KUALA LUMPUR: A 24-year-old woman was found dead at her home in Cheras here, and her boyfriend has held the illegal money lenders responsible for her death.
The boyfriend, who only wished to be known as Loh, 29, said he discovered from messages on his girlfriend's phone that she had borrowed RM40,000 from eight loan sharks.
He claimed that the loans had grown to a total of RM70,000 with interest.
Loh, a businessman, said after his girlfriend's death, the loan sharks turned to him for payment.
He believed the same people had constantly harassed his girlfriend, who ran a mobile phone business, until she could no longer bear it and took her own life.
On the heartbreaking discovery of his live-in girlfriend's death, Loh said she told him she was organising a barbecue party with her cousins.
"She asked me to go back to my parents' home on March 30.
"When I returned the next day, I found her on the floor of the living room and the condominium unit was filled with the smell of burnt charcoal," he told a press conference organised by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong on Thursday (April 10).
He said police had ruled out foul play.
Chong said this was the second suicide case related to illegal money lenders.
The first case involved a man.
Chong warned the public not to borrow money from loan sharks, who charge exorbitant interest rates.
Those in need of someone to talk to can call Befrienders at 03-7627 2929, email sam@befrienders.org.my or visit its website (www.befrienders.org.my).
