We’ve always been told not to simply oblige to a stranger’s request to hold or watch their bags as it may contain illegal substances that might lead us into trouble or even jail time.
For this woman, she endured a month-long detention in China after her friend asked her to help hold a bag which contained pills that aroused the authorities’ suspicion at the airport.
Friend asked for help in holding bag
Recounting the unfortunate incident during a press conference at Wisma MCA on Tuesday (Feb 20), the woman, Lisa Lim, said she and her friend were returning to Malaysia after their vacation in Kunming, China.
“While at the airport, my friend, Datin Ng ,asked me to hold her bag because she supposedly had other luggage to carry.
“Without a second thought, I helped carry the bag but was later stopped by the authorities at the immigration checkpoint,” she said as quoted by Harian Metro.
M’sian woman locked up in China for 30 days
Lim said upon inspection, a large amount of Chinese medication in the form of pills was found inside the bag.
She added that although sniffer dogs couldn’t detect any drugs in the bag, she was nevertheless detained by the authorities. Her friend Ng also reportedly left for Malaysia without her.
I was told I would be released within three days, but I was detained in a cell for 30 days before being released on Feb 7 after the authorities were satisfied that the bag did not contain any drugs and returned to Malaysia the next day.
“Throughout my detention, I wasn’t allowed to call family or friends and the incident has caused a great deal of stress to my family and damaged my reputation,” she said.
Was dismissed by friend
Lim added that she confronted Ng about the matter but was brushed off, where the latter displayed indifference to her plight and denied putting medicines into the bag.
Meanwhile, MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said Lim was fortunate to have been released and that no illicit substances were found inside the bag.
He added that while Lim doesn’t blame the authorities for what they did, he said Ng was “very irresponsible” by not showing concern for Lim’s situation.
The department’s legal advisor James Ee, who was also present, urged Lim to pursue legal action against Ng.
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