KUALA LUMPUR: As the nation and the people grapple from the effects of the Covid-19, many have turned to loan sharks to obtain fast cash and keep up with their various payments.
The fast loans and borrowings, more often than not, has led borrowers to more headache instead of relief, as revealed by the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department (PSCD).
Its head Datuk Seri Michael Chong in a press conference on Tuesday revealed that two more victims of Ah Long's were now living in fear because of threats received and ruthless tactics employed by some of these money lenders in squeezing as much money back from the already troubled borrowers in the shortest amount of time.
The first complainant, who only wished to be known as Chai, 33, from Subang Jaya, Selangor, revealed that his house and car were splashed with red paint by a Ah Long on Oct 10, and the money lender had left a note with their contact numbers and stated that a borrower by the name of Ling owes them money.
"I am the owner of the house at the said address where my family and I have been living for the past six years and we don't know this person named Ling who is said to have borrowed money from the Ah Long.
"I tried to contact the Ah Long and they sent me a copy of the borrower's identity card and a fake water bill from August this year which has the same address as mine. The Ah Long claimed that the borrower has fled and that they will take action on the address given by the borrower which is my home.
"The Ah Long has threatened to attack my home with petrol bombs if the borrower's loan is not paid, and he event sent me a video of a petrol bomb attack on an unknown house as a warning. I proceeded to lodge a police report on the matter on Oct 10 itself because I am worried about my family's safety," Chai said.
The other complainant, Carmen Lau, 26, said a close family member of hers took a loan of RM1,300 from an Ah Long known only as KK on Sept 11, though only Rm470 was received. The Ah Long then doubled the interest from RM280 to RM560 when the family member failed to make repayment on Sept 20.
"When my relative contacted the Ah Long at 6pm on Sept 20, the Ah Long raised the interest to RM1,200 and then up again to RM2,400 just three hours later. We had paid RM200 on Sept 18 and RM500 on Oct 15 (Thursday) to the Ah Long.
"The Ah Long then demanded that we pay RM12,000 or risk having our home burnt down with petrol bombs, and we were sent a video of another home being attacked as a warning. On Oct 12 at about 11.00pm our house was splashed with red paint, and the same thing happened again on Oct 14, though this time round it was our car and a neighbour's car that was splashed with red paint, and we lodged a report at the Cheras police station the same day," Lau said.
Chong is hopeful that police will look into the matter as there have already been cases where houses were attacked and burnt.
"The videos sent to both Mr Chai and Ms. Carmen are the same, and I believe that quite a few cases, apart from these two, could be related to the same Ah Long, so I hope the authorities, especially the police, will look into this matter immediately and take the necessary action," he said.