04/02/2026

WEDNESDAY | FEB 4, 2026

5 ‘Car park crime risks faced by men not gender-driven’

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Men do face crime risks in car parks but these are not driven by gender and should be addressed through comprehensive safety design rather than gender-specific parking zones, said the Human Rights Commission. Its commissioner Melissa Abd Akhir said inclusive safety planning must be informed by local crime patterns and structured needs assessments that account for risks faced by men alongside other vulnerable groups. “Men also experience the dangers of crime in general. Indeed, men can become victims of robbery or injury for various reasons. “However, studies show that when men become victims of being followed in parking areas or public places, it is generally not due to their gender.” She said introducing designated parking spaces for men would not address the underlying safety needs of male victims of crime. “For example, my first supervisor

o Designated parking spaces would not address underlying safety needs of male victims: Human Rights Commission

infrastructure planning, she said safety design should be guided by structured key needs assessments rather than blanket measures. “This assessment could illuminate inclusive and focused steps in terms of access to safety, and what dangers are experienced by persons with disabilities, the elderly, women and men, according to their respective local realities.” She added that long-term solutions lie in accountability, effective prosecution and changing offender behaviour, while physical measures, such as lighting, surveillance and regular patrols, should be implemented in ways that benefit all users.

“In the case of Suzaily Mokhtar, a woman was taken from inside a public bus to a remote place, raped and murdered and her body later dumped in Klang. “Once again, the killer and rapist was a man. Both women became victims based on their gender.” Melissa said violence against women in public spaces remains a persistent reality. “‘Less exposed or always in the position of not being victims’ is not an assumption but a default mode or privilege, in which usually men hold more power in public spaces compared with women, in terms of level of safety.” On broader urban and

general. Different fields have different grasshoppers.” She said the safety reforms that followed the 2003 murder of Canny Ong are grounded in the fundamental right to be free from gender-based violence. “Ong, as a woman, was followed, abducted from a car park, raped and murdered and then burned by Najib Aris, a man.

when I was in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Kevin Morais, was abducted on a public road in broad daylight and later murdered. “He was targeted not based on his gender but due to motives related to stopping other criminal cases he was handling as a prosecutor. “In short, parking spaces for men do not answer the safety needs of men who become victims of crime in

Security should be boosted for all: Male drivers PETALING JAYA: The abduction and murder of Canny Ong in a shopping mall car park in 2003 shocked the nation and forced a reckoning over safety in parking areas, leading to sweeping changes in how such spaces are designed and monitored. to be alert in this situation. The recent rise in crime activities in Malaysia may also contribute to the feeling of ‘unsafeness’.” He said society often conditions men to believe they can cope better in risky situations. “I think individuals in most parts of the world are conditioned to assume that men are physically more capable than women.” Ammar Azman, 36, from Kuala Lumpur, said he generally feels safe but remains vigilant. “I feel safe but I try to be aware of my surroundings in case there are any suspicious people around me.” He supported improvements beyond gender-based zones.

Zahid files bid for acquittal of charges KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has filed an application to be acquitted and discharged of 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering linked to Yayasan Akalbudi funds. His lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said the application was filed at the High Court on Jan 28, naming the public prosecutor as the respondent. “We are making the application based on an Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) media statement dated Jan 8, which said no further action (NFA) would be taken on the 47 charges involving our client.” He said Ahmad Zahid has been discharged not amounting to an acquittal for more than two years, leaving the charges hanging over him. “It is unfair for the charges to remain unresolved for such a long period. He is seeking closure and the truth.” He also said the application, together with a certificate of urgency, was submitted to the AGC on Friday and the court has fixed Feb 24 for the hearing. During yesterday’s proceedings, Prosecution Division II deputy head Datuk Badius Zaman Ahmad told the court that the prosecution sought a postponement of the hearing as the application had only been received on Friday. “We are requesting a postponement as we need time to file a reply affidavit,” he said, adding that the defence did not object to the request. High Court Judge Nurulhuda Nur’aini Mohamad Nor allowed the postponement and ordered the prosecution to file its reply affidavit by Feb 13. It has been learned that Ahmad Zahid will be present during the hearing. On Jan 8, the AGC said there would be NFA on the charges faced by Ahmad Zahid, after reviewing new materials and evidence. Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar on Jan 12 said the decision to classify the case as NFA was made after the prosecution had carefully examined six representations submitted by the Umno president. He said the decision was not made arbitrarily, adding that the AGC would not classify any case as NFA without a thorough assessment of the facts, evidence and legal merits. On Sept 4, 2023, the High Court here discharged not amounting to an acquittal Ahmad Zahid on the charges after the prosecution informed the court that it would discontinue proceedings. The decision was delivered by then High Court Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who has since been elevated to the Federal Court. – Bernama

The case prompted many malls and private premises to introduce women-designated parking bays located closer to entrances, lifts and surveillance points. However, more than two decades on, several male drivers told theSun that they do not always feel safe in multi-storey and basement car parks, particularly at night, and believe security design should be strengthened for all users, rather than centred on gender-specific parking zones. Petaling Jaya-based human resources officer Rafiq Salleh, 28, said his sense of safety in such spaces remains limited. “There is always a chance of crime, especially in isolated areas such as these.” He added that assumptions about male physical strength do not necessarily translate into real protection. “The assumption may come from men’s physique overall, but assailants tend to bring weapons, which may reduce unarmed men’s chances of fighting back.” Legal associate Einstein A. Richard, 25, said: “I would say it is normal for any individual

“Parking lot safety is not sufficient in most places. There should be security guards going around doing regular checks of the area.” Private sector worker Muhammad Imran Fahmi Anuar, 26, from Puncak Alam, said the risks cut across gender. “As a man, I also feel unsafe walking alone in basement or multi-storey car parks, especially at night, because people can have a lot of different ill-intentions, be it to rob, rape or even kill, everyone can be targeted no matter what gender you are.” He said stronger, more comprehensive safety systems are needed. “Safety design could be improved for everyone. Car park safety should rely on all features and aspects to make it as safe and secure as possible.” Across responses, men voiced support for women-focused measures but stressed that lighting, surveillance, regular patrols and access control remain decisive factors in shaping how safe car parks feel in practice. – BY FAIZ RUZMAN

On existing safety measures, he said they are insufficient and unsustainable as a long-term solution. “A proactive step would be education and exposure regarding these issues.” Entrepreneur Muhammad Rizqan, 26, from Johor, said he avoids such areas at night whenever possible and views women-only parking spaces as a limited measure. “It is just one initiative for women to feel safe. It feels a bit insignificant. More important steps are reliable guards and CCTV.” Marketing worker Muhammad Aizat Zainol, 27, from Kuala Lumpur, said danger at night is not limited by gender. “Night-time is a dangerous time for everyone because it is when we are less aware of the situation as it is dark and danger can come without us realising. “People forget that not all men are able to handle dangerous situations, especially those without self-defence knowledge.” Marketing operations specialist

ALLEGED MURDERER ... Police yesterday arresting a 28-year-old, who is the main suspect in the case of the discovery of a woman’s body with stab wounds in a house in Jalan Tanjung Bendahara, Alor Setar. – BERNAMAPIC