Sister’s ‘enquiry’ on social media results in brother being harassed by loan sharks

IPOH: A businessman and his family are living in fear after their house gate and car were splashed with red paint, believed to be the work of loan sharks from Singapore.

He said the incident happened on Feb 3 when his older sister who stays with him noticed the paint at about 6am.

Wong Hon Tong, 47, from Batu Gajah said his younger sister who stays in Johor claimed that she only enquired about a loan on social media and never took any money, but the loan sharks started coming after her.

Wong said a male relative, who works in Singapore and whose house was splashed with paint twice, roped him into the situation.

“Two months ago, he asked me to settle my sister’s debts, which my sister claims she never incurred, but I refused to pay anyone anything,” he said.

Wong said he did not want to get involved with loan sharks but believed that someone gave them his address in Batu Gajah, leading to the splashing of paint.

“Besides that, they left a note saying ‘Last Warning before I burn your home’,” he told a press conference at Perak MCA headquarters here Tuesday (Feb 8).

He said he then lodged a police report at the Batu Gajah station on Feb 3.

Also present at the press conference was Wong’s wife Chung Chien Mee, 42.

Wong said his sister told him the loan sharks were harassing her even though she told them she did not borrow any money.

“They kept insisting that she had to pay although she just asked about the facility. The number they used to contact her is registered in Singapore,” he added.

Wong said he was afraid for his family’s safety, and also worried if the loan sharks had been given his shop address as well.

Perak MCA Public Service and Complaints Bureau chief Low Guo Nan said he had referred the matter to the police.

“The police are looking into it.

“I have been constantly reminding people not to borrow money from loan sharks, and also not to click on any links that require personal information,” he added.