BBRAeNEWS No.140 - How Safe is Safe.

"How safe is safe - Living in a Gated Community"

For the sake of the residents, and for awareness, we would like to post into the blog a Letter recently received from A Resident of Ambang Botanic, a Gated Community. (The writer declares his wishes to remain anonymous). BBRA is thankful to this kind resident for providing this feedback and BBRA likes to share it with you, with the resident’s permission.

Quote

Let me refresh a bit:
With the recent break-ins at Bandar Botanic residences, there were some hot news via e-mails and SMS flying around from one another. Things seem to be hot and spicy at the spur of the moment. After some time, it takes a silence. Well, if you are not the victim, then things would have disappeared into a corner of the mind. But bear in mind, history will repeat itself.

Well, if some of us would remember, people jumped the bandwagon as to why not
- we become a gated committee
- change the KSS
- install CCTV
- watch out for the wiralah, wajalah, mercs, BMWs, ... roaming in our neighbourhood
- we should watch out for each other
- blah blah, ...

Enough said, I just like to give you my views:
Of A Gated community:
- don't get carried away. How many of you are aware of the break-in at Ambang Botanic. Ambang is a fenced up community. Fenced all around Ambang includes the Phases namely 15, 16, 17 & 18 (something we were told not easy to climb lah, galvanized lah, ) ... SOMEONE MANAGE TO;
- CCTVs at the main entrance, CCTVs attached to every lamp post around the fence ... STILL IT HAPPENED;
- security guards manning the gates, CCTVs, ronda by security, ... STILL IT HAPPENED;
- every resident is provided with a smart tag to their vehicle and visitors do report to the security seeking permission of the resident to visit them, special passes for piano teacher, tuition teacher, what not ... STILL IT HAPPENED !

YOU CAN BRING IN ALL THE SECURITY SYSTEMS YOU WANT, STILL SOMEONE IS OUT THERE TO BEAT IT (as Michael Jackson said) JUST BEAT IT, BEAT IT.

With all the above,
- gated does not mean a full proof system;
- security is only a deterrent
- bear in mind: gated can cause a bomb, also subject to how many of the residents are in for it when it comes for the outlay for fencing
- Periodic maintenance
- don't forget the expense of the CCTV not only to install but also to man the system


Having said the above, as I have proposed
'HOW DO WE MANAGE THE ABOVE RISK in the event a resident becomes a victim to break-in.'

While everyone looked at how to prevent, which is of course a good thing, going to the root of the problem, a thought that crossed my mind is what we shall do IF IT HAPPENS DESPITE ALL THE PRECAUTION. Yes, I take my vitamins, exercise regularly, control my diet, no smoking, no drinking, no drugs, NO THIS, NO THAT but still once in while, I do fall sick.

Well thinking of how to handle if the unwanted happens, I think we should be able to manage the risk.

How do we do that?

I would like to bring forward to you all, is to insure for those valued items in your premises. I am not trying to sell a insurance policy and make money. My aim is to bring about the awareness to some of the interested parties and those who are ignorant.


Keep thinking……

In the meantime, I still have to pay my gated RM200 every month ... out of no choice…

- A frustrated Ambang Botanic Resident
Unquote

Residents - What is your opinion of this letter? He says whether he likes it or not, he still have to pay the $200 Gated fees. Is there any other choice? Any other solutions which U may think of ?