Focusing on personal safety
The Star Online, 21 September 2013
The team: The company’s OSH team celebrating the achievement of their hard work
The Menara Star Safety Campaign 2013 that kick-started recently received overwhelming response from employees.
A one-day programme was carried out to promote this year’s theme, “Personal Safety”.
Star Publications (M) Bhd acting group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, who launched the programme, said he was pleased that the scope of the campaign had expanded beyond the office.
“We’ve been hearing stories of crime including outside the office. Personal safety goes beyond fire drills.
“I’m glad that the focus this year is also on women’s safety,” he said at the launch.
Star Publications (M) Bhd chairman for occupational health and safety (OSH) committee Sin Poh Yin said the campaign was important as it would instill awareness on the right thing to do in the event of emergency.
“Our aim is to go beyond prevention and to encourage our staff to be proactive in responding effectively to emergency situations, “ he said.
Later, Wong gave out appointment letters, lanyards and Emergency Response Team (ERT) badges to 48 ERT members, who are employees of the company.
The highlights of the event included a talk on personal safety at the workplace by Supt Jenny Ong Chin Lan from the Woman and Child Protection Division of the Federal Police’s Criminal Investigation Department.
She advised women to have a pen within reach in the car.
“If someone breaks the glass of your car to reach for your handbag, you can poke him hard using it to throw him offguard,” she said.
Supt Ong also advised women to follow their instincts if they sense danger.
“They actually know when perpetrators have ill intentions against them but they brush them aside and instead follow their emotions,” she said referring to cases of women being cheated by men.
Another highlight of the event was a self-defence demonstration by self-defence instructor Sivalingam Wan Daiyar Veerappan and combat sports fitness specialist Selvamuthu Ramasamy.
Sivalingam said the best act of self-defence during a dangerous situation was to run.
“Do not panic, instead scream. The perpetrators will usually try to isolate you. If you get the opportunity, scream and run,” he said.
