Legal (Innocent) Muggers in KL Sentral

I can say that KL Sentral is my usual haunt. It is perfect if I have to change trains or even meet people. There are a lot of eating places in KL Sentral (but no five-star eating place, I'm afraid).

 

I used to see a lot of small kids, being dressed up as beggars, roaming the place for money. But of late, I have met a few other types of people who mug in the hub.

 

I say mug because giving money to people who really need it means that you are freely to give as much as you want. However, in KL Sentral, do not be alarmed when these people, who claim to be needing help, actually put a price on how much they are ready to accept.

 

The latest case happened on Thursday. I was getting ticket for Putra since I lost my Touch N Go card (which I seem to be losing every now and then). I make it a habit not to carry a lot of cash because I tend to overspend them. Thi hi hi. So, I was doing the transaction, pulling out RM 1 notes out of my pocket (see? Totally broke!). I was really worried then, please nothing happens to me because that was all I have then. If someone takes my money, I will have to call home. Not something that I want to do at 6pm++ on a weekday, what with the traffic jam and everything.

 

Just after I paid RM 1.60 for Kerinchi station, someone called me from my left.

 

' Sorry ah akak. Uncle needs money to go to Gombak.' He then showed me that he has RM 1. And it was totally an impulse, I started pulling out money from my pocket. I thought 'Nevermind, just Rm1 something.'

 

I gave him the money and just walked away. I got on the escalator and looked down. The 'uncle' was still there/.

 

Heck it. I never thought that he might be lying (not that he really was lying. Maybe he was telling the truth) But if he really was that desperate, he'd accept any amount of money, right? Not saying that needed another RM 1.40 to go back to Gombak.

 

Which reminded me of a case during Ramadhan. I was sitting outside Starbucks because I want to wait before getting my drink for iftar. I was sitting outside the outlet, reading something and waiting for the time to fly. Suddenly, someone sat in front of me.

 

' Don't be afraid,' someone nearly 40-ish said. Clearly not someone who can be featured in Calvin Klein's catalogue. Never mind, I only need to listen to him.

 

According to this person, he lost his money and he needs to go back to Ipoh. So I asked him, ' you need RM 10 to go back to Ipoh, right?'

 

He nodded. But I thought, 'beggars can't be choosers'. He can't expect me to give him that full amount. I wasn't even sure if he was telling the truth.

 

But apparently, I was wrong. Nowadays, beggars are choosers. When I hand over the RM 4, he actually made a face. And how glad I was I didn't give him the whole amount. Because he was lying

 

See? These are all robbery in broad daylight. And what happens to people who are really in need? I really don't think these things should happen in KL Sentral.

 

The next time I meet one of these people, I'm just going to bring them up to the police station, saying that my brother works there. They can make a report. See how they really like it.