Malaysia arrests man suspected of punching, kicking woman in MRT lift robbery
19 February, 2019
Malaysian police have arrested a man suspected of attacking and robbing a woman in a lift at the Taman Mutiara Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station in Cheras district.
The 26-year-old suspect was arrested at 8.10pm on Monday (Feb 18), Kuala Lumpur Police chief Mazlan Lazim said.
Earlier, Mazlan had said that the police had the suspect’s personal information, including his address, following the attack last Thursday.
“Our investigations showed that the suspect had robbed a 24-hour convenience store near the MRT station at about 6.30am that day before robbing the victim in the lift,” Mazlan had said earlier at a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Police headquarters.
A 57-second CCTV camera recording that showed the suspect brutally attacking the victim has gone viral.
In the video, the man, who entered the lift after the woman, swung his arm at her after the doors closed. She fell to the ground after the first blow.
The man then punched her repeatedly as she remained on the ground, before snatching her handbag while grabbing her hair.
He paused at one point when the lift doors opened, and continued to pummel her with both fists when they were alone again. He also swung her handbag at her.
The attacker kicked her while she was on the ground, and again as she tried to get up. After the doors reopened, he ran off with her purse.
The woman, who suffered injuries to several parts of her body and swelling on her forehead, also lost her identity card, bank cards and RM400 in the incident, Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department chief SAC Rusdi Mohd Isa said in a statement on Friday.
DEFEND YOURSELVES: DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WAN AZIZAH
Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah advised women to stay alert and be prepared to defend themselves if threatened by criminals.
“Even though I think it’s not easy for self-defence if we don’t have anything with us, but we have to really learn a bit of self-defence," she said.
“As women, whenever we travel alone we have to take care of ourselves, we should not travel alone as much, especially when there are not many people around, it is risky, so we have to stay alert,” she told reporters, after officiating the Malaysia Urban Forum 2019.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, said more comprehensive monitoring at public transport stations should also be implemented to ensure greater safety for commuters.
“By right it should have constant monitoring especially with CCTV, as well as the control room ... at least there will be an immediate action (in the event of an undesirable incident),” she added.
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