"S'pore Drivers Should Put Up 'Nothing To Steal' Sign When In M'sia" — Viral Post Claims
Several Singapore-registered cars in Malaysia were broken into recently.
By Sadho Ram — 15 May 2024, 12:54 PM
A so-called public service announcement on a Facebook page asking Singaporean drivers to put up a "nothing to steal" sign when in Malaysia has gone viral, prompting reactions from even the police
Earlier this month, a Facebook page called SG Kaypoh 人! posted a photo of a car with a sign that reads, "Please do not break my window again. This car has already been broken into — there is nothing to steal."
While the post did not indicate when and where the photo was taken, the Facebook page, which has over 129,000 followers, said Singapore-registered vehicles need this sign when entering Malaysia, implying that car break-ins are rampant in the country.
Reacting to the tongue-in-cheek post, Johor Bahru South police chief ACP Raub Selamat said it paints a negative picture of Malaysia
He told The Star that the post is "quite mischievous".
"Police are always committed to ensuring the safety of all, including Singaporeans who come here," Raub said, adding that an average of 250,000 Singapore-registered vehicles enter Johor daily.
"If all of these cars have their windows smashed, then we would see long lines of people lodging reports at police stations here," the local English daily quoted him as saying.
According to Raub, the number of cases involving vehicle break-ins was quite small and isolated.
"To say that Singapore-registered vehicles are always being targeted by thieves is not correct because police have also received reports by Malaysians that their cars were broken into," he told The Star.
According to Mothership, a Singapore-based digital news site, several Singaporean citizens, including the owner of a BMW, had their cars broken into and valuables stolen while they were in Johor Bahru.
Raub said car owners should not leave valuables in their vehicles, adding that they should not park their cars in dimly lit or secluded areas.
Meanwhile, the viral post has sparked debate online, with many netizens disagreeing with its negative portrayal of Malaysia. They said these drivers might be better off leaving their cars in Singapore.
"Please stay forever in your country. We as Malaysians extremely appreciate it," said one commenter.
Others quipped that petrol stations in Malaysia need to put up such signs to prevent Singaporean drivers from fuelling up with RON95 in Johor Bahru.
"RON95 is not for you, but you break [the law] also. Same lorr," said one Malaysian, who was referring to Singaporeans who were caught refuelling their vehicles with subsidised fuel meant only for Malaysians.
