Monday, June 11, 2012

HONEST CABBIE RETURNS WOMAN'S PURSE

Saturday June 9, 2012

Cabbie returns woman’s purse By R.S.N. MURALI murali@thestar.com.my

MALACCA: When Camela Tan left her purse containing about RM2,500 and valuables in a taxi after being dropped off at St Francis Church here, the Singaporean thought she would never see them again.

But thanks to the honest driver, she was reunited with her belongings.

K. Nathan, 35, found the purse while he was cleaning his taxi before ferrying his next passenger.

Model citizens : Nathan (left) and Roslan congratulating each other after receiving their certificates at the hotel Friday. Nathan went to Equatorial Melaka Hotel which was his pick-up point and handed over the purse to tour desk assistant Roslan Abdul Ghani.

Nathan said it was wrong to keep someone else's property.

“It doesn't belong to me and should be returned to its rightful owner,” he said.

The father of three, who lives in Taman Desa Duyung here, said it was against his Hindu faith to keep the purse.

“I believe taking someone else's property is like eating someone else's flesh. I can't do it,” he said.

Roslan, 48, then contacted Tan who was a hotel guest and returned her belongings on May 27, the day of the incident.

Nathan and Roslan were awarded by the hotel with a certificate for their honesty on Wednesday.

Roslan said he appreciated his employer's gesture.

“I never expected to be rewarded by my bosses. I was just doing my duty to take care of the hotel guests.

“When the purse was handed to me, I promptly contacted Tan to relay the good news as I knew she must be anxious,” he said, adding that he would frame the certificate and hang it in his home.

“The award would inspire me to serve the hotel guests with full integrity,” he said.

Tan, 60, made a special trip back to Malacca to be present at the ceremony.

“It was indeed a memorable holiday in Malacca. I was touched by the courtesy and honesty of the taxi driver and the hotel staff.

“I will return to Malacca soon to meet Nathan and Roslan as an encouragement for others to emulate their honesty,” she wrote in her e-mail upon returning to Singapore after the incident.

She said having her purse returned was like a “mystical” experience.

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