Big Set-Back: Rotten Luck
No..today isn't the final count down day....there'd been a hiccup, hella HUGE one, which set our plan back. My passport, together with my bag and all the important IDs and document and valueables were snatched while I was in KL.
18/03/2007 Sunday: The fateful day
It happened while my family and I were in the middle of ordering food with the waitress in a restaurant in Puchong. All I know is my bag being yanked from my lap (with my hand placing on top) suddenly by an Indian guy whom none of us notice when he came into the restaurant. Everything happened in a flash and by the time we realised what happened and tried to chase the snatcher, he had already sped away on his awaiting friend's bike. Later, watching the replay of the video caught on the CCTV installed, the entire incident took less than 5 seconds. And nope, the video didn't help as it only caught the silhoutte of the man and we couldn't even make out the details of his attire.
So gone was my bag with my wallet, purses, ID, bank cards, and most importantly, my Malaysian International Passport. We filed a police report immediately at the neighbourhood police station, which was ironically located about 500-600 metres away from the crime scene.
At the same time, I started calling my banks to report the loss of my atm and credit cards. It wasn't easy while you still haven't recovered from the shock, and that all the important numbers were also lost (because they are either on the bank cards or stored in your personal mobile which was among the stolen items). Apart from that, the multiple choices you have to made and the call waiting before you could reach a living operator to report the lost could kill you too. However, thinking back it probably was one of the simplest task compared to the rest. One call and the cards were immediately useless, what more, most of the replacement were free and fast, (except atm card, which you have to do it personally at the bank, with a processing fee, that might be waived for cases like mine, subject to bank's policy).
I was told that in order to replace my passport, I will need to come back the next day to collect and pay a minimal fee (RM2) for a certified copy of the official report. The reason I couldn't do it on the same day was because it was a Sunday!!!! The clerk wasn't on duty! &$%#^$&
And only with that copy of paid report, I could go to immigration office to apply for a replacement. It meant, there wasn't much I could do until the next day!
I was shocked, terrified, and devastated. I asked yd to drive around the area, hoping that the snatcher would only be interested in the cash and valuebles and would dumped my passport, IDs and such, but to no avail.
19/03/2007 Monday: The trauma continues
I did not know a night could feel like forever. I didn't catch much sleep all night. Around 8.30am, we reached the police station. However, we were asked to wait as the clerk in charge of our request was having his/her breakfast! We waited impatiently for 45min (!!!) before one of the officer couldn't stand and asked another officer to assist us. Apparently, the so called official duplicate report was to issue me a receipt after I had paid, and have the zeroxed copy of the original report stamped and signed!! @^#$&#*$@&^$&
Once I got the bloody report, we went to the immigration office in Shah Alam. However all I got was an application form to replace lost passport, as well as a form to indicate the cause of the loss (RM2) and was told that without copies of my IC and Birth Cert, they would not be able to process!! You see, I lost my IC, and my Original Birth Cert was in Singapore!! However, I was told that nothing could be done without the document.
So we rushed back to Kluang, my hometown in Johor, which was about 200km+ from KL, collect the copies of document (my mum had always kept copies of most of our important document at home for emergency like this), and rushed to the local immigration office, only to find out more bad news await. Apparently, the immigration office in Kluang was not authorised to issue replacement passport. I had to go either to Batu Pahat or JB branch. And, before that, I need to bring the police report as well as the filled application forms to the court or any authorised commisioner for oaths to verified and certified, and that required 2 copies of IC and BC, and the original copies as authentification.
Luckily the IC department was next to it and the process was relatively fast. I got a temporary cert which could be used as temporary IC for the application. But still my original BC was in Singapore as I brought it with me to Singapore last time while I was applying for SPR. Nevertheless, I tried my luck. I found a law office that was also authorised commisioner for oaths and submit the request. I got lucky this time, finally! The office was so commercialised I didn't even get to see the lawyer's face but I got it verified.
Next was to collect my original BC. Without a passport, I had to relied on my family to get it for me. So yd and I drove to JB in the evening, while he dropped me off at my sis's, while he drove to Singapore to collect from my bf after he knocked off, then drove back to JB on same night.
20/03/2007 Tuesday: Why am I so unfortunate?
Early in the morning, we reached immigration office in JB. The wait to have my application to replace lost passport wasn't that bad. I had it processed and done by around 10am. However, it was only the completion of application process. Generally, it took a month before you could return to find out the outcome of your application, whether it's approved or rejected. However for most cases like mine, the application would most likely be approved as the lost wasn't due to our fault. And the normal procedure is that after a month you return to the immigration with your application reference, and they will inform you if it's approved or not. Once approved, you will need to pay RM300/Rm600 (32-page/64-page) for the new passport.
I didn't have a month time for that. I was supposed to depart this coming Saturday! So I file an appeal. All I need was to buy another form and bring my report to see the deputy officer or director of the branch. The Malay lady officers were nice. After listening to my story, they agreed to issue a temporary emergency certificate on the spot for me which allows me to travel to Singapore and New Zealand (only). However I would need to use the certificate to apply for a visa at the NZ embassy in Singapore. I could still make it had it not been my flight route. The transit and stopover in Brunei was a problem. Brunei wasn't on the list of countries that recognised the emergency document. The officer took pity on me and asked me to go eat something and let them check with the authority to see if there's any way to resolve my problem.
After considering the current situation and all, I sort of came to a decision. First I would see the officer to see if they have any good news, though I really didn't put ANY hope and had prepared for it. So when the officer told me they couldn;t do anything about the Brunei problem, I asked them if I could postpone my trip, when waas the soonest time they can have my new passport processed. The officers then gave instruction to speed up my application and asked me to return on 27/03. So by 27 or 28, I will be able to get my new passport! Meanwhile, they issued me the emergency certificate so I could travel to Singapore to have settle my lost NRIC and bank cards, SPR issue settled.
Next was to call up zuji to arrange for the change. But the customer service lines were always busy I couldn't get through the line all day......I was betting all on being able to postpone but because the fare was sort of promotional and was selling out well....All I could do was pray, pray, and pray....
After I got the emergency passport. I went to Digi service centre to replace my sim card. I was surprised (pleasantly) that the sim replacement was free!! That must have been the 1st free replacement so far!
Next up was to replace my driving license. The process was easier than finding the damn office. Anyway I got it in less than an hour.
That night, after dinner, yd drove me to Singapore. While I still couldn't reach zuji, I sent an email to them to seek for assistance, and also found their office address (zuji is a 100% online travel agent)
21/03/2007 Wednesday: Fight to keep my dream alive....
Went to zuji office on Scotts rd first thing in the morning. I told the staff, Jessicca about my situation. She told me that their customer service centre wasn't at that location, nevertheless, she still helped me to the maximum. After some searches, she manage to found me both a later departure as well as return flight. I felt like I was finally able to breathe again. I paid S$150 to have my flights postponed to depart on 07/04/2007, and return on 05/05/2007. I thanked Jessicca profusely for her kind assistance and left zuji office.
Next I went to Starhub Service Centre to have my Singapore sim card replaced. As it's the first time I'd lost my sim, the replacement was free. A second loss would cost S$35 though.
Then I went to ICA to have my entry permit endoresed and have my NRIC replaced. The cost to replace lost NRIC was $100 for 1st time loss and $300 for second. With my police report, they waived $40 fine so I need to pay $60. The endorsement costs $10, but once I got my new passport, I will need to endorse and pay the fee again.
Back at home, I went online to send an email to AirNew Zealand to request assistance to change my itinerary. It can only be done via phone but NZ was 4 hr ahead us and I thought the office was closed as their operating hours were stated on their website. But I received personalised replies (actually 5 or 6 of them for some reasons) shortly after. They gave the number to call and I managed to change the itinerary with additional NZ130 charge.
When all the major problems had been tackled and resolved, I knew I could finally had some good rest that night. And I mastered the courage to do a quick calculation of my total loss. Including the money and valuebles in my bag, the cost to have the lost document and properties replaced, as well as the cost to have my trip postponed, I am now RM4k++ poorer.... :~( It's almost 2/3 of the cost for another person to travel to NZ!!!!
ROT IN HELL, SNATCHERS!!!!!!
22/03/2007 Thursday: I'll Survive
After a night of better sleep without waking up at night, without the scene of the incident kept playing back in my head, I finally was able to feel like a person instead of a piece of deadmeat(one with it's dream snatched), ok ok, maybe a dead meat doesn't have dreams in first place.
Today I went to the bank to have my atm card replaced. I withdrawed some money and shuddered at the thought of bringing the money back to JB.... I couldn't help being paranoid after this incident.
In fact, I know my parents and brother were paranoid too.
Like the other day before yd and I drove to JB and he went to Singapore to collect my original BC, we had dinner outside since everyone had been tired and busy. It was in my hometown which was relatively safer compared to JB and KL, but still, we did not dare to sit at the open area and insisted sitting inside the closed, air-conditioned area, with our backs against the wall, and facing the only entrance.
And while yd and I were running about places in JB, he would carry ALL my document, original or photocopies in his backpack with him ALL the time as car theft was not uncommon at all in JB. And while we were eating in foodcourt, I couldn't feel safe without clutching tightly onto my bag that I had to asked yd to finish his food and hold my bag for me when I ate. We must have acted like we have a million dollars with us. I told him that if I lost my replaced document again, i would jumped immediately out on the street and be runned over by truck.
Also, I don't think I dare to travel alone, by public transport back to Jb from Singapore, ever. Urghh...I'm so frustrated, why should we have to live in fear because of these scumbags? Why should we be snatched from the ability to enjoy nice things in our lives?
23/03/2007 Friday: The wait....
Today, I do not have anything to settle anymore, I had all the document replacement procedured done and am only waiting to collect my new passport in JB next week. I have all day to blog, and I have 3 blogs to update... I'm free, but very broke....
18/03/2007 Sunday: The fateful day
It happened while my family and I were in the middle of ordering food with the waitress in a restaurant in Puchong. All I know is my bag being yanked from my lap (with my hand placing on top) suddenly by an Indian guy whom none of us notice when he came into the restaurant. Everything happened in a flash and by the time we realised what happened and tried to chase the snatcher, he had already sped away on his awaiting friend's bike. Later, watching the replay of the video caught on the CCTV installed, the entire incident took less than 5 seconds. And nope, the video didn't help as it only caught the silhoutte of the man and we couldn't even make out the details of his attire.
So gone was my bag with my wallet, purses, ID, bank cards, and most importantly, my Malaysian International Passport. We filed a police report immediately at the neighbourhood police station, which was ironically located about 500-600 metres away from the crime scene.
At the same time, I started calling my banks to report the loss of my atm and credit cards. It wasn't easy while you still haven't recovered from the shock, and that all the important numbers were also lost (because they are either on the bank cards or stored in your personal mobile which was among the stolen items). Apart from that, the multiple choices you have to made and the call waiting before you could reach a living operator to report the lost could kill you too. However, thinking back it probably was one of the simplest task compared to the rest. One call and the cards were immediately useless, what more, most of the replacement were free and fast, (except atm card, which you have to do it personally at the bank, with a processing fee, that might be waived for cases like mine, subject to bank's policy).
I was told that in order to replace my passport, I will need to come back the next day to collect and pay a minimal fee (RM2) for a certified copy of the official report. The reason I couldn't do it on the same day was because it was a Sunday!!!! The clerk wasn't on duty! &$%#^$&
And only with that copy of paid report, I could go to immigration office to apply for a replacement. It meant, there wasn't much I could do until the next day!
I was shocked, terrified, and devastated. I asked yd to drive around the area, hoping that the snatcher would only be interested in the cash and valuebles and would dumped my passport, IDs and such, but to no avail.
19/03/2007 Monday: The trauma continues
I did not know a night could feel like forever. I didn't catch much sleep all night. Around 8.30am, we reached the police station. However, we were asked to wait as the clerk in charge of our request was having his/her breakfast! We waited impatiently for 45min (!!!) before one of the officer couldn't stand and asked another officer to assist us. Apparently, the so called official duplicate report was to issue me a receipt after I had paid, and have the zeroxed copy of the original report stamped and signed!! @^#$&#*$@&^$&
Once I got the bloody report, we went to the immigration office in Shah Alam. However all I got was an application form to replace lost passport, as well as a form to indicate the cause of the loss (RM2) and was told that without copies of my IC and Birth Cert, they would not be able to process!! You see, I lost my IC, and my Original Birth Cert was in Singapore!! However, I was told that nothing could be done without the document.
So we rushed back to Kluang, my hometown in Johor, which was about 200km+ from KL, collect the copies of document (my mum had always kept copies of most of our important document at home for emergency like this), and rushed to the local immigration office, only to find out more bad news await. Apparently, the immigration office in Kluang was not authorised to issue replacement passport. I had to go either to Batu Pahat or JB branch. And, before that, I need to bring the police report as well as the filled application forms to the court or any authorised commisioner for oaths to verified and certified, and that required 2 copies of IC and BC, and the original copies as authentification.
Luckily the IC department was next to it and the process was relatively fast. I got a temporary cert which could be used as temporary IC for the application. But still my original BC was in Singapore as I brought it with me to Singapore last time while I was applying for SPR. Nevertheless, I tried my luck. I found a law office that was also authorised commisioner for oaths and submit the request. I got lucky this time, finally! The office was so commercialised I didn't even get to see the lawyer's face but I got it verified.
Next was to collect my original BC. Without a passport, I had to relied on my family to get it for me. So yd and I drove to JB in the evening, while he dropped me off at my sis's, while he drove to Singapore to collect from my bf after he knocked off, then drove back to JB on same night.
20/03/2007 Tuesday: Why am I so unfortunate?
Early in the morning, we reached immigration office in JB. The wait to have my application to replace lost passport wasn't that bad. I had it processed and done by around 10am. However, it was only the completion of application process. Generally, it took a month before you could return to find out the outcome of your application, whether it's approved or rejected. However for most cases like mine, the application would most likely be approved as the lost wasn't due to our fault. And the normal procedure is that after a month you return to the immigration with your application reference, and they will inform you if it's approved or not. Once approved, you will need to pay RM300/Rm600 (32-page/64-page) for the new passport.
I didn't have a month time for that. I was supposed to depart this coming Saturday! So I file an appeal. All I need was to buy another form and bring my report to see the deputy officer or director of the branch. The Malay lady officers were nice. After listening to my story, they agreed to issue a temporary emergency certificate on the spot for me which allows me to travel to Singapore and New Zealand (only). However I would need to use the certificate to apply for a visa at the NZ embassy in Singapore. I could still make it had it not been my flight route. The transit and stopover in Brunei was a problem. Brunei wasn't on the list of countries that recognised the emergency document. The officer took pity on me and asked me to go eat something and let them check with the authority to see if there's any way to resolve my problem.
After considering the current situation and all, I sort of came to a decision. First I would see the officer to see if they have any good news, though I really didn't put ANY hope and had prepared for it. So when the officer told me they couldn;t do anything about the Brunei problem, I asked them if I could postpone my trip, when waas the soonest time they can have my new passport processed. The officers then gave instruction to speed up my application and asked me to return on 27/03. So by 27 or 28, I will be able to get my new passport! Meanwhile, they issued me the emergency certificate so I could travel to Singapore to have settle my lost NRIC and bank cards, SPR issue settled.
Next was to call up zuji to arrange for the change. But the customer service lines were always busy I couldn't get through the line all day......I was betting all on being able to postpone but because the fare was sort of promotional and was selling out well....All I could do was pray, pray, and pray....
After I got the emergency passport. I went to Digi service centre to replace my sim card. I was surprised (pleasantly) that the sim replacement was free!! That must have been the 1st free replacement so far!
Next up was to replace my driving license. The process was easier than finding the damn office. Anyway I got it in less than an hour.
That night, after dinner, yd drove me to Singapore. While I still couldn't reach zuji, I sent an email to them to seek for assistance, and also found their office address (zuji is a 100% online travel agent)
21/03/2007 Wednesday: Fight to keep my dream alive....
Went to zuji office on Scotts rd first thing in the morning. I told the staff, Jessicca about my situation. She told me that their customer service centre wasn't at that location, nevertheless, she still helped me to the maximum. After some searches, she manage to found me both a later departure as well as return flight. I felt like I was finally able to breathe again. I paid S$150 to have my flights postponed to depart on 07/04/2007, and return on 05/05/2007. I thanked Jessicca profusely for her kind assistance and left zuji office.
Next I went to Starhub Service Centre to have my Singapore sim card replaced. As it's the first time I'd lost my sim, the replacement was free. A second loss would cost S$35 though.
Then I went to ICA to have my entry permit endoresed and have my NRIC replaced. The cost to replace lost NRIC was $100 for 1st time loss and $300 for second. With my police report, they waived $40 fine so I need to pay $60. The endorsement costs $10, but once I got my new passport, I will need to endorse and pay the fee again.
Back at home, I went online to send an email to AirNew Zealand to request assistance to change my itinerary. It can only be done via phone but NZ was 4 hr ahead us and I thought the office was closed as their operating hours were stated on their website. But I received personalised replies (actually 5 or 6 of them for some reasons) shortly after. They gave the number to call and I managed to change the itinerary with additional NZ130 charge.
When all the major problems had been tackled and resolved, I knew I could finally had some good rest that night. And I mastered the courage to do a quick calculation of my total loss. Including the money and valuebles in my bag, the cost to have the lost document and properties replaced, as well as the cost to have my trip postponed, I am now RM4k++ poorer.... :~( It's almost 2/3 of the cost for another person to travel to NZ!!!!
ROT IN HELL, SNATCHERS!!!!!!
22/03/2007 Thursday: I'll Survive
After a night of better sleep without waking up at night, without the scene of the incident kept playing back in my head, I finally was able to feel like a person instead of a piece of deadmeat(one with it's dream snatched), ok ok, maybe a dead meat doesn't have dreams in first place.
Today I went to the bank to have my atm card replaced. I withdrawed some money and shuddered at the thought of bringing the money back to JB.... I couldn't help being paranoid after this incident.
In fact, I know my parents and brother were paranoid too.
Like the other day before yd and I drove to JB and he went to Singapore to collect my original BC, we had dinner outside since everyone had been tired and busy. It was in my hometown which was relatively safer compared to JB and KL, but still, we did not dare to sit at the open area and insisted sitting inside the closed, air-conditioned area, with our backs against the wall, and facing the only entrance.
And while yd and I were running about places in JB, he would carry ALL my document, original or photocopies in his backpack with him ALL the time as car theft was not uncommon at all in JB. And while we were eating in foodcourt, I couldn't feel safe without clutching tightly onto my bag that I had to asked yd to finish his food and hold my bag for me when I ate. We must have acted like we have a million dollars with us. I told him that if I lost my replaced document again, i would jumped immediately out on the street and be runned over by truck.
Also, I don't think I dare to travel alone, by public transport back to Jb from Singapore, ever. Urghh...I'm so frustrated, why should we have to live in fear because of these scumbags? Why should we be snatched from the ability to enjoy nice things in our lives?
23/03/2007 Friday: The wait....
Today, I do not have anything to settle anymore, I had all the document replacement procedured done and am only waiting to collect my new passport in JB next week. I have all day to blog, and I have 3 blogs to update... I'm free, but very broke....
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