BY N. TRISHA

PENANGITES love going to shopping malls, especially on weekends. It’s part of our culture, perhaps a habit.

And we are spoilt for choice because at almost every corner of Penang island, there is a mall.

For women, shopping malls have become a sanctuary to spend some personal downtime after long days of working in the office or seeing to the family’s needs.

Having recently joined the workforce, I now value my leisure time spent window shopping or at the movies with friends.

But a recent case of a woman who was slashed and robbed at a multi-storey car park of a mall has made me think about personal safety.

As someone who frequents the cinema after office hours, I am mindful of my surroundings even when I am not alone.

Although crimes occurring in shopping mall car parks are low compared to other crimes such as snatch thefts occurring along the roads daily, this is still a cause for concern.

When such crimes do occur, it leaves us fearing for our safety as the comfort one normally gets in a closed car park becomes threatened.

Many years ago, I read of a woman who was robbed in the parking area of a newly built shopping mall.

Having just obtained my driving licence, I was eager to head to the mall alone but my parents would not allow it.

As a working adult now, I often need to do some last-minute grocery shopping in the later part of the evening and find it more convenient to park indoors at the mall.

The recent slash-and-rob attack, however, has made me worry about my safety because I frequent the same shopping mall where I go to the cinema, sometimes for midnight shows.

While some malls have strategically placed panic buttons on each floor of their multi- storey car park, others have yet to implement such a system.

Guards patrolling mall car parks give customers a sense of security. Even then, I still hurry to my car when the guards are not around.

A more systematic approach should be implemented in all multi-storey or underground car parks.

Panic buttons on every parking floor should be compulsory, more so on floors that are quieter or frequented by cinema patrons catching late-night screenings.

Do you know that some outlets offer an escort if required by a shopper? As patrons, we should ask for this service when making a pricey purchase.

Malls have a duty to make it safe for patrons who have to use the parking facilities.

Penang has truly become famous globally as a shopping haven with international brands opening outlets here and offering an almost unlimited range of products and brands.

We look forward to enjoying the perks of our growing city while feeling safe in public.