Wednesday, October 14, 2009

The Housing Story - Suspicious Neighbourhood

Today is already the 26th day of Syawal.

More than 50 houses I've visited both in Singapore and Johore.
Beside doing my rounds celebrating 'Aidilfitri to reaffirm relationship, we touched on general conversations of the latest happenings.

While Singaporeans are wary of the economic downturn and how their lifestyle changed, Johoreans are more concern with safety of one's property or family members.
Why not?
Conversations strike will be narrowed to somebody's house, a neighbour's house or a relative's house has been burglared  .

People dare not leave their homes empty far too long.
Even when neighbours are around and in their houses, house-breakings are rampant.

Once, mid-afternoon, I was sitting at the verendah of a house in Kampung Melayu.
I saw a girl climbing up a neighbour's house through a window after removing a few of the glass panes.
A man was waiting outside, sitting on a motorbike.

I told my host what had just happened.
The host told me that the girl's mother usually locked the door in order not to let her children out and the window is the outlet for them to avoid the parents' suspicions.

Only later at night that I knew the said house was wipe-clean of all valuables by the couple I saw when the owners were at work and their children were attending school.

Yes, I saw the incident.
But did I know it was burglary?
Not at all.
After the above explanation of the said house neighbour, should I still be suspicious?

After all, I did not know the house-owner nor ever seeing their children.

If only my host would practice to be a more concerned neighbour...
And the neighbour is friendly and acquainted well with the neighbourhood...
Undesirable happenings can at least be avoided...

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