Watch and learn: Saiful giving a live demonstration on how to defend oneself when attacked.

Defend. Defeat. Ditch. Remember these words as they could save your life.

Together, they make the three-step formula and message of SEGi University’s Mass Communications students’ Fight or Flight self-defence campaign.

Headed by two young ladies, the campaign aims to encourage young adults between the ages of 18 to 25 to take the initiative to learn how to protect themselves.

“We cannot afford to be complacent,” said advertising major Alia Emira Ismail who is also the campaign’s vice president.

Campaign president Nur Fateeha Abdul Wahid agreed, saying there were cases of petty crime, even on campus vicinity.

“Self-defence is relevant to young people because they like to go out at night and most times, they drive alone,” said Nur Fateeha.

The public relations major added that young people “are highly susceptible to being victims of crime”.

With a taskforce of 26, the Fight or Flight campaign drew inspiration from the MTV show Bully Beatdown and culminated recently in a day-long event with activities, talks and live demonstrations for students at SEGi’s campus in Kota Damansara, Selangor.

Actor, model and mixed martial artist Peter Davis demonstrated some basic hand-to-hand combat moves that were particularly useful for young women as they do not require physical strength to execute.

For women, using nails to gouge the eyes or hands to pull the hair, are simple but effective manoeuvres of basic self-defence.

Aiming for the soft and sensitive spots on the human body — the eyes, the throat, the groin — is also key as they provide fast and powerful results.

“I would say that young adults should go for a little bit of martial arts or self-defence training,” said Davis.

“What training does is to help sharpen your instincts and if they are not sharp, then your instincts are useless.”

Saiful Hamiruzzaman, founder of KickStart Academy, demonstrated a series of potential crime scenarios with his team of personal safety and self-defence instructors.

He also gave advice on the best course of action victims should take when they find themselves in an unsafe situation.

“Your ultimate goal is to survive,” said Saiful.

“Reduce your risk of injury by first trying to communicate with and pacifying your assailant. If they want your money and possessions, comply.”

Crime survival, he said, is based on common sense and logic.

The ability to use your skills and resources to your advantage when faced with a situation could save you.

Ladies’ handbags, for example, can make an effective makeshift weapon.

You can reduce your opportunity of being a victim just by being aware of your surroundings, added ASP Foo Chek Seng who is the Students Voluntary Police Corps coordinator at Universiti Malaya.

“These days, we are so engrossed with our phones and gadgets that we don’t look where we are walking or know who is around us.

“In the meantime, criminals may be watching us so it pays to be mindful and observant,” he said.

ASP Foo also advised the public to know how to contact the police in the event of a crime, whether one is a victim or a witness.

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