'He asked when did I lose my virginity': Singaporean traveller on offensive private-hire driver in JB

A Singaporean on a career break has opened up about her distressing experience during a solo trip in Johor Bahru.

The woman, who only wanted to be known as Alayna, said a private-hire driver first asked her why she's vacationing alone in a "dangerous place like JB", and if she's scared of being kidnapped by him.

He later probed her for more information about her past relationships and sex life.

"He asked me when did I lose my virginity," the 29-year-old, who was previously in the public sector, said in a TikTok video on Thursday (Sept 21) about the July 14 encounter. 

"I don't even know how I survived that moment," she added.

"I was coming up with solutions in my head. Like, ‘Should I call the police or my mum?' I was so scared."

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@peltings/video/7281257357684821255?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7252157227077830162[/embed]

Speaking to AsiaOne on Friday (Sept 22), Alayna said that she wanted to go to Kota Tinggi Firefly Park during a solo trip in Johor, but added that it was inconvenient to get there without a private-hire driver.

She then got to know the Grab driver on the second day of her trip, who was promoting his private service at that time. 

In several messages seen by AsiaOne, Alayna contacted the Grab driver through WhatsApp, and they agreed on a RM120 (S$35) fee for a return trip to the firefly park.

The driver was "friendly" at first during the journey to the park, said the solo traveller, adding it became weird when he picked her up for the return trip. 

"He was scanning me from head to toe once I opened the door. I felt unsafe immediately but I brushed it off because my interaction with him earlier was okay."

In the three-minute clip shared on TikTok, Alayna said that the "awkward" conversation became even more personal on the way to her AirBnb in Mount Austin.

The driver allegedly shared about his past relationships that were peppered with racist remarks.

Alayna said that she did not want to engage with him at that time, and started giving one-word answers.

But she added that the driver started "asking her things" about her past relationships and ex partners.

Then came the question about her virginity.

"I really contemplated jumping out of his car," recalled Alayna to AsiaOne. "Then I checked the GPS and realised that we were near my AirBnb."

'I didn't enjoy the rest of the trip' 

After reaching her destination, Alayna paid the driver in cash.

She even gave him a tip, out of fear that he would "do something" to her.

Alayna said: "I made sure nobody followed me to the lift and rushed to my place. I took a long shower, barely slept and didn't fully enjoy the rest of my trip because I was trying to process the whole experience.

"During the first few days, my thoughts were filled with questions like, 'Am I overthinking this?' 'Is Malaysia unsafe?' 'What the heck was wrong with him?' There was a lot of confusion and I found myself blaming the driver.

"But after some time, I wondered what I could have done differently. Like perhaps I could have made better decisions, like skipping my trip to the firefly park, or sharing my location with family."

She told AsiaOne that she didn't complain to Grab as it was a private arrangement, and she didn't think that the company would be able to do anything about it. 

For the avid traveller, it took her a month to share this "traumatising" experience to her friends and family - out of the fear of being judged and criticised.

But Alayna shared that she is in a better place now and still loves solo trips.

"I see this as a one-off incident, a lesson learned. I'm in a better place now," she said, adding that she will be more cautious during her upcoming overseas trips.

Travelling in Malaysia on private hire cars has its benefits.

But in the interest of safety, Motorist Malaysia advises passengers to share a live location to family members, check the car-lock function, ensure that the driver is on the designated route, and take note of the emergency contacts. 

chingshijie@asiaone.com