft practice “crazy”, and
challenged the company to reveal  how much data it had collected from Google users and how
this was being used to determine results on its own Bing  search service.

The dispute broke out after Google released the results of a test it carried out to try to show
that Bing was copying its results.The software group did not deny the claims directly, but said
that Google’s allegations were based on “a few outlier examples”. It also claimed that using
data about what internet users did on Google to help refine its Bing service reflected general
practice on the web, where internet services learn from wider online behaviour.

It posted dummy results on the Google search engine in response to deliberately garbled
queries. When carried out  later on Bing, the queries returned the same dummy responses,
Mr Cutts said. Microsoft had captured the data about searches on Google through its Internet
Explorer 8 browser and toolbar, which send details of “clicks” back to Microsoft  when users
accept certain settings on the Microsoft software, he added. Harry Shrum, the executive in
charge of Microsoft’s search service, sought to brush off the accusations.

“It’s not like we actually copy anything. We are learning from the data that customers share

with us,” he said. “The reason the web works is [due to] that collective intelligence.”

Self-Performance Audit in January 2011

2011-02-01T09:51:00.020+08:00

Kuching
Tuesday, February 01, 2011

This is my report for January 2011 Self-Performance Audit

1. Custom Main Gate (New Custom Gate A)

Arrived at Custom main gate at about 2145hrs. The guard house's door was opened and from the door I could see one guard was on duty but without wearing security uniform.

2. Street Lights Along the Road From Custom main gate to Company's Main gate

Street lightings were all lighted ..

3. Company's Main Gate

Arrived at company's Main gate at about 2150hrs. The guard on duty was alert. The Company signage at the entrance was not lighted.

4. Harmony Walk and Its Sorrounding Area.

Harmony Walk and its sorrounding looked okay. The street lighting at Smoking Corner and Gate 2B were not function. Instructed on duty supervisor to report such to FMCS (Facility Monitoring and Control System)

5. Inside The Building (Administration Building, Ground Floor FAB and Second Floor FAB)

Cafeteria : First visit to the cafeteria at 2010hrs noticed that no fast foods were served. Two cooks were on duty and both of them were being seen not wearing proper attire, without cap ,apron and safety boots.

Second visit to the cafeteria was made at 2340hrs and noticed that the foods were sufficiently served with one meat and two vegetables.

Ground Floor FAB and Admin Building: Visit ground Floor FAB from 2300hrs to 2340hrs. And followings were the observations:

At south dock, a bottle of IPA was seen.

At Entrance to Sub-FAB, few spare parts were seen kept here

6. Leaving the Premises

Leaving the premises at about 0005hrs.

Please leave your comments if you like this posting or if you have any suggestions or comments.

Thanks

Self-Performance Audit December 2010

2010-12-30T08:22:00.003+08:00

Kuching
30th December 2010

This is my report for December 2010 Self-Performance Audit

1. Custom Main Gate (New Custom Gate A)

Arrived at Custom main gate at about 2200hrs. The guard house door was closed and from the window I could see one guard on duty.

2. Street Lights Along the Road From Custom main gate to Company's Main gate

Street lighting were all lighted except the one along the road at the second roundabout.

3. Company's Main Gate

Arrived at company's Main gate at about 2210hrs. The guard on duty was alert. But one of the beacon light (the one from the direction of the company). Had asked guard on duty to dismantle it and to change the batteries.

4. Harmony Walk and Its Sorrounding Area.

Harmony Walk and its sorrounding looked okay. The street lightings at Smoking Corner and Gate 2B all function.

5. Inside The Building (Administration Building, Ground Floor FAB and Second Floor FAB)

Cafeteria : First visit to the cafeteria at 2020hrs noticed that not many fast foods were served. An on duty cook also seen not wearing proper attire, without cap and apron.

Second visit to the cafeteria was made at 2340hrs and noticed that the foods were sufficiently served with one meat and two vegetables.

Ground Floor FAB and Admin Building: Visit ground Floor FAB from 2340hrs to 0005hrs. The sorrounding looked safe and no security violations being observed.

6. Leaving the Premises

Leaving the premises at about 0010hrs.

Please leave your comments if you like this posting or if you have any suggestions or comments.

Thanks

How syndicate gets you into "reselling" their fake USD

2010-12-29T13:30:00.000+08:00

Kuching
Wednesday, 29th December 2010

Today I would like to share with the readers of Securesafe how a lady was the subject of a well planned and obviously very well organised syndicate. She almost fell for it and fell for the baits along the way.

About four months ago, a lady whom I met through an international social network, started short correspondance with me. After about 2 weeks of short 2-3 liners, she asked me to buy some nyonya curry powder and paste for her; and said that she will send me the monies to cover the purchases and shipping them out in advance.

No problem, right? Ok, so I said.

About two days later, yes, my bank called me and told me about a wire received for RM1300. It only costs about RM350 for the stuffs I am required to buy and about RM 600 for the shipping. So I bought the stuffs and sent if off by parcel post with a balance of about RM300. She told me to keep the balance as my service charge

....Hmm, not bad but this is bait number One.

She then told me that she has businesses in Manila which have branches/reps in Malaysia dealing with commodities. She even asked me to source some commodities such as tea, coffee etc in bulk and if the purchase is successful, they will finance it and pay me generous commission.

So far so good. This is bait number two

Then all of a sudden she called me from London (yes, shows a London number indeed on my handphone) and asked me if I mind if she deposits US$680,000 into my account. She said her KL rep office has a big problem and she will be down in about 2-3 weeks but they cannot leave the money with him and they cannot take the money out for the time being. Its ok with me since they are the ones depositing into my account. I did get a bit suspicious but they are depositing into my account. Her uncle will call me the next day.

The next day, my bank called me and said that somebody is trying to deposit US$680,000 into my account. However the bank does not take foreign cash deposits directly. To play safe, I called my bank back and talked to the manager who told me that they will not accept US$ deposit (cash) but they will do so if the money is TT in, or it is in RM cash, but there are paper works involved. The amount is very big but its acceptable for my account as I have been doing "mid 5 figures" biz through them.

My London's friend uncle then immediately called my friend in London and asked me to keep the money with me until she comes down in about 2 weeks time - . . US$680,000 -- wow!

Her uncle told me that she (Londonfriend) is a multi millionaire in Euro $, described as VERY VERY RICH & GENEROUS. She will pay me RM50k just to help her out of this situation.

I do not know what over came me but instintively I said that I am currently in Malacca and will be back

on the next day(That's a lie - I was in KL) I would not like the idea of holding so much $ and then got robbed etc. . anyway, he said he will stay in KL and wait for me to take the $ the next day.

I contacted my friend at Special Branch (my father was in SB) and he advised me not to get involved as his

theory was that yes, they will pay you the 50k etc but it is probably they wanted a safe haven for COUNTERFEIT US$. His theory is that the fake US$ is being brokered around and once they find a buyer, "she" will come and take the money and pay me the 50k and every body's happy but me like a little sucker, did not know what even happened. Every thing went well, nothing happened. Something goes wrong, I get

caught with the fake money, they disappear into thin air only to re surface looking for their next victim in one of the global social network.

Anyway, I told them the next day that they can deposit the money with the hotel store as nobody will even know, and if they want I can arrange for a safe deposit box which they have to sign in to. I told them they can deposit into my account but I will not hold cash.

I think they know that I know, so they beat a noble and polite retreat. They even told me that they

will hand over the money to me at the British consulate. I did not hear from her again but she is still active I know. The numbers are still in use. Just be very careful. My SB friend told me not to report the matter as people like that have vast networks and if they get busted, they know who did it and repercussions will follow.

I have actually given him the numbers etc but they will wait for about a year before moving in as they are trying to trace the roots and not just the end fruit. (Sounds a bit like T Harv Eker !). It seems that this is now

quite a standard modus operandi for pushing fake currencies.

To all the readers of Securesafe out there, please share this information with all your relatives and friends so not to become the victim of this international syndicate...

Self-Performance Audit November 2010

2010-12-05T21:44:00.000+08:00

Kuching
Sunday, 5th December 2010

First of all I would like to say sorry to the security practitioner out there for not updating my Self-Performance Audit in Secusafe as soon as the audit was done. The reason being, for the past two weekends my schedule was quite tight and no time to update this blog.

For month of November 2010, I conducted my audit on 26th November 2010. I left my house at about 2245hrs and reached Custom New gate (gate A) at about 2300hrs. As expected, the guard house was looked dark inside with its door closed. The security guard was nowhere to be seen inside the guardhouse or within the vicinity of the area.

From custom New Gate, I drove straight to my target. At the guard house, one enforcer was on duty. Everything looked well except for the beacon light where the light was so weak. The security supervisor was informed immediately and the battery was changed instantly.

From the guardhouse, while driving to Harmony Walk it was observed that the street lightings along the boulevard and the car parks were functioned well and sufficient.

I reached and entered the building at about 2330hrs. From there I went straight to the cafeteria with the supervisor on duty. I saw few employees having supper in the cafeteria. The menu served was fast food al-carte. No complaints heard from employee but I saw the long bean served was not fresh...probably brought forward from dinner.

From the cafeteria I went to my office to check on my e-mails.

At about 2345hrs I went to make a round to ground floor FAB. My route - Warehouse-HPM Corridor-Sub-FAB entrance/Gowning-South Dock-Second Floor FAB-Cafeteria-Admin Second Floor-SCR

No major security issues were observed except for the main door Ware house-HPM corridor where the lock was not function.

Before leaving the company, at about 0245hrs I went back to the cafeteria. During this visit, I have two observations (1) The rubbish-bins were full and were not covered , and (2) While doing the serving, one of the waiter used the tooth-pick while doing the serving. He was reprimanded immediately.

After discussed with the supervisor, I left the premises/company at about 0300hrs.

Please see the photos that I took during the Audit below.

Where were the guards on duty?

First Visit to Cafeteria..

Second Round Visit to Cafeteria

While the waiters were seen sitting comfortably watching TV, the washing area look so dirty. The rubbish-bins were not lit.

Please leave your comments if you like the article.

Self-Performance Audit October 2010

2010-11-02T00:00:00.047+08:00

Kuching
Friday, 29th October 2010

Last month, my Performance Audit was done after I recieved a call from duty supervisor about the fire in the cafetaria.
This month, it was done according to the schedule-last weekend of the month.
After came back from family dinner, I went to the company to do my audit. Effective from tonight, the scope of my audit had been added to include the inspection of the company cafetaria. The inspection willl cover the safety and cleanliness aspects, based on the Cafetera Inspection Checklist.

I reached Custom New Gate A at about 2210hrs. I saw one guard sitting in the guard house with its door closed. The weather was drizzling.
I reached the Main gate at about 2220hrs.
From Custom New Gate A until to the round about infront of the Harmony Walk, the situation looked bright and safe as the street lightings were functioned and good.

The situation of the street lightings from the small round about to the round about infront of Harmony Walk.

The situation at the roundabout infront of Harmony Walk - Both of the spot lights were

in good working conedition.

I left the company (Main gate ) at about 0200hrs

Personal Security Tips - New Tactic On Car Theft

2010-10-20T10:41:00.005+08:00

Kuching
Wednesday, 20th October 2010

Just recieved this Security Tip from a colleague of mine , who had recieved it from a reliable source.

BEWARE!

APPLIES TO BOTH WOMEN AND MEN . PLEASE BEWARE OF PAPER ON THE BACK WINDOW OF YOUR VEHICLE-- NEW WAY TO DO CARJACKINGS (NOT A JOKE).

This is how your can get stolen right under your nose at the same time endanger your life.

1. You walk across the car park, unlock your car and get inside. You start the engine put it into Reverse.

2. When you look into the rearview mirror to back out of your space, you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So, you stop and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view.

3. When you reach the back of your car, that is when the carjackers appear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off.

4. They practically run you over as they speed off in your car. And guess what ? I bet your purse is still in the car. So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money, and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!

HOW TO AVOID FROM BECOMING ONE OF THE VICTIM ?

If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, lock your doors and just drive away. Remove the paper later.

Please Pass this Tips Around!

To those whom had visited SECURESAFE, please forward this important tips to your friends and family, especially to women.

A purse contains all kinds of personal information and identification documents, and you certainly do NOT want this to fall into the wrong hands.

If you like the posting, please leave your comment.

Self Performance Audit August 2010

2010-08-31T06:18:00.005+08:00

Kuching

Monday, 30th August 2010

This Monday is not a good day. In the afternoon at about 3.00PM received report from one of the engineer handle recycle materials that few pieces of metal material have been missing from the storage area.

After the on-scene investigation, the first task was to narrow down the date of the item being missing by printing the engineer activities in the store throughout the month of July-August 2010.

I left office at about 5.40PM as I need to response to my friend SOS whose car was stranded in one of the popular private school in town. I reached the school at about 6.15PM but was told that his car will be towed to the workshop by AAM and he will need to follow the tow-truck.

I reached home at about 7.30PM after a two stops, one at Mile 7th "Bazaar Ramadhan and another at a coffee-shop after the Mile 8th traffic light.

After dinner at about 9.30PM, received phone call from supervisor on duty that a car belong to a technician which was parked not far from the small round-about was broken into. Based on the On scene-investigation done by the supervisor, the incident could had happened at about 700PM to 7.45PM. The culprity gained entry into the car by smashing its front-left side window using a hard object. In the incident, the car CD player model Pioneer was missing.

After received the phone call, I decided to go to the company to do my month of August Self-Performance Audit. My activities were as follows :

10.13PM - Arrived at new Custom gate. Saw one security guard sitting in the guard house. He was seem to be dozed-off and without wearing security uniform.

10.20PM - Arrived at my company Main gate. Two enforcers on duty and both alert and wear proper uniform.

10.30PM- Arrived at Harmony Walk. Saw one guard on duty; alert and wearing proper uniform.

10.35PM - Went straight to SCR. Discussed with supervisor on duty about overall situation, and the incident of Car Break-in that he reported.

1040PM - 1130 - Visiting admin building offic.

1130PM-1200PM - Visiting Car Park and the surroundings. All street-lights were function and the surrounding area looked brights.

1215AM - On my way back from the company noticed that all stretch of traffic lights from MEMC office until to the second round about were off.
And when I arrived at the Custom new gate, I saw that the guard house light was off. Went to check the guard house, and saw two guards sleeping. When queried further they told me that they did not stop or check the car during night. The guard house light was off to avoid being robbed, because according to one of the guard in the past one of their colleague had been robbed because he switch on the light.
After remind them to work deligently as the security inside the park relied on them, I left Custom New gate at about 1225AM.

The girl Varsha missing on UPSR day was killed brutally

2010-08-06T10:35:00.005+08:00

Kuching
Friday, 6th August 2010

I recieved this information from my friend who is also the owner of Hornbill-Hornbill. Would like to share the information here as a reminder to all of us on why we should always monitor the movement of our children.
According to the e-mail, the little girl name Varsha was missing during the UPSR (last year I guess) but found brutally murdered few days later.
The news had never been published in the newspaper, probably for reason to protect the tourism industry. Please see the photos below.

Self-Performance Audit July 2010

2010-07-15T09:49:00.002+08:00

Kuching
Saturday, 10th July 2010

This month, the Self-Performance Audit was done on Saturday, 10th July 2010.
I arrived at Custom New Gate A at about 2030hrs, and there I saw one guard without wearing proper security's uniform was walking toward the guard house from the direction of Custom Office.

This time I did not stop to take the photograph as the guard was still awake. From Custom Gate A, I drove straight to my company. Along the road I noticed that most of the street lightings were functioned.

I reached Main gate at about 2035HRS. At the Main Gate I saw two guards were on duty. The beacon lights to divide the inward and outward road were both lighted. Not like the MID hired guard, two guards that were on duty at my company main gate were found in a proper uniform.

From the Main Gate, I drove straight to the round about infront of the Harmony Walk. Along the boulevard, I observed that most of the street lightings were lighted. The sorroundings were bright and could enable the security to see the presence of security threats.

At the roundabout infront of the Harmony Walk, I saw that the street lights were lighted. After parking my vehicle infront of the Gate 2B, I walked straight to the Harmony Walk followed the Pedestrian walkpath created by EHS.

At Harmony Walk, I saw one guard by the name of SE Saban was on duty. He looked alert and wearing a proper security . From Harmony Walk I walked straight to Security Control Room (SCR). At the SCR, I met with the duty supervisor. After a short discussion with Security Supervisor on duty (Shift B), I went to my office located on ground Floor.

After finished reading my e-mails, once again I went to SCR, and then went to the cafeteria. When I arrived at the cafeteria, no employee was seen using the facilities. After ordered my drink , I went back to my Office with my "tapau" Coffee Kaw...
After talking to security supervisor on duty, and after confirmed that no security issues being reported and observed, I left the premises at about 0630hrs on Sunday, 11th July 2010.

Conclusion

The security of the company was in a good hand of the dedicated security enforcers on duty, led by competent security supervisor . The company's security personnel on duty were looked alerted throughout my visit.
As for the MID hired guard/s, the guard was not alert and did not wear a proper security uniform.

Self-Performance Audit For June 2010

2010-06-27T04:07:00.002+08:00

Kuching
Saturday, 26th June 2010

Today after cameback from having dinner outside with my family, I went to the company to conduct the Self-Performance Audit For Month of June 2010.

I reached the Custom New Gate A at about 11.40PM. There I saw one Ministry of Industrial Development hire guard sleeping on the office chairs. I managed to take a few photos but only these two photos are clear.

After taking few photos, I proceeded to the company. When I reached the Main Gate, I saw two guards were standing outside the guard house. Both of the guards were in full uniformed an a luminous jacket but the one that was on duty controlling the access to the premises was holding a torch light contrary, to a guard that I saw at the the Custom New Gate A.

After talking to the guards on duty at main gate , I proceeded into the buiding to meet with security supervisor on duty. While working towards harmony walk I saw the street lightings in the car park particularly at the round about infront of Harmony Walk were all functioned. The sorrounding were bright.

After talking to the supervisor on duty in the Security Control Room (SCR), both of us made a round to the ground Floor and second floor of FAB. No security threats were observed.

From second floor, we went to the canteen/Cafeteria. In the cafeteria we saw few staff (less than 10) were having their supper. Not much food left .Please see the photos below.

These are the only food left in the cafeteria when I reached there at about 1.00AM

I left the company at about 1.30AM.

Self-Performance Audit May 2010

2010-05-30T00:45:00.015+08:00

Kuching
Saturday, 29th May 2010

It's my fifth Self-Performace Audit of the year. With effect from this month Audit, I am going to record my audit activities in this blog.

Samajaya Free Industrial Zone - Where I Conducted my Self Performance Audit on Monthly Basis

What Is A Self-Performance Audit

Security Self-Performance Audit is done to achieve the following objectives:-
1) To inspect security on duty to ensure complying with Security Standing Orders
2) To inspect security equipments to ensure that they are in good working conditions and in optimum use
3) To inspect physical security of the company during night time
4) To ensure alertness of security on duty on night Shift
5) For security Manager to gain initiatives
6) To show to security personnel that security Manager is care about their working condition working on night Shift
7) Help to monitor the alertness of MID hired guards that man the new and old Custom gates.

Today Self-Performance Audit (SPA)

These are my observations/Report for today SPA :-

1) Reached new custom gate at 2204hrs, and saw one guard inside the guard house without wearing security uniform , but instead a singlet. Not alert.

2) At 2204hrs when driving along the road where the construction of MEMCS is taking place, found that the spot lights were directed to the main road , may pose safety hazard to the drivers who drive along the road.

3) Reached X-FAB at about 2210hrs found that both of the beacon lights were not function. Two guards were on duty but without hand-held beacon light or the torch light. Directed SSE Stephen to replace the batteries of the beacon lights and the torch light. Also informed SSE Stephen to inform SSS Juing about the matter.

4) When reaching the round about in front of Harmony Walk, found the street lights at smoking Corner and the one mounted on FAB building were off. The condition was dark. Saw one vendor crossing the roundabout to smoking corner.

5) Went straight to SCR to inform Scecurity Supervisor on duty about my observation above, and inform him to take appropriate actions.

6) Went to office to check e-mail, and to approve AL Application via ESS.

7) Went to ground floor FAB and 2nd Floor FAB alone. No security violation observed.

8) Reached Harmony walk at about 2335hrs. Saw street light at smoking corner and the one mounted on FAB building wall were light off. One cafeteria staff was seen crossing the round about to smoking corner. Advised him to use the walk-path whenever he wants to go or come back from smoking corner.

9) On my way back realized that the street lights at the second round about from x-FAB, the lights were off.

Hope the above objectives were met!

Robbery In the Lift

2010-05-12T16:47:00.000+08:00

Kuching
12th May 2010

Robbery could happens everywhere, be it while you are in your house, in your car, office or while waiting for a bus at the bus stop. But today I would like to share with the visitors of this blog about the incident of robbery but this time in a lift. Well I hope after looking at the photos, everyone of us must take precautionary measures before going into the lift....

Blacklisting

2010-03-02T08:17:00.002+08:00

KUCHING
Tuesday, 2nd February 2010

Credit of any sort - from bank loans to mortgages and credit cards - has never been handed out freely. You have to show lenders that you are in control of your finances and are likely to make repayments on time and in full. If you do, you have a much better chance of getting the deals you need.

If you are among the people who have been refused credit recently or if you are thinking of applying for credit soon, don't panic - take action instead.

A good place to start is your credit report, which lists your borrowings and how well you're managing your repayments. It gives you a snapshot of your credit history, what credit accounts you've had in the last few years and how you have coped. Your credit report can also help you to see where you could cut back and whether you could close some accounts altogether.
Lenders check it when they decide whether to make you an offer and what terms - such as interest rates - to set. It's crucial that your credit report is up to date and accurately reflects your circumstances, because a better credit history makes you more likely to get a better deal.

For more help, take a look at these top tips.

1. Manage your money. Pay your bills and make repayments on cards, loans and your mortgage on time - you'll only rack up worse debts, incur penalties and damage your credit rating otherwise.

2. Look at your credit report regularly so you can monitor your progress. Make sure that every entry is correct - a single clerical error could result in a rejection.

3. Talk to your lenders if you're worried - they could help you to work out a schedule of repayments you can afford or arrange a temporary payment holiday.

4. Review your spending, set a budget and stick to it. Try price comparison sites to find the best deals on utilities, as well as loans, mortgages and credit cards. If you need help, try the Financial Services Authority's financial healthcheck at www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk

5. Don't try to borrow your way out of trouble - you could rack up debts you can't manage and that will mean being rejected for credit you really need in the future.

6. Investigate rolling up several debts into a single, cheaper package, such as a bank loan. There are plenty of financial comparison sites with calculators that can help you to identify the best option.

7. Look for ways to supplement your income. For example, you could take in a lodger, sell off unwanted clothes or furniture or get a part-time job in the evenings or at weekends.

8. Make sure your partner hasn't got financial problems. If you have a joint account or have applied for credit with a partner, you will be linked on your credit report. This is known as a financial association and a lender's response to your application may be affected by both credit histories. So get your partner to check his or her credit report, too. If you are no longer financially connected, make sure you get the link broken so that any problems your ex might have don't affect you.

9. If you're having trouble coping, you can get free advice.

The top ten credit myths - and the truth behind them

2010-03-01T08:07:00.005+08:00

KUCHING
Monday, 1st March 2010

Knowledge is power when it comes to getting the credit you want. Start by understanding the impact your credit history has on the type of offer you get - or whether you get an offer at all.

Your credit history is reflected in your credit report, which lists cards, loans, mortgages and other credit accounts, your repayment track record and information such as bad debts, IVAs and bankruptcies. Lenders use this, along with details from your application, to decide whether there's a good chance that you'll repay what you owe, so it's crucial to understand what items will and won't influence them.

Here are the top ten credit myths - and the truth behind them.

1. Previous occupants of my address affect my credit rating. It makes no difference if the previous occupant of your home was a millionaire or a bankrupt as long as you do not share a financial connection, such as a joint account. Lenders are only interested in your ability to repay them on time and in full. They do like to see stability, though, and if you've recently moved they will want to know your previous address, so they can check back.

2. Credit reference agencies make lending decisions. Credit reference agencies - Experian is the UK's largest - compile and hold your credit report securely. They don't make decisions. That's up to lenders, who use the information in your report, along with items from your application, when they calculate your credit rating.

3. Past debts don't count. Unfortunately, they do. Court judgments for non-payment of debts, IVAs and bankruptcies stay on your credit report for at least six years. Even a missed repayment is recorded for at least three years. Any of these could count against you, because lenders could think that you will miss payments with them too.

4. If you've never borrowed, you'll get the best deals. If you've never borrowed, lenders have no way of predicting how reliable you'll be in the future and may even reject you. Most of them would rather see a credit report showing a few well-managed loans or cards and regular repayments.

5. I could be on a blacklist. Blacklists don't exist and your credit rating doesn't take account of your race, ethnic origin, religion or gender. Factors lenders do consider include your repayment history and how much you already owe. They want to be sure that you aren't taking on more credit that you can comfortably manage.

6. Friends and family living at my home affect my credit rating. Unless you share a financial connection with any of them - for example, a mortgage or joint credit card account - friends and family have no impact on your credit rating. If you do have a financial connection, lenders may look at their credit report as well as yours when you apply for new credit, as their circumstances could affect your ability to make repayments.

7. Repaying your credit cards in full depresses your credit score. Nonsense. In fact, you're likely to get a better credit score, because it shows you can afford your borrowings. You're more likely to get a lower score if you skip payments or make them late.

8. It doesn't matter how many credit accounts you have. Lenders want to be sure that you can afford the credit they grant, so they prefer it if you don't already owe large amounts on multiple accounts. They can also take into account the amount you could borrow against your credit limits, so it's best to close down unused accounts and limit the number of new applications you make.

9. You only have one credit score. Each lender uses a unique method to calculate credit scores and some use a different formula for different products, such as loans and cards. So you could get three different credit scores if you made three applications in a single day. Your credit history and score also change as your circumstances change. For example, missing a few repayments could lower your score, while paying off a debt could give it a boost.

10. Items in your credit history stay on file forever. Your credit report is designed to give lenders a good picture of your recent and current position - they're not interested in seeing that a 40-year-old missed a few repayments when he was 21, because it has no relevance to his likely behaviour today. Most information about your credit history is therefore held for between three and six years.

Credit Basics

2010-02-28T08:00:00.001+08:00

Kuching
Sunday, 28th February 2010

You may not know it but the chances are that you have a credit report. This is a personal history of your credit, including mortgages, credit cards and loans to catalogue accounts and even mobile phone contracts.

Your credit report provides a snapshot of credit accounts, your repayment record and how well you are coping. Lenders use it when they decide what kind of deal to offer you - or whether to turn you down.

The more you know about what your report contains, how it's used and what you can do to improve it, the better your chances of getting the credit you need. This summary will get you started.

If you're over 18 and have ever taken out a credit card, loan or some other form of credit, then you are likely to have a credit report held by a credit reference agency - Experian is the UK's largest.

As well as listing your credit accounts and showing whether you make repayments on time and in full, your credit report contains a range of information that helps lenders assess whether you are a reliable borrower and can afford to take out more credit. Items such as missed or late payments stay on your report for at least three years, while court judgments for non-payment of debts, bankruptcies and individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) stick around for at least twice that long.

Your report shows all your addresses over the past six years and whether you are registered to vote at your current home. Lenders use this information as a precaution against fraud to make sure that you live where you say you do.

Another section lists the people with whom you share a joint account, such as a credit card or mortgage. They are known as your financial associates and, although their credit history doesn't appear in your report, lenders are able to look at their credit history because their circumstances could affect your ability to repay what you owe.

Information in your report comes from two major sources - public records, such as court judgments and the electoral roll, and data supplied by lenders. Some lenders only contribute as accounts with late payments. Others share all accounts including those where regular repayments are made.

Lenders are not the only people who can check your credit history - with your permission, prospective landlords and employers can see parts of your credit report, so it can also affect your job prospects and chances of renting a home.

A credit report is not the same as a credit score. Lenders calculate a credit score by allocating a value to information in your application form and credit report and then applying their own unique formula. Your score is therefore likely to change with your circumstances and each application you make. Generally, the higher it is, the easier you'll find it to borrow.

If you are thinking of opening a new credit account, it makes sense to get to know your credit report first and make sure that everything is accurate and up to date. If there are any errors, contact the organisation responsible with proof and arrange to get them put right.

Monitoring your credit report can offer protection from one of the fastest-growing crimes of the 21st century - identity fraud. This includes criminals stealing your personal information and using it to take over existing accounts or set up new ones in your name. Keeping an eye on your report enables you to spot suspicious entries and deal with problems before they escalate.

When you make an application for credit, lenders search your report, leaving a record known as a footprint. If other lenders see a lot of these, they may think you're desperate for money or even suspect a fraud, so you should always make sure you only ask for a quotation search when you are shopping around for the best deal.

ID Safety-Ten Ways to Keep Your ID Safe

2010-02-27T19:55:00.000+08:00

Kuching
Saturday, 27th February 2010

Identity fraud takes place when criminals get hold of enough sensitive data to impersonate you, clear your accounts, borrow money and run up debts in your name - and it's a booming business, according to Experian's Victims of Fraud service, which saw a 66 per cent rise in reported cases during 2007.

Some surveys indicate that as many as six million Britons have been victims, although the government estimates that the crime affects closer to 120,000 people each year. Either way it's one of the fastest-growing crimes of the 21st century.

These tips could help to protect you:

1. Shred sensitive information. Shred financial statements, offers of loans and credit cards, catalogue account details or anything else that could be used to impersonate you before binning them. Thieves go through rubbish to see if there is anything useful - a practice known as bin raiding.

2. Check your statements carefully. Go through your credit card and bank statements every month. Unexpected entries can be the first indication that somebody is stealing your money.

3. Learn to love your credit report. Your credit report is such an effective tool in the fight against ID fraud that the government recommends regular checks to protect yourself. It gives you a snapshot of your borrowings and repayment record, so you can easily spot unfamiliar accounts and suspicious balances.

4. Limit your social networking. It's tempting to include basic information such as your full name and date of birth in your profile, then add interesting details such as your pets' or children's names and nicknames. Don't - these are the kind of detail that you probably use for passwords and PINs, so leave them out. Your cyber-friends might be fraudsters looking for enough data to steal your ID.

5. Don't risk important documents. Don't carry your passport, driving licence or even credit cards unless you know you'll need them and never write down your PINs and passwords. If your bag or wallet is stolen, you could be handing the thieves your identity as well as your cash.

6. Report thefts. Always tell the police, your bank, credit card issuers and anybody else who might be affected if you suffer a theft. That way, your loss is on the record and organisations who might be approached by the thieves will be forewarned.

7. Keep an eye on your post. If mail goes missing, tell the Post Office immediately - someone may be intercepting it, especially if you live in a building with a communal hall where mail is delivered. Be especially careful when you move house and use the Royal Mail's Redirection Service to forward your post to your new address for at least a year.

8. Register to vote at your current address. Lenders use the electoral roll to check that you live where you say you do. If you're not registered, a criminal could register you at another address. When you move home, always deregister at your old address and re-register at the new one. That way, the people who move into your previous home can't offer apparent proof that they are you.

9. Don't respond to cold calls and e-mails. Never reply to e-mails and cold-callers asking for details such as PINs, passwords and account numbers - and don't fill in your details on any unfamiliar e-mail or website. Telephone the organisation that is allegedly behind the approach, using the number in the phone book or in previous correspondence - and warn them what is happening.

10. Keep on checking your credit report. You need to check your credit report regularly, because ID thieves could target you at any time. CreditExpert sends out weekly alerts by e-mail or text to warn you if there has been any significant change to your credit report, so you can log on immediately and see whether you are being impersonated. Always respond to these alerts - they give invaluable peace of mind.

Suicide Pilot Hit Tax HQ in Austin Texasw

2010-02-19T15:02:00.001+08:00

TEXAS, USA
Thursday, 18th February 2010

Crash ... scene in Austin, Texas

A PILOT left a chilling internet suicide note blasting the American tax system before flying his plane into a government office block as revenge last night.

Joseph Stack, 53, torched his own home in Austin, Texas, yesterday then flew the four-seater aircraft into a seven-storey office block nearby.

The software engineer had earlier left a note on the on the internet blasting the government and in particular the Internal Revenue Service who are responsible for tax collection.

He wrote: "Violence not only is the answer, it is the only answer."

Initially two employees were sent to hospital and another remained unaccounted for. But the whole building - which houses 190 IRS employees - had not been searched fully as flames ripped through the building. The pilot died in the incident.

His chilling six-page suicide note emerged on the internet after the incident and detailed his constant complaints against the IRS and letters to government officials he claimed were ignored.

He wrote: "If you're reading this, you're no doubt asking yourself: 'Why did this have to happen?'

"The simple truth is that it is complicated and has been coming a long time."

Stack blasted the economy and claimed the government have stolen from the middle class.

He added: "I know I'm hardly the first one to decide I have had all I can stand."

And the terrifying note concluded: "I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different.

"I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well."

The Pentagon confirmed two F-16s were scrambled as soon as the plane crashed at 3.40pm as they suspected a terrorist attack targeted at the FBI building next door.

But that was later ruled out as details of the suicide note emerged.

The suspect - known as Joe - is believed to have torched his own property then flown his Piper Cherokee single-engine aircraft into the building with full tanks of fuel to maximise the damage.

According to local reports his wife Sheryl and their 12-year-old daughter had to be rescued from his burning house before the office block drama.

It was also claimed locally he was having marital problems.

Fire chief Harry Evans yesterday said there had been "no reported deaths" but stressed it was early in the investigation.

IRS agent William Winnie said he was on the third floor of the building when he saw the plane coming towards him.

He said: "It looked like it was coming right in my window. I didn't lose my footing, but it was enough to knock people who were sitting to the floor "

IRS revenue officer Peggy Walker said: "It felt like a bomb blew off. The ceiling caved in and windows blew in. We got up and ran."

Matt Farney, 39, who was in a nearby car park, said: "I figured he was going to buzz some apartments or he was showing off. It was surreal. It was insane, It didn't look like he was out of control or anything."

Sitting at her desk in a nearby building accountant Michelle Santibanez said the scene was reminiscent of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

She said: "It was the same kind of scenario with window panels falling out and desks falling out and paperwork flying."

Taliban Use Human Shields in Afghanistan

2010-02-18T10:44:00.000+08:00

MARJAH, Afghanistan Wednesday, 17th February 2010

Taliban fighters are increasingly using civilians as human shields in the assault on the southern town of Marjah, an Afghan official said Wednesday as military squads resumed painstaking house-to-house searches in the Taliban stronghold.

About 15,000 NATO and Afghan troops are taking part in the offensive around Marjah, which has an estimated 80,000 inhabitants and was the largest town in southern Helmand province under Taliban control. NATO hopes to rush in aid and public services as soon as the town is secured to try to win the loyalty of the population.

With the assault in its fifth day, insurgents are firing at Afghan troops from inside or next to compounds where women and children appear to have been ordered to stand on a roof or in a window, said Gen. Mohiudin Ghori, the brigade commander for Afghan troops in Marjah.

"Especially in the south of Marjah, the enemy is fighting from compounds where soldiers can very clearly see women or children on the roof or in a second-floor or third-floor window," Ghori said. "They are trying to get us to fire on them and kill the civilians."

The Marjah offensive is the biggest joint operation since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan and is a major test of a retooled NATO strategy to focus on protecting civilians, rather than killing insurgents.

Ghori said troops have made choices either not to fire at the insurgents with civilians nearby or had to target and advance much more slowly in order to distinguish between militants and civilians as they go.

Even with such caution on both the NATO and Afghan side, civilians have been killed. NATO has confirmed 15 civilian deaths in the operation. Afghan rights groups say at least 19 have been killed.

In northern Marjah Wednesday, U.S. Marines fanned out through poppy fields, dirt roads and side alleys to take control of a broader stretch of area from insurgents as machine gun fire rattled in the distance.

The Marines found several compounds that had primitive drawings on their walls depicting insurgents blowing up tanks or helicopters, a sign that Afghan troops say revealed strong Taliban support in the neighborhood.

A day earlier, Marines and Afghan forces moving by land from the north had succeeded in linking up with U.S. units that have faced nearly constant Taliban attack in the four days since they were dropped by helicopter into this insurgent stronghold in southern Afghanistan.

The linkup between the two Marine rifle companies and their Afghan army partners will enable the U.S. to expand its control in Marjah, about 380 miles (610 kilometers) southwest of Kabul.

A top Taliban commander, Mullah Abdul Razaq Akhund, dismissed the offensive as NATO propaganda and said on the group's Web site that Marjah was militarily insignificant.

Four NATO service members have been killed in the Marjah operation. An American and a Briton were killed on Saturday, while two others whose nationalities were not identified were killed Tuesday. One Afghan soldier also died Tuesday, Afghan officials said.

The Marines and Afghan troops "saw sustained but less frequent insurgent activity" in Marjah on Wednesday, limited mostly to small-scale attacks, NATO said in a statement.

Marine officials have said that Taliban resistance has started to seem more disorganized than in the first few days of the assault, when small teams of insurgents swarmed around Marine and Afghan army positions firing rifles, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

Troops are encountering less fire from mortars and RPGs than at the start of the assault, suggesting that the insurgents may have depleted some of their reserves or that the heavier weapons have been hit, Ghori said.

Nevertheless, Taliban have not given up. Insurgent snipers hiding in haystacks in poppy fields have exchanged fire with Marines and Afghan troops in recent days as they swept south.

Insurgents tried but failed to shoot down an Osprey aircraft with rocket-propelled grenades as Cobra attack helicopters fired missiles at Taliban positions, including a machine gun bunker.

NATO said it has reinstated use of a high-tech rocket system that it suspended after two rockets hit a house on the outskirts of Marjah on Sunday, killing 12 people, including at least five children.

The military coalition originally said the missiles went hundreds of yards (meters) off target but said Tuesday that it determined that the rockets hit the intended target.

Afghan officials said three Taliban fighters were in the house at the time.

Violence and NATO strikes have continued elsewhere in the country.

In neighboring Kandahar province, four Afghan policemen were killed and four others were wounded when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb on Tuesday, the Afghan Interior Ministry said.

And in the east, NATO said it killed more than a dozen insurgents in an airstrike near the Pakistani border.

Office Security Involving Expatriate

2010-01-14T08:42:00.003+08:00

China worker accused of stabbing friend over overtime spat

Singapore

Wednesday, 13 Jan 2010

Source: The New Paper

HE WAS fuming after being denied overtime work by his boss while his colleague was allowed to do so.

His anger escalated to murderous rage the next day and he stabbed his colleague to death in the flat in which they both lived.

He then went to his workplace where he attacked his supervisor with a hammer, smashed computers and other equipment and tried to set the premises on fire.

That is the string of violent acts that Luo Faming, 37, is accused of carrying out.

The prosecution delivered its opening address in Luo’s murder trial yesterday.

The Chinese national is accused of killing his friend, Mr Gong Hui Long, 27, in their rented flat in Block 94, Henderson Road, on 4 Sep 2008.

He is also accused of using a hammer to hit Madam Ng Sin Lai, 57, on her head several times and trying to strangle her.

Madam Ng lost consciousness and Luo allegedly poured thinner on the factory premises and set it alight.

He also allegedly used a hammer to smash nine computer monitors and other equipment, causing damage of about $250,000.

Fortunately, Madam Ng regained consciousness in time and escaped from the fire.

The court was told that Luo and Mr Gong hailed from the same province in China and knew each other before they arrived in Singapore in February 2007.

They worked for the same printing and publishing company here but were assigned different duties.

Luo did lamination work while Mr Gong was given printing work.

They used to share a room but later lived in different rooms. Their friendship soured over a misunderstanding related to work issues.

Seated in the dock yesterday, Luo, sporting a crew cut, wore a slight frown and listened intently to a Mandarin court interpreter. He sat hunched throughout the proceedings.

His friend of about 11 years, Mr Tan Chuan Chuan, a machine operator, told the court that he received a call from Luo on the evening before the killing.

Luo told him that he had quarrelled with his boss and wanted to return to China.

The two agreed to meet at Henderson Hawker Centre that night with some other friends.

Over dinner and beer, Luo told them that he had quarrelled with his boss because of overtime work.

He was upset that Mr Gong was entitled to overtime work, but he was not.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Amarjit Singh earlier told the court that Luo and Mr Gong had a scuffle at work around 5pm that day.

Luo’s supervisor tried to intervene “but was unable to stop the quarrel”.

Mr Tan said through a Mandarin interpreter: “(Luo) said he was unhappy at work and couldn’t get along with the deceased.

“He said the deceased was very petty and liked to report to the boss
unnecessarily.”

Luo also told his friends that when he had a conflict with Mr Gong in the office, the latter pointed his finger at Luo’s head.

Said Mr Tan:

“(Luo) was very angry. He said that nobody had done that to him before. The
incident made him particularly angry.”

He said that Luo’s “emotional state” was “abnormal” that night.

He spoke loudly, looked very angry and “was behaving very emotionally”.

“His eyes were red, I believe he cried,” said Mr Tan.

He added that he had never seen Luo so upset before and was afraid that his friend would “do something silly”.

Mr Tan was so worried by Luo’s behaviour that he called the latter’s brother-in-law, who arrived at the hawker centre about 20 minutes later.

The group tried to console Luo and advised him not to be impulsive.

Mr Tan said he left the hawker centre around 11pm, leaving Luo there with their friends.

At 7.45am the next morning, he called Luo and asked him where he was.

Mr Tan said Luo told him: “You don’t need to bother. I’ve already got rid of two people.”

Luo then hung up.

Mr Tan added that Luo was under a lot of pressure because he needed money to build his house in China. It is understood that Luo has a wife and a child in China.

Four of Luo’s flatmates, all of whom are Chinese nationals, also took the stand yesterday.

Two of them testified that they smelt alcohol in Luo’s breath when he returned to the flat late at night on 3 Sep.

Three testified that they were woken up by shouts around 6am the next day.

Mr Liang Yu Liang, who works at a restaurant, said he saw someone pin down Mr Gong with his left hand and move his right hand in a back-and-forth motion several times at Mr Gong.

Thinking that the two were fighting, Mr Liang shouted “enough” to them in Mandarin. He then went to the toilet.

When he came out, he saw Luo leaving the flat. Mr Gong was lying motionless in a pool of blood on the bedroom floor.

Mr Zhang Qi, who shared a room with Luo, testified that Luo and Mr Gong were not on good terms and did not speak to each other in the flat.

He recalled an incident in 2007 where the two had a heated argument.

Mr Zhang, a baker, also heard from a female flatmate that Luo had problems with Mr Gong at work and that Luo’s boss intended to send him back to China.

Luo, who is represented by Mr Anand Nalachandran and Mr Jansen Lim, faces the death penalty if he is convicted of murder.

The trial has been adjourned to May.

Security guard faces serious discipline after mystery trespasser shuts down Newark Airport

2010-01-07T15:13:00.002+08:00

Guards walk by a security checkpoint at Newark International Airport. The airport was forced to evacuate an entire terminal after a man wandered into a secure area.

An airport security guard faces discipline after he left his post - or his senses - and let a mystery man into a secure area at Newark Airport, delaying flights worldwide for some seven hours.
The latest airport security blunder comes as President Obama plans to grill his anti-terror team today about recent failings.
The unnamed federal Transportation Security Administration guard either abandoned his station or failed to spot the man walking the wrong way into the exit lane at the airport's bustling Terminal C about 5:30 p.m. Sunday, agency officials said.
It prompted an evacuation of the terminal and flight delays that stretched into yesterday.
"There was an officer assigned to the exit," TSA spokeswoman Anne Davis said, adding the guard has been booted from his screening duties as an investigation continues.
Davis insisted it's no longer a question of whether the guard will be disciplined. "It's more at what level of discipline," she said.
Obama, returning from an 11-day holiday in Hawaii, huddled with CIA officials to discuss the botched Christmas Day attack by 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
The radical boarded a plane in Amsterdam with explosives in his underwear - and in spite of his father's warning to U.S. officials his son could pose a threat.
Obama has ordered national security officials to the White House today for a broader meeting about the attack, which was foiled, mostly by passengers.
The President has demanded accountability from his team, and there has been speculation heads could roll as a result of the near catastrophe.
The Newark snafu did little to ease concerns about the nation's air safety. What's known about the lapse in Newark - based on a review of security video - is that the wrong-way walker left the same Terminal C through another exit about 20 minutes later.
TSA officials said the agency only learned of the breach after a sharp-eyed bystander noticed the man walk into the secure area.
The man remains unidentified, officials said.
One Port Authority source said there was some evidence that the man was simply trying to meet his wife at her gate. But with his identity a mystery, it was impossible to know why he marched past the clear "No Entry" signs posted above the exit lane.
A search of the terminal turned up nothing suspicious.
The gaffe came as the TSA announced that passengers flying to the U.S. from terror-prone nations would be subject to enhanced screenings, including patdowns.
Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg was among those who expressed concern about the new restrictions.
Asked what effect he thinks they might have on tourism and travel to New York, Bloomberg responded, "They're not going to help."
"I mean, I understand why we have them because the first thing is to make sure that you are safe," said Bloomberg, a licensed pilot. "But any kind of restrictions make it much more difficult."

Beware Of The Black Magic Charm to Cheat Your Monies

2009-10-30T10:50:00.001+08:00

To all men and women out there..Beware of the Black Magic that could be used against you bto drain out your monies!

30th Oct 2009

Special Thanks to one of the Securesafe reader that shared this story with us.

Strange things happen in Malaysia . This is a sad thing that is happening in Malaysia . Sad and evil, but true.

Over the past several years, several people related to me have been victims of unscrupulous people. It is the trend now. Most people do not earn money the decent way anymore. They use all kinds of evil ways to get people's money and they don't give a damn how they destroy people's lives to get it....

Several married women went to learn Ballroom dancing in Kota Kinabalu. The Phillipino dance instructors put black magic spells on them to get them into bed. Then the victims were blackmailed. Marriages and families were destroyed. Some husbands just divorce their wives.

Kadazan prostitutes use black magic spells and elaborate plots on unsuspecting businessmen in night spots, etc to make them their long term clients. These prostitutes are as young as 18 years old. Some men may think they are harmless but they can turn out to be vicious and deadly. They go after the rich guys for houses, cars, jewellery, marriage, etc. Again, lives and marriages were destroyed. Some victims even committed suicides. They operate in Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur . Some of the victims go bankrupt because their money has been milked dry by these prostitues.

A bank employee used this same method to charm her bank's rich clients into becoming her client.They usually dress or pretend to be office workers.... Some victims never wake up for years.

Check your phone bills, if you are calling someone every other minute of the day from morning till night, it could be that that person has put a spell on you. The worst part is after sex, these victims are tied to them in soul ties....and the rich men usually end up being robbed of their wealth and their luck becomes bad after being linked to these dirty women.

A Chinese butcher at Foh Sang Market in Kota Kinabalu puts spells on his customers (housewives) to get them into bed. He is now on the run because one of the husbands has sworn to hunt him down. He is sweet talking and likes to distribute his name card to women. I think he puts a spell on his name cards.

A pretty professional lady was hexed into marrying an Indonesian bum. She is now living with him and supporting him and has since had some children with him. He does not even need to go out to earn a living. She is living in a dreamland and is not yet awake from the spell.

Another Chinese professional man used black magic to get ladies to marry him.

A very sweet middle-aged lady found out her husband used black magic to make her marry him. She was very pretty and had her own boyfriend when her path crossed with her evil husband. She divorced him after he used her as a punching bag for years. She is now awake and has several children by him.

Some of the victims never knew what happened to them.... and some never got out of it.

A very young and rich Chinese Sarawakian tycoon ended up marrying his old and ugly Indonesian maid.

You may not believe in black magic and a lot of the victims did not either.... Yet, they havehad their lives destroyed, not of their own free will but by being commanded and manipulated by people without their consent.....

In Malaysia , the police are the pimps and drug pushers....and they work with the prostitues and drug addicts to set traps for people....

Crimes committed with black magic cannot be proven in the court of law.... and there is no proof....

Believe me, this is happening in Malaysia . Most people do not talk about it because it is simply too shameful and too painful to talk about....

Please send this to all whom you love to warn them. Warn as many people as you can.... Hopefully, less people's lives will be destroyed.

Performance Of Duty Of A Security Guard

2009-10-28T21:13:00.001+08:00

Security guard function is to provide security protection to it workplace. How do you feel if the person that has be entrusted to protect you committing the most serious misconduct for security that sleeping whilst on duty?

Just imagine if one of the guard shown below work in your premises or workplace?

Information Sharing-House Robbery

2009-10-23T08:00:00.001+08:00

I would like to share the scary experience of a housewife who has been robbed of cash, jewellery, Credit cards, ATM card and taken of her naked photo by a group of local robbers. This experience is written in bahasa Malaysia.
This experience can be very useful to us as it tell us the modus of operandi of the robbers and what precautionary measures/lesson learned that we can get from the experience tho minimise monetery impact and the trauma of robbery incident.
Happy Reading,

Saya terpaksa mengambil beberapa hari cuti kecemasan kerana pada malam semalam iaitu pada kira-kira 12.30 malam (hari isnin malam selasa 20th Oct 2009), rumah saya telah dimasuk oleh 3 orang lelaki berbangsa melayu (berusia 20an).

1. Saya di ikat tangan kebelakang, di tanggal pakaian dan diambil gambar sebagai ugutan. Sekiranya saya melaporkan kepada phak polis mereka akan menyebarkan gambar tersebut.

1. Kemudian mereka meminta wallet saya. Saya dipaksa memberikan pin number ATM (both maybank & cimb). Mereka menyepak/terajang bila no pin yg saya berikan "salah". (kerana ada gang mereka yg pergi ke ATM). Saya di "hostage" oleh 3 orang lelaki sementara yg lain ke ATM. Malangnya ATM mesin tidak boleh digunakan selepas pukul 12 tgh malam. Mereka terpaksa menunggu hingga pukul 6 pagi bau keluar dari rumah saya. Sementara menunggu, setiap sudut rumah saya di geledah. Mereka juga meminta saya password & id internet banking (maybank2u) kerana mereka ternampak bil2 yg telah saya bayar menggunakan maybank2u. Walaupun di pukul saya berjaya menipu yg transaksi tersebut di buat menggunakan computer pejabat dan password di lock dalam komputer tersebut. Sekiranya saya melihat atau bersuara, mereka memukul kepala atau menendang saya. Walaupun pada mula nya saya berjaya membuka ikatan tangan, tetapi sukar utk bertindak kerana bimbang mereka akan lebih ganas kerana salah seorang dari mereka memegang pisau yg di ambil dari dapor. Bila mereka sedar ikatan tangan saya terbuka, saya dipukul lagi dan diikat semua kehadapan. Semasa kejadian saya diatas katil dan tidak dibenarkan bergerak.

2. Lebih kurang pukul 5.45 pagi, saya diarahkan meminum secawan air (rasa coklat, tapi pahit). Meraka kata " kami hendak keluar sekarang. Minum dan baring". Saya hanya tersedar dari tidor pada pukul 3 petang, dalam keadaaan "terhoyong hayang" seperti mabuk. Handphone, laptop telah hilang. Talian telefon rumah semua di potong wayar. Dalam keadaaan separuh sedar, saya tidak dapat menghubungi sesiapa kerana semua nombor disimpan dalam handphone.

3. Selepas menyambung semula wayar telefon yg dipotong, saya secara tidak sedar menelifon 999. Dan 30 minit kemudian 2 orang pegawai polis datang. Mereka melihat saya seperti "mabok", mereka tidak benarkan saya memandu ke balai, sebaliknya mengikut mereka. Tiba di balai saya terkejut kerana jam dinding "4 petang".

4. Selepas itu baru saya sedar mengapa mereka memberi minuman tersebut, supaya memberi masa kepada mereka mengeluarkan semua duit dalam account bank saya. Mereka juga menggunakan credit card utk membeli barang. Saya sempat mencetak statement maybank2 "today's transaction".

5. Selain handphone, laptop, mereka juga mengambil kad pengenalan dan lesen memandu, Meraka memaksa saya memberikan nama ibu (utk tujuan pengesahah online oleh pikah bank). Beberapa barangan peribadi lain juga diambil.

6. Oleh sebab itu , saya memerlukan beberapa hari utk membuat kad pengenalan, lesen memandu, kat ATM, pemeriksaan doktok etc. Saya hanya boleh dihubungi menggunakan 03-61565471 (rumah) atau email. Sekarang saya tidak mempunya card credit utk membeli handphone dengan segara, insya allah selepas selesai saya akan beli.

7. Jumlah kerugian hampir 20 ribu:

a. Cash di rumah rm1500 - rm1800

b. Maybank account RM 7500 (6 kali dikeluarkan kerana limit yg tinggi) & dan transfer account dan pembelian melalui cash card

c. Credit card rm 3,000 (setakat pagi tadi sebelum dilaporkan)

d. ATM CIMB rm 3,000 (nasib baik limitted 3000 per day)

e. Accessaries, jam, pen, pakaian (blazer) dalam rm 3,000

8. Tetapi saya bersyukur kerana tidak di "apa apa kan" hanya dipukul/terajang/tendang. Saya merayu kepada mereka, saya bagi apa yg mereka minta cuba jangan apa apa kan saya. Setakat ini hanya tangan kanan saya yg bengkak dari sakit.

9. Ramai yang bertanya macam mana mereka masuk. Mereka mencapai kunci yg digantung di dinding. (tersorok).

10. Beberapa pengajaran yg saya dapat:

a. Jangan simpan lebih dari satu atm card atau credit card dalam wallet
b. jangan simpan lebih dari 500 dalam saving or cash account yg ada atm card
c. Jangan melawan ketika kejadian.

Thanks

Personnel Security-Beware Of Fake 50 Ringgit Note

2009-10-22T11:04:00.001+08:00

I just recieved an email from one of the visitor to Securesafe regarding Fake 50 Ringgit Note. Please take a look at the photos below and learn something from it so that you'll not become victim of the culprit in fake money scam.

Securesafe would like to give special thanks to the visitor that sent me the tip.

Thanks

Prevention Of Employee Theft

2009-07-01T15:09:00.000+08:00

Introduction

One of the most serious threats to the success of a company is employee theft. Misplaced trust, lax hiring and supervision, and a failure to implement basic financial controls can lead to an environment that is ripe for internal theft and fraud.

The estimate made by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) indicated that the typical business will lose an average of six percent of revenues from employee theft. Why does theft happen so frequently? Very often companies take employee theft as something inevitable and unpreventable. Quite often companies don’t see theft prevention as one of the important goals of doing business, while they definitely should judge by the figures of loss caused by employee theft mentioned above. Employees steal when they think they can and especially when they know there will be no severe punishment for it.

Facts about Employee Theft

(a) Opportunity remains the leading cause of employee theft.

(b) Employee theft is responsible for 33% of all business bankruptcies.

(d) Employers should not count on other employees to report employee theft, unless they can put a system in place that keeps the "reporter" anonymous and/or a reward program is set up.

(e) Employee theft is prevalent in every type of business.

Business owners must be aware of these facts in order to detect employee theft. It is a common fact that most employers do not suspect their employees of theft. Another fact that is important for owners and supervisors to keep in mind is that the majority of the people who are stealing are those who have a close relationship with their boss.

Rarely do most employees steal from their employer because of need. Thefts usually because an opportunity to do so has presented itself. It stands to reason that an employee will only steal from their employer if the chances of getting caught are low.

There are many other basic reasons why employees steal:

(a) Low morale at the workplace. This is also a major reason why businesses suffer from low production

(b) The employee feels that the business or company has wronged or mistreated them in some way.

(c) The employee feels that they are underpaid [and under-appreciated] for the "hard" work they do.

(d) The consequences for theft are minimal. The company has no punitive procedures or policies regarding employee theft. If there are no set consequences to employee theft then employees will continue to steal, because they think that they won’t be punished.

(e) Lack of control over inventory. It is easy to steal because the employer does not have preventive measures to stop them. Preventive measures are crucial to reducing the risk of employee theft. If preventive measures are not existent then the opportunity to steal is very high.

Company or organization can help protect their businesses from employee theft and fraud by following these recommendations.

1. Create a positive work environment. A positive work environment encourages employees to follow established policies and procedures, and act in the best interests of the organization. Fair employment practices, written job descriptions, clear organizational structure, comprehensive policies and procedures, open lines of communication between management and employees, and positive employee recognition will all help reduce the likelihood of internal fraud and theft.

2.Implement internal controls. These measures are designed to ensure the effectiveness and efficiencies of operations, compliance with laws and regulations, safeguarding of assets, and accurate financial reporting. The controls for safeguarding assets and financial reporting require policies and procedures addressing:

(a) Separation of duties. No employee should be responsible for both recording and processing a transaction.

(b) Access controls. Access to physical and financial assets and information, as well as accounting systems, should be restricted to authorized employees.

(c) Authorization controls. Develop and implement policies to determine how financial transactions are initiated, authorized, recorded, and reviewed. Internal controls will reduce opportunities for fraud.

(3) Hire honest people. Of course, this is the goal of every company, and is easier said than done. But if you have weak (or nonexistent) internal fraud controls, it's even more important to make sure your employees are honest. Dishonest employees will ignore your attempts to provide a positive work environment, and search for ways to defeat even the most comprehensive internal controls. Preemployment background checks are an excellent way to cut down on hiring dishonest employees. A thorough preemployment background check should include:

(a) Criminal history for crimes involving violence, theft, and fraud;
(b) Civil history for lawsuits involving collections, restraining orders, and fraud;
(c) Driver's license check for numerous or serious violations;
(d) Education verification for degrees from accredited institutions;
(e) Employment verification of positions, length of employment, and reasons for leaving.

4. Educate your employees. You need to inform your employees about your policies and procedures related to fraud, the internal controls in place to prevent fraud, the organization's code of conduct and ethics policies, and how violations of these policies will be disciplined. Every employee should sign a form to verify receipt of this material. Employees should receive annual training on these topics and on the definition of what's considered fraudulent behavior, and sign an acknowledgement each time.

5. Implement an anonymous reporting system. Every organization should provide a confidential reporting system for employees, vendors, and customers to anonymously report any violations of policies and procedures. Promote and encourage the use of the reporting system whenever possible.

6. Perform regular - and irregular - audits. Every company should have regular assessments, but random, unannounced financial audits and fraud assessments can help identify new vulnerabilities, and measure the effectiveness of existing controls. It also lets employees know that fraud prevention is a high priority for the organization.

7. Investigate every incident. A thorough and prompt investigation of policy and procedure violations, allegations of fraud, or warning signs of fraud will give you the facts you need to make informed decisions and reduce losses. The following information indicates patterns to look for when seeking to identify workplace theft suspects.Suspect

Identification Signs:

(a) Excess cash

(b) New clothing or jewelry

(d) Eating out

(e) Negative attitude toward management due to their earnings

(f) Unusual relationships with truck/delivery drivers or outside vendors

(g) Security guards and management level employees should also be considered potential suspects

(h) Report if packages and lunch boxes are inspected by security upon entering/exiting the facility

The following information highlights areas to investigate when seeking information concerning theft. Workplace theft occurs in several different ways and locations.

Focus Areas:

(a) Identify if vehicles are parked near doors or docks that lead outside.
(b) Shipping and Receiving or other locations where finished product is stored.
(c) Trash and collection sites where trash is picked-up.
(d) Maintain close observation of entrances, exits, skylights and perimeter fences.
(e) Raw material is also stolen, and sold to recycling facilities.
(f) Finished goods are sold in swap meets, newspapers, recycler papers and similar publications.
(g) Pawnshops may be responsible for purchasing stolen goods.

8. Lead by example. Senior management and business owners set the example for the organization's employees. A cavalier attitude toward rules and regulations by management will soon be reflected in the attitude of employees. Every employee - regardless of position - should be held accountable for their actions.

Other than Implementing the above recommendations, employee theft can be also prevented or minimized by using electronic system. Such electronic systems will make your employees think twice before they steal :

(a) GPS Tracker/GPS Logger. A small, ultra covert GPS tracker can be placed on virtually anything. With alert notification, company will know instantly if your asset is on the move, or in a place where it shouldn’t be. Secondly, GPS Tracking for Vehicles provides the company with real time tracking of company's vehicle out in the field.

(b) Safes with Biometric Fingerprint. Believe it or not, many businesses’ still do not put critical items such as cash into a safe. Even with traditional safes, people can still steal the combination or worse yet, crack them. With biometric fingerprint technology, only authorized individuals can have access to important documentation, checks or cash in the safe.

(c) Hidden Camera/DVR. If an employee thinks they can get away with something, they will. Sometimes having cameras and video recorders out in the open aren’t enough to prevent theft. To catch them in act and have the proof you need to either fire or prosecute, using covert cameras and video recorders give you the ultimate in protection.

(d) Lo Jack for Laptops. With most companies providing laptops for their employees to use out in the field, claims of theft, or loss of this expensive hardware has become commonplace. It is difficult for a company to prove employee theft and recover the laptops, but now there is a solution. Embedded deep in the BIOS of a computer, secure, safe & undetectable software will covertly monitor the computers location every time it is connected to the internet. Its like having a GPS Tracker inside your laptop. Once connected, police can be dispatched for successful recovery.

(e) Biometric Fingerprint Locks. Security in your finger whenever you need it. Imagine an employee is leaving a job or let go, simply remove their fingerprint from the device rather than change locks. Or, when you want to restrict access to certain room specific times of the day, set schedules allowing people access only when you see fit. Doors will open only to fingers you want them to recognize, when you want them to be granted access.

The above suggestions if implemented can save company substantial amount of money, and can increased the overall security of company Assets.

Thanks

Workplace Security

2009-05-27T11:52:00.001+08:00

Security has been always a safety topic that is imperative to all types of industries.
Protecting workers and the workplace against known risks such as equipment vandalism and property theft is a challenge, but dealing with the unexpected such as terrorism requires a greater cooperative team effort.
Since 9/11, most governments and organization have developed terrorism guidelines for businesses and the general public. A corresponding step by industry must be to increase security vigilance and prevent unauthorized access to workplace facilities.
Certain security measures will be specific to some buildings but many will be applicable to all buildings. Everyone must participate and take joint responsibility for workplace security.
By being proactive and through education, employees will be trained to become the eyes and ears of security and prevent incidents when possible. Security Posters are a great tool for promoting awareness. Posters can be designed to attract attention with color, graphics and design convey a single, clear, concise message fit in with the culture of the organization be as part of your Safety program Use Security Posters to Raise.
Awareness and attention on: security-related events and activities identifying threat scenarios reporting problems, threats and vulnerabilities preventing incidents. Put Posters in Visible Locations Display posters at eye-level in areas where employees normally spend a couple of minutes such as cafeterias, lobbies, meeting rooms, break rooms, entrances and exits to efficiently and effectively educate employees on new security topics every day. Change Posters Monthly. It is recommended to change posters monthly to keep up with current topics of your organization Security program to limit attenuation.

Home Security Tips

2009-05-25T22:29:00.000+08:00

In order to help prevent house breaking, the following recommendations have been complied from PDRM. Basically, the best defense against house breaking is making your home look occupied and making it difficult to break into.

Specifically, house owner should take the following actions:

1. Lock all outside doors and windows before you leave the house or go to bed. Even if it is for a short time, lock your doors.

2. Install deadbolt locks on all your outside doors, as they are harder to get through than push-button locks.

3. If you have an alarm system, use it, even if you are only leaving for a short time. Although alarms may not prevent house breakings it makes the intruder more likely to leave quickly, with less items. Also, in some cases, when alarm goes off, burglar will leave without taking anything. Even if you do not have an alarm system, buy signs that say you have an alarm and place them around your home—it will serve as a deterrent.

4. Leave lights on when you go out. If you are going to be away for an extended period of time, connect some lamps to automatic timers to turn them on in the evening and off during the day. Use motion detector lights outside.

5. Don't allow daily deliveries of mail, newspapers or fliers to accumulate while you are away. Make arrangements with the local post office to hold your mail, or arrange for a friend or neighbor to regularly take your mail from your mailbox or front step.

6. Watch the neighborhood for suspicious activity and vehicles. If anyone sees something that doesn't look right, please report it.

7. If you do determine your house has been burglarized, preserve any evidence.

Another way how you can protect your house from house breaking is using Dog. Dog can acts as alarm and also as a defense system for your house. But if you want to use dog for your house security systems, first you must get the license from your local authority. In Kuching it is not difficult for you to get the license.
Another point which you must consider when before deciding to use dog for house protection is about the poisoned food. There were few incidents in Kuching whereby dogs were given the poisoned chicken wing by the intruders. To avoid this, make sure that you train your dog properly so as it will not take food from stranger. Can it be done ? Yes, there are few trained dog trainer in Kuching that are capable to train your dog. Check your local Yellow pages for their contact number.

"Towards a Secure and Safe Family"

Data Theft Involving Credit Card

2009-05-19T15:52:00.000+08:00

This morning I received an informative e-mail from one of my colleague. The e-mail was about the Credit card Security on data theft. Please see the email below (Copy and paste from my e-mail with minor edit). It is good for me to share it here….

Dear all,

Pls be careful.
Every time when you arrive at the hotel normally you will go to the Registration Counter for registration and check-in purposes. Normally the easiest way to register is using your credit card. You’ll pass your credit card to the staff on duties and after everything done, you’ll go to your room.
A while after that, someone call the hotel receptionist or the counter and request for the line to be connected to room number 620(for example which happens to be your room ). Suddenly your room telephone ring.
The person on the other end impersonating as a font desk Staff , and start to say the following to you , “'Good morning sir. This is the front desk staff on the line. Just now, when we checked you in using your Credit Card we found that your card had no problem. But when we wanted to safe the transaction into our data base we encountered with problem, pertaining to your Credit Card Information”. The caller asked you further about your credit card number and the last 3 digits numbers at the reverse side of your Credit Card. Not aware that the caller is scams (impersonator) so not thinking longs you give this person all the information that he requested. If you do so you may found that your credit card limit will burse within minutes.

To avoid yourself from becoming the victim of this type of crime, if encounter with the same scenario, tell the caller that you will go down to the Registration Counter to rectify the problem. Never ever give your Credit card information (Number & serial number) to the stranger in the phone.

Thank You

XXXXXXXXXX

Those who are involved in this type of crime normally already planned their actions properly. They are smart, in order to avoid yourself from becoming their victim…WORK SMARTER THAN THEM.

Thank You to my colleague who forwarded this email to me this morning…..

“ Security….DONT TAKE THINGS FOR GRAMTED”

Snatch Theft Or Pick Pocket

2009-05-17T23:11:00.000+08:00

" This could happen to you..What should you do if it happens to you"

During this economic recession, for unemployed or lower pay worker to meet their day to day monetery needs some may resort for illegal way such as pick pocket or snatch theft to get extra income. In Malaysia, statistic shows that pick pocket and snatch theft crimes have been increased.

To avoid one from becoming a victim of snatch theft and pocket, following tips might be useful and worth reading.

A good pickpocket from a distance can tell who has money. And money is usually what these petty thieves are after. Contrary to popular belief, your purse or wallet is most likely to be stolen in a crowded spot, not while you are walking or shopping alone.

If you are out there, as a single person walking around, you are not going to become a target. That's very unlikely--unless the thief is targeting you.

How NOT to Appeal to a Pickpocket or Purse Snatcher

Pickpockets choose their targets carefully. They avoid people who look confident and aware of their surroundings, and hone in on those who seem more oblivious, lost or distracted in some way.

They [Pickpockets] have no respect, because they feel they recognize you before you recognize them.To reduce the odds that a pickpocket or purse snatcher will target you, the first and most important rule is to be aware of your surroundings. Then:

(1) Watch out for potential "set-ups," such as someone bumping into you or asking a question as a distraction while someone else steals your wallet.

(2) Appear confident and look like you know where you're going. Says security expert Bruce Schneier, "People who are targeted for street crimes look like victims."

(3) Dress down. Don't flaunt jewelry or designer labels that let a pickpocket know you're likely to have money or valuables close at hand.

(4) Listen to your instincts. If something feels strange, go inside a store, cross the street or seek help.

Carrying Your Valuables Safely

Aside from how you look and act, the way you hold your purse or wallet can also be a deciding factor on whether or not you're preyed upon. Most thieves will go for the easiest target, which means that if your purse is left unattended in a shopping cart or your wallet is sticking out of your pocket, you're more at risk. Bad guys are looking for easy options. The idea is to make it difficult for them. To make your purse and wallet less tempting (and more difficult to snatch):

(1) Keep your purse in sight at all times. Do not hang it on the back of a chair, the hook on a public washroom door, or leave it unattended while shopping or trying on shoes.

(2) Use a wallet that can attach to your belt (also known as a money belt) and keep it out of sight.

(2) Always keep purses closed and carry them close to the front of your body, or held tightly under your arm.

(3) If your purse is slung over your head, consider wearing it under your coat (this makes it harder for a thief to yank on the strap).

You can also protect yourself in advance. In the event your purse or wallet is stolen, the impact will be less severe if you:

(1) Don't carry all your cash in one place.

(2) Carry only a small amount of cash.

(3) Carry only what's necessary, and nothing more.

(4) Keep house keys in your pocket, rather than your purse. If a thief steals your purse and house keys, they have your address and access to your home.

(5) Leave irreplaceable items (photos, important papers, sentimental trinkets) at home.

What to do if Your Purse or Wallet is Stolen

(1) Sometimes, no matter how careful you are, you can't stop a pickpocket. The first thing to remember is that your purse or wallet is not worth getting hurt over. If someone tries to take your belongings, resist the urge to fight back. While some thieves will back down at the sign of confrontation, others are willing to fight and may be carrying a weapon.

(2) Your safety is what's most important, and while your purse/wallet can be replaced, your life cannot. Here's what to do immediately after your purse or wallet is stolen:

(a) Don't panic--try to think clearly.

(b) Call the local police department right away.

(c) Make a list of everything in your purse or wallet, including credit cards, checks, ID cards, cash and other items.

(d) Call your credit card companies and report your cards as stolen.

(e) Call your bank and tell them your bank cards/checks have been stolen.

(f) Make a police Report immediately to the nearest police station or "pondok polis".Please remember that police cannot "not to take your report" eventhough the incident occurs not within their areas of responsibilities.

(g) Monitor your bills for unusual activity, and report anything strange to the police.

You don't need to walk around in fear, though. Just pay attention to what's going on around you and use common sense about displaying valuable items and pickpockets are likely to stay away.

"Together We Reduce Crime in Our City"

Laptop Security

2009-05-14T21:52:00.001+08:00

I've been working as a security practitioner for the past 10 years, and during these periods I investigated few cases on Loss of Company's laptop while in custody of the employees. lately the case of missing laptop have been increased termendously part of it because the usage of laptop has increased from year to year.

Today I am going to write an article on laptop Security.

Laptops have become one of those devices that is quickly going, and in some cases, already quickly gone from something that only techies or high level business people owned to something that even a poor college student finds a way to afford. This is simply that our lives become wrapped around these objects. Think of the cell phone. Ten to 15 years ago it was again only the techies or important business people that owned a cell phone. Now even elementary school kids have them so parents can be in constant contact when necessary.

We all have had the moment when we though we had misplaced our cell phone. Imagine losing your laptop. Not only is it a fairly significant expense, but think of the data you have on there. You probably keep a file with account numbers, you have your family pictures stored there, maybe music, movies. The list is a long one and an important one.

Therefore, make sure you follow the recommendations in this article on how to protect your laptop.

The convenience of the laptop is obvious. The computing power and versatility are equivalent to most desktop computers. With the advent of wi-fi we can be on the internet almost anywhere and be emailing, chatting, writing, surfing the net or shopping, all anywhere in the world.

Here are some daunting statistics for laptop loss from 2008:

Relevant Data Loss and Data Breach Statistics

How Much Does Laptop Loss Cost?:

That completely depends on how you look at it and who is doing the looking....

Personal Laptop:

The actual cost here is the cost of the laptop and if stolen while in the laptop bag (most often this is the case) then you’ve lost all your accessories as well. Not to mention possibly your wallet, MP3 player, passport (eek!). Obviously the actual cost of items and the intangible loss of items such as wallets, all your stored music, your passport, etc. are vastly different.

Business or Corporate Laptop:

Here the intangible costs can be astronomical. We have heard it on the news more than once and most of us have had it hit us directly with someone in the corporate world losing one or more laptops with critical customer data on it. The cost the hardware is only about $4000, the information carried upon it was could be worth millions..

Of course, to get to valuable proprietary information is not the reason for all laptop thefts some laptop thieves head try to quickly sell the laptop as-is. However, some data indicate that about 10 percent to 15 percent of those laptops are stolen by criminals intent on selling the data.

How to Protect Your Laptop:

With this in mind, what can we do as individuals to prevent our own personal loss?

Laptop Security Cables:

This is one of the lowest cost and one of the most effective deterrents to theft. As with most theft attempts, even a small amount of effort can make a huge difference. For this to work you need to make sure that your laptop is equipped with the appropriate feature to attach a cable. This is called a Universal Security Slot.

It is important to pay attention to what you are attaching the laptop and cable to. You sometimes have to think like a thief. If you really wanted to get that laptop could you? If you answer is yes, then you need to add more security. Consider looping the cable through a hole drilled in the lag of the desk. If you just loop it around the leg than all it takes is some one strong enough to lift the desk enough to slip the cable under the leg and whoosh! your laptop is gone...

Keep Your Laptop Out of Sight:

If you are not with your laptop then it should be secured in a locked drawer or in the possession of someone you trust (for the short trip to the restroom for example). Especially if you are in a public place like an airport, bookstore, or your favorite coffee shop. Never leave your bag alone.

Some laptop cases scream “I have a laptop in here!”

Try to use a carrying case for your laptop that may be a bit beat up or at least not look like it obviously contains a laptop. This may be difficult to do but can be a real effective way to have a thief move on to the next victim without bothering your precious laptop inside your ugly bag.

World Terrorism Organization -Al Qaeda Global Base in Pakistan!

2009-05-10T09:12:00.000+08:00

WASHINGTON -- Senior leaders of al Qaeda are using sanctuaries in Pakistan's lawless frontier regions to plan new terror attacks and funnel money, manpower and guidance to affiliates around the world, according to a top American military commander.

Gen. David Petraeus, who oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said in an interview that Pakistan has become the nerve center of al Qaeda's global operations, allowing the terror group to re-establish its organizational structure and build stronger ties to al Qaeda offshoots in Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, North Africa and parts of Europe.

The comments underscore a growing U.S. belief that Pakistan has displaced Afghanistan as al Qaeda's main stronghold. "It is the headquarters of the al Qaeda senior leadership," said the general, who took the helm of the military's Central Command last fall.

In the interview, Gen. Petraeus also warned of difficult months ahead in Afghanistan, saying Taliban militants are moving weapons and forces into areas where the U.S. is adding troops, planning a "surge" of their own to counter the U.S. plan.

The commander said the U.S. had intelligence showing that the Taliban were deploying new fighters to southern Afghanistan, appointing new local commanders, and prepositioning weapons and other supplies.

"We have every expectation that the Taliban will fight to retain the sanctuaries and safe havens that they've been able to establish," he said.

Senior Obama administration officials have spoken publicly for weeks about the threat posed by Pakistan. In late March, President Barack Obama said that Pakistan's lawless border region had "become the most dangerous place in the world" for Americans.

Pakistani officials have acknowledged that their country is facing a growing threat from al Qaeda, the Taliban and other armed Islamist groups. Appearing at the White House on Wednesday with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari pledged to "stand with our brother Karzai and the people of Afghanistan against this common threat, this menace, which I have called a cancer."

Pakistani Ambassador Hussein Haqqani said in an email that his government is "determined to eliminate Al Qaeda and the terrorist Taliban." He added, "We have launched a major offensive against the Taliban and look forward to acting on any actionable intelligence shared with us by our American partners."

U.S. officials once believed that years of strikes had broken al Qaeda's leadership into smaller, less effective splinter groups. But in the interview, Gen. Petraeus said U.S. intelligence information suggested that al Qaeda has re-emerged as a centrally directed organization capable of helping to plan attacks in other countries. "There is a degree of hierarchy, there is a degree of interconnection, and there is certainly a flow of people, money, expertise, explosives and knowledge," he said.

Gen. Petraeus painted a picture of a globalized al Qaeda that maintains extensive logistical and communications links to terror groups in Morocco, Somalia and other countries. He said militants and supplies pass through southern Iran, helped by Sunni Arab "facilitators" in the predominantly Shiite Persian country.

A ring of Tunisian suicide bombers who were recently apprehended in Iraq appear to have received their directions from al Qaeda figures in Pakistan as well, he said. "There's absolutely no question about these links," he said.

American intelligence agencies have used drones to fire missiles at dozens of militant targets inside Pakistan in recent months, killing several top al Qaeda figures. But U.S. officials acknowledge that al Qaeda's senior leadership has survived those attacks.

Al Qaeda's resurgence in Pakistan is posing a policy dilemma for the Obama administration and senior U.S. commanders like Gen. Petraeus. Pakistan's government won't allow U.S. military personnel into the country. That is forcing the U.S. either to strike targets from a distance, which doesn't always work, or to rely on Pakistan's own security personnel, who have so far been largely unwilling to venture into al Qaeda's remote sanctuaries.

The Pentagon has looked at possible changes in Afghanistan amid concern over the course of the conflict -- some of which have met resistance from current military leaders including Gen. Petraeus. A task force formed by Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is conducting a broad review, according to a copy of its agenda. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to appoint an additional general to handle day-to-day operations there, senior defense officials say. A spokesman for Gen. Petraeus has declined to comment.

Gen. Petraeus spent the past week in Washington as part of the Obama administration's summit with presidents Karzai and Zardari. He said the Pakistani Taliban appear to have overreached by sending fighters into the Buner District, just 60 miles from the capital. Echoing recent comments from top Obama administration officials, he said Pakistan's government, military and people seemed to have finally accepted that the Taliban pose a threat to their country's future and must be dealt with.

"There's a sense of collective determination to respond forcefully," he said. "The Taliban challenged the very writ of the Pakistani government, and that's being taken very seriously." Still, he said it was too soon to gauge the full magnitude or duration of the Pakistani response.

Crime Prevention- Minimum wage can help reduce crime

2009-05-10T09:05:00.001+08:00

The Government can contribute to crime reduction by creating an environment which enables the poorest to make a decent living.

Criminologist Dr P. Sundramoor-thy said some people turned to crime when driven by poverty and usually, these cases occurred when the opportunity arose.

“The Government has to seriously consider implementing minimum wage because many who have menial jobs do not earn in proportionate to the cost of living,” he said.
On April 14, a 45-year-old single mother was sentenced to four years’ jail for robbing a man of RM220.

A. Parameswary told the judge that she committed the offence because she could not support her family with her salary of RM350 as a shop assistant.

Also on the same day, China Press reported that a canteen helper, Fatimah, 22, worked as a prostitute at night in Alor Setar to support her odd-job worker husband and one-year-old son, and pay her parents’ medical bills.

Sundramoorthy said a RM350 monthly income was far below the poverty line and barely covered the needs of a single person living in the city.

“The Government must set a minimum wage that covers food, housing, transport and children’s education,” he said.

MTUC president Syed Shahrir Syed Mohamud said its survey found that a person living in the Klang Valley needed at least RM30 a day for meals, transport and lodging.

However, people were still getting a ridiculous salary of RM12 a day, which was at the hardcore poverty level, he said.

“The Prime Minister recently announced that the people must come first, so these are the people we are talking about,” he added.

Empower executive director Maria Chin Abdullah said the Government must implement a minimum wage as soon as possible, otherwise poverty-related problems would persist and to some extent, contribute to people committing crime.

“Having low income is especially difficult for single mothers,” she said.

While not denying that consumerism had driven people towards materialism and acquiring wealth regardless of the means, Chin said a minimum wage was important in ensuring that people got their basic needs.

“It’s more sustainable for people to earn enough for themselves than to give out charity, which is meant only for the short term,” she said.

Car Park Security - Liability Of Car Park Operators

2009-04-25T17:06:00.000+08:00

No Matter how big the Size Of Car Park Liability Sign board that You Put Up at Your Car Park, You are still responsible to take proper Care so that All Cars Park in you car park are secured !

Geroge Town, Penang. 24th April 2009.

A “Park at your own risk” sign does not excuse an operator from being liable for items stolen from cars parked in the area under his care.

Yesterday, a magistrates court here ordered a car park operator to pay lawyer John Heah Wee Theng RM1,668 for items stolen from his car parked at an open air car park near Komtar two years ago.
The items included a compact disc and cassette player with a CD of a compilation of Neil Diamond’s songs, an amplifier, and a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses.

In his statement of claim filed against Timur Car Park Sdn Bhd, Heah said the notice board at the entrance to the car park stating that the defendant was not responsible for any loss or damage did not absolve the defendant from its duty of care and from liability.

In its defence, Timur Car Park argued that the notice board at the entrance meant Heah had clear knowledge that he was parking his car at his own risk.

Someone Committing Car Theft in A Car Park - With This Decision, Car Park operator is responsible to provide proper security measures in their premises.

The company added that it only provided a parking facility for the public and not a security service to prevent theft or trespass, and did not have duty of care. It said Heah could have failed to lock his car and activate the alarm system, or failed to ensure that the alarm system and the locks of the car doors were all functioning well. Heah said he parked his Kenari at the former open air car park next to the Traders Hotel at about 8.30pm on Oct 20, 2007. When he returned to his car at about 9.40pm, he found the door on the driver’s side unlocked and the items missing.

He said he paid RM2.40 to the company as parking charges for the duration, and the company had a duty of care to watch over the vehicles parked in the car park.Heah said he parked in a bright spot near a lamppost, adding that there were only 50 to 60 cars there at the time when the car park had a capacity for about 250 to 300 cars. He also said one or two of the car park’s workers were patrolling the area on motorcycle.

Magistrate Mohamed Aznin Mohamed Ariff allowed Heah’s claim for the sum, with interest and costs.
Heah was represented by Tan Beng Hong while Su Tiam Leong appeared for Timur Car Park.

In October 2007, the car park ceased operations and piling works began at the site for the construction of the 11-storey 1st Avenue Penang shopping complex which is scheduled for completion later this year.

The case is a "landmark decision" and hoped other car park operators, especially the cities and councils in Sarawak that had been collecting parking fees from car owners such as Kuching City North & South, would take note and provide better security.

SEC_RITY is not complete without U!

Physical Security Program -Guidelines

2009-04-19T22:00:00.000+08:00

Today posting I am going to discuss on Physical Security Program. For an organization in Malaysia, Security is part of business strtategy that is adopted by every organizations. Unlikely in other develop countries whereby security strategy is more toward human security/protection, in Malayisia security task is not only to protect employee but is also to safeguards it property from theft. In order to execute such task effectively, company should a comprehensive Physical Security Program.

What is a Physical Security ?

Before going deeper into our topic today, first of all we must know what is the defination of Physical Security. Physical Security addresses actions you can take to protect buildings, property and assets against intruders.

Physical Security Measures

(1) Physical security protection uses a multi-layered approach, known as “defence in depth”.

(2) Defence in depth means combining several measures to make unauthorised access difficult for an external intruder or an employee who does not “need to know”. These measures should complement and support one another.

(3) They may control:

physical space
procedures
personnel
technology.

(4) Physical security measures must be designed to meet the threat to security posed by the ill-intentioned person who already has authority to enter the site, building or secure zone, rather than the intruder from outside.

(5) The main physical defences are those nearest the protected information. In an organization with much information security, other precautions may be needed for “defence in depth” or to guard against human error. Precautions may include:

security keys and containers to protect classified information
access control measures
security alarm systems to detect unauthorised access and alert a response
physical barriers to deter, detect and delay unauthorised entry.

(6) Physical measures may be complemented by procedural and personnel measures such as:

the “need to know” principle, limiting access to official information to people who require it to carry out their duties
a security classification system that identifies material that needs special protection
a personnel security system that ensures appropriate approval or clearance for access to official material
logical controls which minimise security risks to departmental IT systems
education or training programme.

Security Awareness

Good security must include the co-operation of staff who fully know their responsibilities. Managers and staff should receive security education to meet their individual responsibilities and needs.

Physical Security Perimeter

(1) Physical protection can come from establishing several security perimeters around facilities storing classified material. A security perimeter is any physical barrier such as a wall, card-controlled entry or staffed reception desk.

A perimeter may be:

natural boundaries
fences or walls
the outer walls of a building
divisions within a building.

(2) The purpose of a perimeter is to physically, psychologically or legally deter intruders.

(3) Perimeter security may be enhanced by:

perimeter intrusion-detection systems (PIDS)
security lighting
closed-circuit television (CCTV)
security guards
warning signs and notices.

Storage Facilities

Facilities for the storage of classified material may comprise sites containing a number of buildings, buildings standing alone or secure zones within buildings.

Security Surveys

(1) Facilities that will store classified material should be surveyed for securing all possible means of access, including:

all entrances
ground-floor or accessible windows
skylights
personnel inspection covers and the like.

(2) Surveys should be repeated at frequent intervals, preferably every 12 months or when its use or the threat level changes.

Security Assessment

(1) In assessing security risks, facilities are rated by level of resistance to forced and surreptitious attack. The ratings are:

Grade I—specially designed structural barriers that deny unauthorised entry outside normal working hours
Grade II—structural barriers that deter unauthorised entry outside normal working hours
Grade III—standard building material and hardware that provide limited security.

(2) Assessments should also consider security threats from neighbouring premises.

Facilities used to process or store classified material should:

be unobtrusive
have minimum indication of purpose
have no obvious signs either outside or inside suggesting the presence of classified material.

General Design Features

(1) Facilities that store or process classified material should have as few access points as safety and the functions of the site allow.

(2) Access points should have physical security controls such as:

window bars
grilles
shutters
security doors.

(3) Controls may be enhanced by intrusion-detection systems, CCTV or guard services.

Intrusion-Detection Systems

(1) Intrusion-detection systems (IDS) are designed to detect actual or attempted unauthorised entry, identify its location and signal a response with an alarm. IDS can:

provide continuous surveillance over secure areas
extend coverage into areas not usually accessible to guards.

(2) When selecting, installing and using IDS, take care to avoid the possibility of:

intruders circumventing the system
technical problems
excessive false alarms.

Physical Entry Controls

(1) Secure areas should be protected from unauthorised access by controls such as:

authentication controls, such as card plus PIN, to authorise and validate entry to areas with classified information, including information-processing facilities
a securely maintained audit trail of access
some form of visible identification worn by all staff
a policy of challenging unescorted strangers and anyone not wearing identification
regular review and update of access rights to secure areas
controls for visitors:

      - supervision or clearance for specific, authorised purposes
      - instructions on emergency procedures and security requirements
      - recording their date and time of entry and departure.

Visitors Management

(1) Visitors to areas housing official information should not be allowed unrestricted movement.

(2) Prior notice should be given to the guard or receptionist of expected visitors and whether they need to be escorted within the building.

(3) The organization may use Visitor's Slip to track the movement of visitor inside the premises.

(4) On arrival, each visitor should be:

issued a pass that is clearly displayed
conducted either to the “host”/Sponsor Officer or to a waiting room observed by a receptionist or guard.
Unless they have given prior notice of a visit, “hosts” should be asked by telephone if they will receive visitors.

(5) If calling on more than one person, a visitor should be escorted between offices.

(6) The last-visited person must make sure that a visitor leaves the building when their business is complete, and that they return any issued pass to the guard or receptionist.

(7) The last-visited person or an assigned staff member should escort the visitor to the exit.

(8) Entry and exit to areas where classified material may be visible or accessible should be avoided.

(9) Visitors should be:

advised that no photographs or recordings of any type may be taken at any time during the visit to areas where classified information is held, processed or handled, except with specific departmental approval.
asked, where necessary, to hand in mobile telephones and other recording and communications equipment.

(10) To be effective, measures for visitor control should include a register of each visitor’s name and the staff member authorising the visit. It should also show:

the visitor’s department, agency or firm; or in the case of private individuals, their private address
the names of employees visited
the times of the visitor’s arrival and departure
the reason for the visit.

(11) The visitor control record should be held at the guard or reception point, or by a designated employee if there is no guard or reception point.

(12) The visitor control record should be covered to prevent visitors from seeing details of other visitors.

(13) At the end of each day, all visitors’ passes should be checked, and action taken to account for any not returned.

(14) The visitor register should be retained for a period of two years, to be available for any possible security investigations.

(15) In organisations with a large flow of inquiries or visitors, the reception desk should be near the main entrance.

Entry by Media Representatives

If permission is granted for visits by media representatives to areas where classified material is used, handled or stored, the following additional procedures should be observed:

a designated staff member should accompany media representatives throughout the visit
classified material should be locked away or at least hidden
the media representatives must be reminded that no photographs or recordings of any type may be taken at any time during the visit, except with specific approval of their escorting staff member.

Instructions to Guards or Receptionists

(1) Where guards or receptionists carry out security functions such as checking passes or maintaining records of staff entering or leaving at unusual hours, they should receive precise written instructions which should contain:

details on which pass holders may be admitted
names and telephone numbers to report incidents of security significance both during and outside working hours.

(2) The instructions should be customised for every entrance to every building.

(3) Close liaison between those controlling the guards or receptionists and the organisation’s security personnel will ensure that:

the written instructions are understood, observed and updated
the guards or receptionists carry out their duties well.

Securing Facilities, Rooms and Offices

(1) A secure zone may be a locked office, or several rooms inside a physical security perimeter, which may be locked or contain lockable cabinets or safes.

(2) Consider the following controls for secure zones:

locate important facilities away from public access
lock unattended doors and windows
use external protection for windows, particularly at ground level
install intrusion-detection systems:

       - to professional standards
       - with regular testing
       - to cover all external doors and accessible windows
       - to alarm unoccupied areas at all times and other areas as needed

locate information-processing facilities managed by the organisation in a different place than those managed by third parties
locate support functions and equipment such as photocopiers and fax machines in a secure area so that information cannot be compromised
restrict public access to directories and internal telephone books that identify the location of “sensitive” facilities.

Security of Classified Materials/Confidential Documents

The protection of classified material depends on:

the security container
the lock on the container
the location of the container within the site, building or secure zone.

"Secure Workplace & Better Place to Work"

Know Your Right When Dealing With The Police -Malaysian Police Perspectives

2009-04-11T14:51:00.000+08:00

One day while you walk to a shopping mall, suddenly you are stop by two gentlemen who claiming they are the police personnel from CID. They ask you to follow them to their car. What will be your action ? All Malaysians should agree with me that if you have to confront with someone, the policemen would be the last person that you would like to confront with.

In this country where policemen are so powerful even to the extent of having the “shoot to kill” authority or in conducting interrogation they sometime use “admit or die” approach, therefore in the above case I am sure that majority of us will follow them to their car. The question of whether they are real police or impersonator is not important at this point of time , but what important to us is their authority and power....in this situation we will not be able to exercise our right unless you know them.

Ironically, the increased use of undercover policing seems to be contributing to the spread of police impersonation. Real cons and mass media dramas involving the undercover theme have accustomed citizens and culprits alike to the presence of non-uniformed police.

This can lead to a reverse version of the ‘who are you really’ question for those who are part of a genuine cover operation. In such a scenario, real police — undercover, plainclothes or off-duty — may occasionally also be perceived as imposters.

The question “are you real” becomes even more complex when individuals whose formal affiliation with a police agency is genuine but whose behavior is criminal.

Arguably, women seem more likely to be victimised by bogus cops, especially in traffic cases. Consider a female driver being harassed and coerced to sex by a rascal copy cat law enforcer. Beyond facing the trappings of official legal power, the women pulled over may additionally be vulnerable as a result of the impersonator’s behaviour.

An incident in Kuala Lumpur on New Year’s Eve is a good example. An 18-year-old university student’s car was stopped in Taman Tun Dr Ismail and asked by four men, claiming to be cops, to open the bonnet. The men then told her she had committed an offence and ordered her to follow them to a police station.

The girl was driven in her car along the North-South expressway to the Tapah-Cameron Highlands Road before she was raped in an oil palm estate.

Consider too the case of girls window-shopping or waiting for a bus as what had happened in Kuching also on New Year’s Eve.

In one instance, a 16-year-old was reportedly window-shopping at a store in Jalan Ang Cheng Ho when a man in his 50s approached her. Claiming to be a police inspector, he told her he had a court warrant to check her for drugs possession.The man told the girl to follow him to a black Perodua Kenari. He then drove her to a lonely spot in Jalan Bako where he ordered her to unbutton her clothes because he wanted to check for drugs. When she undressed, the man grabbed her breasts and asked her to remove her trousers!

Foreigners, especially illegal immigrants, fearing deportation, seem more likely to be victimised. One such incident occurred in Johor in 2007. The 29-year-old victim had taken a short cut through a back alley to get to her hostel in Jalan Pelangi at 1.30pm when two men stopped her.
They showed her a pair a handcuffs and asked for her identification documents. When she could not produce the papers, they told her to get on one of their motorcycles.

Instead of taking her to the police station, they rode to a plantation where they raped her and took away her belongings. The woman, who managed to find her way out of the area, sought the help of passers-by to send her to the police station. She is probably the exception because most illegal immigrants do not report such incidents … for obvious reasons.

There are no national statistics but it’s likely incidents of such a nature account for the most unreported of violations partly because the victims may not realise they have been duped or may feel no great harm is done.

Regardless, the fact that there are such crimes being perpetrated against either citizens or illegal immigrants should alert motorists or individuals to the need to exercise extreme caution when flagged down or approached by people who claim to be plainclothes-policemen. The commonest problem is that most people take instructions without determining if the other person is really a cop.

So, what should people, especially women, do if stopped by the police? Many people think police officers have unlimited power of search and arrest. Not true.

While Section 3 of the Police Act 1967 appears to give police officers the authority to search and arrest where necessary to prevent and detect crime, this power is, however, subjected to the principle of “legality” — that is police officers could be made liable for damages for unlawful search and arrest of citizens in the street and inside premises.

Article 8 of the Federal Constitution protects the citizens from arbitrary power of the police and police officers are subjected to the rule of law, implying that all powers must be specifically conferred.

Both the Police and the Criminal Procedure Code do not provide specific powers to permit random stop and search of persons without an arrest. However, there are provisions in the law that allows police officers to stop and search vehicles suspected to have been used in committing a criminal offence.

The Police Act 1967 allows police officers to seize vehicles for the purpose of inspecting for incriminating goods and after the search has been completed, the vehicles must be returned to its rightful owner as soon as possible. These police officers are not to detain the seized vehicles without a court order for a period longer than that permitted by the Police Act 1967.

How to Avoid Being A Victim of Police Impersonator

There are steps you can take to help you identify a police impersonator and avoid becoming a victim.

Rule No 1. Stay Calm. If you do not do anything wrong …DON’T WORRY about the police. They are just doing their job.

Rule No 2. Ask for their Authority Cards. Every policeman is given with a Authority Card. You can ask the person in blue to produce his Authority Card and if he could not produce it for verification of identity, then there is reasonable suspicion the uniformed person is not a policeman. At the same time, if the person in blue showed a purported Authority Card but without you being properly given the chance to know whether or not that card refers to the person concerned, then, this also should give rise to the same suspicion and a report should immediately be lodge with the nearest police station.

Rule No 3. When facing with such a situation above, it is best not to follow the person’s instructions or him to the police station. Of course, if he is not in uniform, one may not know whether or not he is a policeman. But once he is not in uniform, we can always disregard him,” One point to note is that a policeman not wearing his uniform has no the authority to stop anyone.

Rule No 4. Women must also be aware that the law requires a female to be searched by a female and if a male policeman makes a bodily search on a female, complaints can be made for assault and battery.

Rule No 5. The police officer who conducts the search has no right to command a person being searched to go to police station with him without disclosing that the person is placed under arrest and without revealing the reasons of arrest. Means If you have not been informed of the purpose and reasons of your arrest, get someone to lodge a police report on your behalf first so that the matter can be investigated at the earliest opportunity.

Rule No 6. In the event that you are placed under arrest, make sure the police officer, conducting the arrest, does not bring you anywhere, except to the nearest police station. If he makes a detour, you need to warn him you will make a complaint against him to his senior officers.”

Malaysian Bar Council has published a Red Book Pamphlet No 24 on how to dealt with the police. The pamphlet is available and can be read here.

"Because we care, we're security aware"

Security Practitioner – Professional challenges and Business Needs

2009-03-25T09:50:00.000+08:00

Security practitioner is defined as a person who works as a Loss Prevention Officer with corporate organization. In Malaysia Loss Prevention officer is commonly known as the Security Manager or Chief of Security of the organization. Security Manager Function is dissimilar from Crime prevention officer as the later is normally is a role of the policemen.

What are the challenges that a professional Security Manager going to face throughout their entire career. Effective Security Manager is one who should be able to advice the Management on security matters effectively. Management means the MD or the CEO of the organization. This can be effectively done if the Security Manager has a direct access to the CEO or the MD. But in most of the small companies, Security manager normally report to the HR Manager. No problem arises if the HR Manager knows his role as a boss to the Security Manager. Based on my personal experience, the HR Manager/head that already have experienced in the HR Manager Job, knows very well what his roles as a boss to the Security manager. But be careful with some of the HR Managers especially those who are new to the job. Some of them will try to proof to the Security Manager that they are the head of security and without bother to listen to the advise of Security Manager or literally means that they though that they know better than Security Manager himself who is trained and experience in his field?
Another challenge of the Security Manager job is on how to influence the management to enforce stringent or effective security measures versus Customer Services (CS) with limited resources allocated to him? Basic principle of security management is 3D + R or Deter, Detect, Defense and Response. But most of the corporate organizations in Malaysia adopting the principle of Response and Defense (or R&D) laterally mean enforcing stringent security measures after the threats struck. In another words the management of the company is still using the old method to asses or justify for security spending – spends after the threats struck. Therefore the first job of the security manager is to influence the management of the company to accept the 3D + R concept /principle.
Next function of security manager is to implement effective security measures and effective command and management of security force. Effective security measures include Security Policy and Procedures, Electronic security Systems which include perimeter protection, Visitor’s Management, Access Control, and CCTV. As for effective command and management of security force include what type of force to use either in-house or private security force, manpower deployment, security training or retraining and lastly the availability and effectiveness of Security Standing Orders.
Despite all the challenges mentioned above, professional security practitioner is still a promising career to embark on, and for all the younger generations who want to explore into this career, they must be prepared to make a difficult decision between security needs versus business ethics.
In my next posting I’ll be writing on the In-House Guard Vs Contract Guard, and The criteria’s for selection of a Contract Guard.

“Security Is Still A Promising Career to Explore….”

Guidelines For Selection Of Security Services

2009-03-19T21:05:00.000+08:00

Beside its main duty to protect client’s resources, security guard is also playing an important role in portraying company positive image. Therefore an organization that chooses to use Contract guard to provide security coverage need to be very careful and detail in selecting the security company. Some of the criteria that a company can consider when selecting security company are:--

License
The first criteria to look at is a valid license. The company must have a valid license issued by Kementerian Keselamatan Dalam Negeri [(KDN) Ministry Of Internal Affairs Malaysia].

Reputation or Performance
A security company’s reputation should be examined to ensure that the company
has maintained a trustworthy and dependable reputation. To determine the quality
of past work, ascertain whether there has been a recent history of valid or successful lawsuits or complaints to state agencies against the company filed by clients or employees. This can be learned by going to at least 3 existing clients of the company. Never-ever trust the company profiles or presentation provided by the security company. Past experiences taught us that the security company only going to tell you the ONLY good things about the company
Performance).

Experience and Management
It is important to recognize that you are hiring the guard service management team because, typically, the pool of security guards is the same for all companies. Inquire as to the number of years of service in the security industry of the company’s MD, Regional Manager and Operations Management. Although not essential, the security company should have recently provided security service to an institution similar to yours.

Proposal Characteristics
Carefully analyze the proposal submitted by the security company. The proposal should address the specific security needs at your premises and demonstrate that the security company has carefully reviewed and considered your needs.

Training and Qualifications
The proposal should set the minimum qualification as follows: describe the security related education, training levels, and experience of personnel to be assigned at your institution. In Malaysia the good security personnel must have a military services background. The policemen also is a good material for security guard but the police normally leave the services at older age or more than 56 years age.

Staffing
Staffing may be regular, rotating or temporary and it is important to know beforehand which personnel you will be dealing with. A permanent staff assignment is always best if it can be obtained. However, security company often have difficulty maintaining regular staff as a result of odd shifts, frequently consisting of more than eight hours. You should research the security company’s history of staff stability and be wary of excessive turnover or poor relationships with employees. The company should also obtain your approval before transferring (or replacing) personnel from your premises. It is important to assure that the company’s needs at other premises should not take precedence over security needs at your premises.

Description of Supervision
Does the proposal describe the exact nature of supervision to be provided?
Company should be willing to explain clearly how they will monitor and control
the quality of security services.

Documentation

In selecting the best quality company, the proposal should describe the type and frequency of reports and documentation (daily officer activity logs, incident reports, crime reports, officer time sheets, other special reports, etc.). Consistent and thorough written communication is an important output of contract security services and is an important management control mechanism you have over security services and costs.

Instructions to Security Guard
Carefully analyze whether the proposal includes sample Security Standing Orders or Standard Operating Procedures Manual. This document describes all aspects of job performance at your premises including security guard grooming and decorum, sets the standard of security services, and provides the basis of guard discipline.

Emergency Procedures
The company’s proposal should describe how its guards will function under various emergency conditions. The proposal should demonstrate an understanding and coherent approach to a wide variety of nonstandard, unusual or crisis situations.

Equipment Issues
If the security guard is expected to patrol your institution when it is closed (holidays, overnight, etc.), he/she should be equipped with a cell phone enabling contact with emergency services if needed. It is important for you to ask what other equipment is standard issue and/or the guard is certified to use. For example, will the guard carry a baton, handheld beacon light, torch light, luminous jacket, etc.?

References
References help identify quality and reputable security company. Client references
give invaluable insight as to the reliability and performance of a security company
and highlight areas of possible improvement. To secure the most qualified and experienced security firm, use references that:
• Clients verify a company’s history of relevant experience.
• Past clients’ references verify a company’s history of responsiveness.

Costs
Cost should not be the consideration for selection of Contract Security Services. In Malaysia this criteria falls on the top of the organization selection criteria. This is one of the contributing factors why the performance of duty of a contract guards always below the organization expectation. In determining the cost of prospective security company, following issues should be also addressed :
• How will guard pay increases be handled?
• Will any additional charges be made for uniforms, equipment, supplies, etc.?
Again, these should be proposed, justified, logical and mutually agreed upon.

Contract
In prepare the contract of service the organization must involve Security Manager or for government offices must get the advise from government security officer ( Pegawai Keselamatan Kerajaan ) .The security contract defines the rights and responsibilities between your company and the Contract guard and to ensures that the services provided by security company will meet your needs. There are numerous questions and criteria that a security contract should specifically address in order to ensure that the security company is responsible and dependable. These serve as guidelines to refer to and are listed below:
• What type of service will the company provides (i.e Cash-in-Transit, static guard, security patrol –what type of patrol whether area or perimeter patrol how the patrol will be conducted – on foot/infantry patrol, vehicle patrol, how frequent, any guatd tour system available?
• At contract time will there be a price increase? How much? Why?
• Do you retain the right to terminate the agreement at any time and for any
reason? Is this right mutual?
• Is the amount of notice required for contract termination — by the company
or client — reasonable? Thirty days is the standard.
• Is the agreement sufficiently flexible to meet your needs?
• Does it assure fairness to the company and adequate control to the client?
• Can you replace a guard if necessary?

Management
You and the security company must share an understanding of the reasons for entering into the contract. As such, discussion issues should include the following:
• Discuss your desires with the security company management.
• Discuss terms of supervision with the company, field and management staff. The security personnel know, understand, and comply with your premise’s written policy manual. If a security guard performs below par, it is important to know that the individual will be counseled, disciplined and replaced by the company as needed.
• Once the security guards are in place, you will need to monitor them to ensure that they meet high professional standards, project a professional and alert demeanor and respond effectively to security-related concerns. It should be required that all that written materials from the security guard (logs, reports, etc.) be clear, complete and useable. You should receive a copy of every report filed by the guard.

Until then....mupok aku

"Because we care, we're security aware"

Disclaimer
The above suggestion is intended to help organizations become aware of basic security considerations. It is not intended to provide comprehensive, institution specific advice on security matters nor is it meant to replace the advice of a security professional. For comprehensive, institution-specific security advice, a security professional or an organization’s Security Manager should be consulted. Securesafe specifically disclaims any and all responsibility for, and is not responsible for, any loss or damage arising out of the use, nonuse or misuse of this information.

Security Alert-Telephone Hoax

2009-03-14T19:23:00.000+08:00

The head of Kuching Police district had yesterday reminded the public of a tactic employed by whom they believed a con artist to dupe victim to deposit their monies into a bank account. According to ACP Wong Wai Loong, the caller will call the potential victim demands money amounting between RM20K to 200K for the release of a supposedly kidnapped family member. So far 4 incidents have been reported to the police but none of the complainants who recieved such calls depositing the money into the account number provided by the caller.

The public are advised not to be hoodwinked by callers who demand money as a ransom as such calls are nothing as more than elaborate hoaxes. They are also advised not to panic, and if they happen to receive such a call to notify the police immediately so that police can investigate the authenticity of the claim.

Mupok aku

"Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban"

Personal Security - For Ladies

2009-03-12T09:45:00.000+08:00

This is interesting article that I pick up from my wife this morning. It is written in BM. For those who do not understand BM, I'll translate it to English in the future if there is any request. The article is about a real life story, therefore to all the ladies out there , I encourage you to read the article.

Baru dapat tahu dari seorang kawan THAT adik ipar dia, seorang perempuan, menjadi mangsa samun dan bunuh di Sunway. Berlaku kira-kira jam 9 PAGI, beliau sedang memandu keretanya di Sunway selepas menghantar suaminya ke SJMC. Keretanya telah dilanggar dari belakang dan kemudiannya disamun dan ditikam di Sunway. Sekarang berada di ICU disebabkan kehilangan 75% darahnya akibat tikaman tersebut.

2-3 hari lepas, di Negeri Sembilan, seorang wanita yang keretanya telah dilanggar dari belakang, menjadi mangsa samun dan rogol.

Kejadiaan serupa ini banyak berlaku sejak 2-3 bulan ini . Dalam TV, rancangan 999 kemarin ada memaparkan kejadian serupa. Dalam rancangan tersebut, 2 kejadian dipaparkan.

Pertama, seorang wanita yang memandu di Seksyen 7 Shah Alam kira-kira pukul 11 malam, keretanya di langgar dari belakang. Dia kemudiannya dilarikan ke kawasan pembinaan di Shah Alam dan dirogol bergilir-gilir.

Kedua, di Gombak Setia. Kereta seorang wanita di langgar dari belakang . Semasa pertengkaran, lelaki yang pura-pura menuruh wanita tersebut memeriksa sama ada pintu belakang boleh dibuka atau tidak, telah menolak wanita tersebut kedalam kereta dan rakan lelaki itu telah memandu kereta tersebut. Mangsa telah dirogol rasanya (mungkin saya silap). Dia juga telah dicederakan dengan pisau di jari termasuk diKELAR dipaha (ada la dalam 3-4 inci).

So FRIENDS, berhati-hati lah. Tidak kira yang dah kawin ataupun belum. Sebab yang di Gombak tue rasanya dah bersuami. Per ‘INGAT’ kanlah kenalan, saudara mara serta isteri (atau isteri-isteri) kita " MAKE SURE LOCK YOUR CAR & JANGAN KELUAR DARI KERETA! ."

MAKE SURE ADA NBR. PHONE POLICE DLM HANDSET & CALL YOUR HUSBAND/NEARBY RELATIVE, KALAU DAH SYAK ACCIDENT TU SCAM, CEPAT-CEPAT PECUT KE BALAI POLIS BERDEKATAN (BILA ‘MEREKA’ KELUAR DARI KERETA) BERSAMA-SAMA MAKLUMAT KERETA MEREKA YANG MELANGGAR ITU SEPERTI NO. PENDAFTARAN KERETA, JENIS KERETA, WARNA KERETA,CIRI-CIRI PEMANDU, DLL YANG DIRASAKAN PENTING.

Please share this article with your friends and relatives.

Mupok aku

"Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban"

Personal Security Tips – Avoid Scams in Borneo Kuching

2008-12-05T21:03:00.000+08:00

As I mentioned in my earlier postings, Sarawak is one of the safest states in Malaysia. This posting serves to remind all visitors to Sarawak on some of the money scams uncovered by the police .Lately the police have uncovered few scam cases involving few hundred thousands of Malaysia Ringgit.

According to the police, some of the scam uncovered was the Court Scam, Along Scam, Scratch and Win Scam, SMS and Hong Kong Scam. Almost all of the victims of the scam fall prey to the conmen due to greed. The latest incident of Court scam occurred in Sarawak. According to the police, a man impersonated and introduced himself as a senior police officer from Bukit Aman to a victim over the telephone. The caller allegedly informed the victim to attend a court case in Kuala Lumpur because his account had been used by people for money laundering purposes. The victim was then asked to withdraw the money from his account and transfer it to another account for safe keeping until the court case was over. The victim did what had been instructed by the caller, and at the end he lost RM 128,000.

So as not to fall prey to the syndicates, always be suspicious when people call and start asking for money. If you ever encounter the same scenario, one should ask for the caller Complete name, his service number (remember policemen or member of the armed forces have their own unique service number), department and his office contact number. Take note all of this information. This information can be checked from the nearest police station, as they will be able to help. The victim also should been wary of the Court Scam case against him, the court would have followed proper procedure to deliver/serve the notice to attend court and not just a message by SMS.

AVOID YOURSELVES FROM BECOMING A VICTIM OF SCAM BY ALWAYS BE SUSPICIOUS AND ALERT…

Motorcycle and Motor Vehicle Theft – Security Tips For Visitors to Kuching Borneo Island

2008-12-02T11:59:00.000+08:00

Police Record’s shows that an average of 2 cars per month were reported stolen in Kuching and most of its were ended in West Kalimantan (Indonesia ) . The number of case is increasing from time to time and the police blamed the “jalan tikus” or illegal border crossings that exist along Sarawak and Kalimantan international boarder.

According to the local police chief, most of the cars targeted by thieves were imported models. These vehicles were smuggled out of the country to Indonesia through Lubok Antu along jalan tikus to Nanga Badau. The most popular vehicle amongst the thieves was Toyota UNSER.

Investigation by the police revealed that it took only SIXTY (60) seconds for the thieves to steal a car . They believed that most of vehicle theft might be using duplicated vehicle keys. The thieves got accessed to the keys by approached the mechanics of the workshop and offered them quiet substantial amount of monies to duplicate the key. Owner of the workshop or service Centre sometimes does not know about the activities which their mechanics or apprentices are doing because it would be very difficult for them to keep track on all of the activities which the mechanics or apprentices are doing.

The local police head also revealing that the modus operandi of vehicle theft said that after making a duplicate copy of key for the vehicles, which the racket members wanted, the mechanic or apprentice will give it to them by including with it the Vehicles Registration Numbers. From there the tracking of the vehicles will be carried out by the racket members and arm with the duplicated keys the target will be an easy prey when it was park at parking lot in shopping complexes or at the parking lots already identified as a “Hot spot”.

To avoid vehicles being stolen by using duplicated keys, vehicle owners are advised to install extra lock on the vehicles. As for the second hand car owners, vehicles lock must be changed immediately after buying the car from second hand car dealers.

The other approaches suggested to avoid Vehicle theft are:-

• Ensure your vehicle is equipped with a good alarm device

• To fix extra lock for steering, gear, tyre and clutch. Make sure the car is always locked.

• Do not leave your key to the car jockey

• Carve your registration number onto the car windows (sand blasting).

Ways to prevent Motorcycles Theft

• Park your motorcycle at the Parking Lot

• Ensure that your motorcycle is locked at all times

• Park your motorcycle where it can easily be seen. At night park in a brightly lit area.

• Chain and use additional lock

• Carve the registration of your motorcycle at important parts on your motorcycle body.

• The MOST IMPORTANT POINT is to make a police report or call the police immediately or upon the discovery of the incident.

Car Security in Kuching City – Borneo Most Amazing City

2008-12-02T10:08:00.000+08:00

Kuching, the state capital of Sarawak with population of 450,000 approximately is one of the most interesting cities and most rewarding travel destinations in Malaysia .It has everything the discerning traveler could wish for. Kuching's romantic and unlikely history features a hundred-year dynasty of White Rajahs. Its rich and varied architectural heritage mixes many styles and influences, whilst the relaxed hospitality of its charming citizens is an object lesson in multi-cultural. It is also the perfect base for discovering Sarawak's interior.

For those who wish to visit Kuching Welcome to the “Hornbill City”. Well the best way for you to explore Kuching City and its surrounding is by renting a car. There is plenty of Car Rental Company with the most affordable price in Kuching. When parking your car in Kuching make sure that proper security precaution measures have been taken so that you will not losing your car. According to the local police head, an average of 2 car theft per month has been recorded in the city. Among the “hot spot” or Car theft prone areas in the city are at Parking lots near Datuk Abang Abdul Rahim Road, followed by the parking areas around Ban Hock Road, Song Thian Cheok Road, the parking facilities near Bukit Mata Road, near Pending Height and the supermarket in Petra Jaya.

This article is not to stop you from visiting one of the most peaceful city and Malaysia, but it serves to provide guidelines and reminder to all the car drivers in Kuching so that your time spent in Kuching is well utilize (rather than have to spend few hours waiting in Police Station to make Police Report). Please also refer to the Vehicle Security Tips in this blog.

Perspective of Crime In A Nutshell Part II

2008-12-02T07:22:00.000+08:00

Welcome again to my blog. Today I am going to continue with Part II of the Perspective of crime in a Nutshell.

As I wrote yesterday, the three factors that influence human being to commit crime are Desire, ability and Opportunity. In this perspective, it is the theory that crime do not occur or be successfully committed without these human factors. In single term, one does not do something if he has no desire for the result of his act; he will not attempt to do anything in which he knows that he will not succeed in doing; and he cannot even do that act if there is no chance for him to effect the act. The primary motor is therefore the “need” and “want” , but the crime does not materialize if the object of the desire or “want” is beyond his ability to attain, or the opportunity presented.

To put all illustratively, let’s consider these points:

(1) Few would consider stealing an old car with punctured tyres, parked amongst new limousines;

(2) The snatch thief would not pick that woman accompanied by a burly fellow as a victim of a Snatch thief; and

(3) Much as he may desire, he seldom arrives at seriously considering laying his hands on the wealth in the bank strong rooms.

Bearing these basics in mind, you may now realize that most property crime is preventable, and the application of good sense, being interested and aware of what is happening around us forms the basis to tailor our own defense against crime. Have the enquiring mind ; cultivating natural curiosity to what goes on around us in the foundation of our defense. Also remember the human factors that cause a property crime and address them as best as you can.

Remember not to show off expensive or attractive items at an inappropriate time or place. Make sure that you send out the signal that our valuables are obviously protected – “No you can’t get at them!”. For homes: Install window grills, good door lock and good lighting outside – consider event alarm, dog, geese, etc…, for cars: Park them in well lit arrears at night or in proper parking areas at all times, ensuring that they are locked, alarm system activated and windows wound up; or persons: Avoid walking with the flow of road traffic , valuables (as in handbags) slung or carried securely on the right, and always walking with the crowd while also being aware of person trying to get too near.

Mick
2/12/2008

Perspective Of Crime In A Nutshell Part I

2008-12-01T23:38:00.000+08:00

Today I am going to write about Perspective of Crime In A Nutshell.

Acts to go again the norm of society and religion are detested become the attention of common rejection. This develop into the consensus, and with time into laws where unacceptable acts beget due redress. Serious deviations are then viewed and addressed as crimes.

Man is born with an inherent tendency towards crime : it is the nature of the intelligent specie to compare and contrasts; to imagine, want and desire; to be ambitious and innovatibe; to be curious and exploratory. The morals of the rightand wrongs is taught and inculated from the cradle and reinforced through the years, and
this is expected to be respected and reinforced the rest of his life.

Life of the ordinary people is very much governed by "Need" and "Wants", i.e :-

(1) Basic Needs for survival and existence:
(2) Desire for what others have or enjoy; and
(3) Ambitions to be better and attain higher threshold of life than others

In the endeavor to ascend the above-mentioned steps of needs and wants the route involves the choice between the "right" and "wrong"route. To cut corners and to go against life 's norm is to enter the wrong route, which may lead to commission of crime.

I will continue with part 2 tomorrow . Part II will touch on the human factors that make up seat of crime, till then..Good Bye.

Mick
1/12/2008

Welcome

2008-10-18T14:03:00.001+08:00

Hi all...Welcome to my first blog.I am the security practitioner who has been working with the international company for the past nine years.

In the following weeks and months I will be blogging about a wide range subjects related to security including Security protection strategies, , prevention of crime, security product, managing security unit and discussion on best security practices. From time to time you may see my commentary on new security developments, interesting blogs and other relevant events. I would like to make this blog as interactive as possible so feel free to comment or ask questions.