On Wednesday, KK Supermart Holdings Sdn Bhd had reportedly told reporters that its convenience store chain suffered a whopping 134 criminal cases a year, half being robberies .

NONE One might imagine frequent armed hold-ups to be disturbing, but KK Supermart staff member Hasem Magrabali ( right ) is nevertheless unfazed despite personally facing at least 10 such incidents over his two years at KK Supermart.

"I am not afraid. Why should I be scared? We are going to die someday anyway," he said when met at his workplace along Jalan Besar, Serdang - one of the frequently hit 24-hour stores.

However, first-time KK Supermart robbery victim Hanifa Wirae was shocked and traumatised by her ordeal, which occurred only two days ago.

"It was my first time. I'm now scared whenever I'm in charge of the cashier's counter," said the supervisor at the store outlet in Jalan Metro Wangsa, Wangsa Maju.

NONE She said after getting the items that the robber had demanded, the lone assailant pointed a knife at her and forced her and a colleague into the cashier's area.

"When he pointed the knife, I asked, ‘Eh? Why?' He said ‘Don't make noise', only then I realised (I was being robbed) and kept quiet," she said, recounting the noon robbery.

Hanifa's colleague was reluctant to obey the order, but he eventually relented when he was bluntly asked, "Do you want to live or die?"

Nevertheless, the 21-year old from Kuala Lumpur said she would continue working for the convenience store chain. She has been with KK Supermart for three years with a RM1,500 per month pay.

"This is not something that would force me to quit... For me, I'm taking this as experience," she sighed.

Hanifa added that if she were to face a robber for a second time, she would probably still be afraid, but perhaps not after repeated encounters.

NONE Contrary to the claim by police that the country's crime rate has gone down, KK Supermart said its branches nationwide have suffered both thefts and robberies 671 times over the past five years, resulting in a loss of more than RM1 million.

On Monday, a 19-year-old youth armed with a machete died after being shot by police while trying to rob the 24-hour supermarket at Taman Sri Rampai.

The company has since boosted the number of 24-hour security guards at all its branches to protect its 1,300 employees against such incidents.

'If they come, don't fight'

Both Hasem and Hanifa have a similar take on how to deal with robbers - surrender whatever they want.

"If they come, don't fight," said Hasem, "And if they attack, don't fight back.

NONE "I am a Bangladeshi. If I die, my family in Bangladesh would suffer," he said.

Hasem said he had also tried to dissuade robbers from crime, but apparently in vain.

"I said, ‘Malaysia has many jobs. You have feet, you have hands, why are you doing this?"

The response was, "Shut up. Give me the money."