Repeated Tm NET Cable theft on Langkawi –
now in Kisap for the 2nd time within a week –
disrupting Internet and Phone Service
It has happened on other parts of the island before. There – after a few times – TM NET has simply not replaced the cables anymore. TM NET wrote to the customers “Sorry – we can not provide any service any more in your area”.
So our editor who lives in one of these areas (close to the ‘Datai Junction’), has no TM NET cable internet connection anymore, only Wifi, which is clearly slower.
Now it happens in Kisap, where I live.
In Kisap there is no Wifi alternative. So the Langkawi Gazette had simply no internet (and land line phone anymore) – again.
The thick TM NET cable with 100 small wires inside (see picture) has been cut shortly after the entrance to the Gunung Raya Golf Club, in the little wood section along the main road. About 100m of cable has been stolen.
This happened now for the 2nd time within a week. Same cable, same place, same night: always in the night from Thursday to Friday.
Frequency of Cable Theft in Langkawi
Since January this year such a cable theft has now happened about 20 times on Langkawi, as Mr. Mohamad Hizam Hussin, the Customer Service Officer of the TM Net Outlet in Kuah told me.
Every trheft is reported to the police – but so far with no effect.
Possible Profile of the Thieves
To do this job, to roll up and transport the cable, needs more than one person. They also need to have a special cutting tool, a ladder and a van to transport it.
The obvious question is, what are they doing with the cable?
From my research the cables inside can not be used on new construction buildings, as there they use pairs of cables, not single ones.
The only, nearly unbelievable but probably true fact of what happens with this cable is, that they get cut in small pieces and the copper is separated out of each of the small cables and sold.
So who would do that?
One possibility are drug addicts who desperately need money…..
Effect of the Cable Theft for Langkawi
I am also working as a counselor with people around the world over skype every day. My Langkawi Self Help Center begins to be known. (langkawi-self-help-center.com) – but it is impossible to work under these conditions.
I have to tell my customers: “Sorry, again no internet, the cable has been stolen again”. And they ask me back:” Do you live in a third world country or what? I thought Malaysia was a safe place to live….” . What should I tell them?
These thieves do not simply steal something worth a few thousand Ringgits, destroy probably 10ths of thousands of Ringgits income for TM NET, but they destroy the communication within Langkawi and between Langkawi and the world which is even more important.
These thieves degrade Langkawi down to the standard of a 3rd world country.
A word in the Year of the Police in Langkawi
This theft in Kisap now happens about 5 km away from your own headquarter. Are you willing to tolerate that? Don’t you feel a personal challenge to stop this to happen?
If the Police is not able to find the thieves (e.g if they do not have enough personnel) I strongly suggest they get some help from the mainland and build a special task force to get them and to avoid that people could say that they are not effective.
If the safety of the island can no longer be guaranteed, one has no clue what is coming next.
These people who did steal now around 20 times cable on the island must have helpers.
There must be people who know who they are. It is not possible otherwise.
The people who buy the copper must know what they buy.
There are not so many scrap metal dealers on the island.
Or if the metal is brought by boat to the mainland, then the boat owner must know.
And the scrap metal dealer on the mainland must know.
Put out an award. Co-Operate with TM NET to pay a bonus for the information leading to the catch of these thieves.
Please DO SOMETHING !!
I hate to have to move away from Langkawi, only because nobody on Langkawi is able to catch a few bad boys. This is ridiculous.
But it is not only about me: If this is not stopped, even big resorts outside of the main centers of Langkawi could simply see their connections cut one day – and find themselves in a situation where the cables simply can not be replaced anymore and all this would be VERY bad for business.
And Expats thinking of coming here with the MM2H program – will think twice about it.
Once the POLICE has decided, that this is unacceptable for Langkawi and that they will get the thieves – once they have decided to put their full attention to the matter – I have no doubt that they will be successful.
Good Luck
Mark
