Victims of acid-splashers doubt the government's move to amend laws to tighten the sale of acidic substances will be effective.
The announcement was made in Parliament yesterday.
"I am glad the government wants to regulate shops selling acidic substances and to make it compulsory for purchasers to provide documentation, but a person with criminal intent can still obtain such material without leaving any trace of his or her identity," said a 25-year-old history teacher who was a victim of a serial acid-splasher in Brickfields in March.
"Since the incident, I become paranoid whenever I see or hear a motorcyclist coming from the front or behind," said the teacher, who identified herself as Ng.
Ng, from Kelantan, who graduated recently, was only three months into her teaching position at SMK Vivekananda when a motorcyclist from behind splashed acid on her as she was passing SRJK Tamil Vivekananda near Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad to get to her secondary school located in the same compound.
She suffered discomfort in her eyes and burns on her breast and was hospitalised. Traumatised, she requested a transfer and returned to Kelantan to recuperate.
"Over the past seven months, I have been to KL only once," said Ng, who was posted to a secondary school in Hulu Selangor about a month ago.
Another near-victim, a 26-year-old marketing executive who requested anonymity, was also doubtful the government's move would be effective.
"Those who want to use acid to cause harm to others can resort to underhanded ways to obtain the dangerous materials," she said.
The woman, who was waiting at traffic lights near KL Central Market on May 20, escaped injury when she refused to wind down her driver's window when asked to do so by a motorcyclist, who splashed an acidic pink liquid on the window.
In both cases, the attacker was believed to be the same person, described as dark-skinned and wearing a helmet with a visor.
Yesterday, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusop said three acid-splashing cases were reported in 2009, followed by 10 cases last year and 45 cases up to October this year.
Of the 58 cases, 33 were motivated by robbery, jealousy and revenge, and 25 cases, mainly in KL, were believed to have been caused by a serial acid-splasher, who is still at large.
Abu Seman said a key factor for the large number of unresolved cases was the victims could not recognise the suspect's face.
