June 4th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Trust No One
These two weeks alone, I have heard of 3 crimes committed using the phone.
Firstly, is the infamous forwarded e-mail from one Mr Kam who advised people not to give account numbers over the phone to a “policeman” who said you have a court case.
It’s just plain ridiculous. Since when policemen became so damn efficient? And asking you to go to court? Go to court? Think so easy to go to court, is it? Court is a shopping mall ah? I just know that it’s going to be a swimming pool soon with all the leakages but definitely not a shopping mall.
It is actually a blessing in disguise that the policeman in our country is “under staff” and hence please don’t expect service to be “efficient” or “cekap” when they are still struggling with the “bersih” and “amanah”.
So people, if you get phone calls asking for your IC or account numbers or anything – please hang up.
This second story was published in a Malay newspapers some weeks ago. There are two co-workers who always share obscene and sexual jokes during office hours. The conversations went a little out of hand and the sms-es started. But then, she didn’t know the sms-es were from the colleague. She even showed the obscene sms-es to the sender unknowingly as well as other colleagues and seemed to enjoyed it.
Eventually, the sms-es gotten out of hand and she went to lodge a police report, not knowing that the sms-es were actually sent by the male colleague sitting right opposite her in the office!
Apparently, the guy paid her to shut her up with the help of a middle person in the office.
To me, I think it takes two to tango. I believe that one should not even be so “hamsap” in the office. An office is a place for you to work and where you get money to pay your bills. Why want to eat and shit in the same place?
Let this be a lesson to all, especially those who like to crack hamsap jokes in the office. We will never be too sure to what extent a person could tolerate a joke. AND first and foremostly – one shouldn’t even try to be dirty minded in the office – you might get sued for sexual harassment even if the other party entices you to commit it.
Thirdly is a story I heard from a colleague this afternoon. Her friend was accused of making threatening phone calls to a lady to kidnap her son. Obviously he didn’t. But he did lend his phone to stranger who frequents the same coffee shop as him for meals. This stranger would just simply grab his mobile phone he conveniently placed on the table and made phone calls. It happened thrice. The weird thing is, he didn’t even stop this guy from using his phone. Like they said, if shit happened once, it’s pure bad luck. But if shit happens the second time, then he’s stupid. This happened for the third time? Gawd. He’s clearly seeking for troubles.
As expected, an untoward incident happened. He is now accused of making threatening phone calls to the lady to kidnap her son. The lady had lodge three police reports on three occasions this friend allegedly “made” the phone calls.
The funny twist of this story is – the sergeant who allegedly taking on the case – called this friend to ask him to meet in order to explain the situation. Thinking that this sergeant might be a hoax, he lodged a police report against him, thinking that the sergeant was trying to threaten him with things that he didn’t do.
While this friend was making a police report, the sergeant came over to the police station and was furious. He asked the friend to step out from the police station but the friend refused to. Eventually the sergeant came into the police station and told them to go to the next police station which is managed by him.
Then this sergeant coaxed him to cancel the report by proofing that he is actually a real sergeant and then, arrange a meeting with this lady to explain the situation. The lady came to the police station and demanded no explanation. She insisted to bring this friend to court.
I have sought some legal advice from friends and they told me that, it would take a police report from this friend to counter the report from the lady and then only the police would make due inquiry and conduct investigations to the case. If the police could find evidence supporting the case, they would start the prosecution procedure. Apparently, the case has not even been started and this lady already making a fuss to drag this friend’s ass to court.
There are some loopholes in the allegations. Initially, there is no report being lodged by this friend. I was given the understanding that the police would only start to get their asses moving once police report is being lodged by this friend. It would then constitute a criminal case. For a criminal offence, prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt. (This one I know since I did some law papers a few years ago – Thanks, M!). Even if the phone is being registered in his name, it didn’t clearly point out that he is the one who made the malicious phone calls.
If I were him, I would have kick up a big fuss – I would dare the lady to court and lodge a police report, turning the tables on her that she is the one harassing me. Even better, sought help from Michael Chong and tell this story to every Chinese newspapers in town (I love Chinese newspapers as they spare no details – even if I don’t know how to read them).
It looks rather convincing but every cell in my body is telling me this is a hoax! (Wah.. I feel like Dana Scully when I said the word “hoax”)
So friends, please don’t be so nice and lend your phone to strangers or putting your phones lying around the offices or restaurants to invite unnecessary problems. I guess if we ever lost our phones, we would better lodge a police report to prevent this unnecessary shit.
It doesn’t feel safe to trust anyone anymore. Sigh We have to take care of ourselves.