Security at condominiums?
Just wave, smile and get in
by Rahman Daros, Malay Mail 30-June-2006
YOUR condominium may be equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV)
cameras and security guards, but are you really safe?
Our checks yesterday revealed that security at some condominiums leaves
much to be desired, despite the CCTVs and guards.
In our latest test-the-system survey, we checked 10 condominiums in
some of the up-market areas in the Klang Valley, namely Bangsar, Sri
Hartamas, Mont Kiara and Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI).
It wasn’t quite up to mark. Our reporter passed through security checks
at four of these condominiums — just by waving his hand and flashing a
smile!
Local security guards also have the tendency to let in strangers
compared to their Nepalese counterparts.
Here is what our reporter went through yesterday:
* BANGSAR PUTERI, at 2.32pm:
No worries here. This is a safe condominium. Three guards were
stationed at the security booth and one stopped and asked the reporter
which unit he wanted to go to.
The reporter, who was stopped at the visitors’ lane at the entrance,
told the guard that he was going to his sister’s unit for the first
time as she had just moved in.
The guard was relentless, and asked the reporter the unit number.
The reporter told him he had to make a call to his sister.
The reporter asked that the guard open the electronic bar so that the
car behind could go in. He obliged.
* TIVOLLI VILLAS, Bangsar, at 2.39pm:
A short distance from the first condominium. There were two guards
outside the security booth and another three inside. At least three of
them were Gurkhas.
It turned out to be another safe condominium.
The reporter was stopped and asked: "Where are you going, sir?"
This time around, it was a non-existent uncle’s house.
The reporter had to grab his trusted cell phone again, faking a call
from inside the car that was parked outside.
A few seconds later, another guard came over to ask for the unit
number.
"Uncle not around, I’ll be back later," was the reporter’s reply before
scurrying off at 2.47pm.
* MONT KIARA SOPHIA, at 3pm:
It was so easy to get inside. A wave of the hand and a pleasant smile
later, a local security guard, in his 20s, allowed the reporter to
drive in. He was the only guard on duty at that time.
Inside, the reporter drove towards the visitors’ car park and found it
mostly empty. On his way out, the reporter took some photographs before
leaving.
* MONT KIARA PELANGI, at 3.12pm:
This was getting way too easy! Although there were two local guards on
duty, no one asked the reporter where he was going.
Again, the wave-and-smile worked wonders. This time, the photographer
took pictures from inside the car.
We saw Japanese children walking to their condominium units after
alighting from a school bus. It would have been so easy for a stranger
to lure them to follow.
After taking some photographs, the team left the condominium at 3.16pm.
* MONT KIARA BAYU, at 3.18pm:
Two local guards. But no, we failed to get inside.
They asked the reporter to park his car outside as the management
provides a separate car park for visitors. There was no way for
strangers to drive in.
* MONT KIARA ASTANA, at 3.20pm:
We were stopped by two Gurkha guards at the entrance. One of them was
reluctant to let the Malay Mail team drive in despite telling them that
they were there to see a friend.
Took out the phone, made the "call" and left the place. The Gurkhas
looked tough.