IPOH: A family here is being harassed by loan sharks demanding the repayment of money the victims say they never borrowed.
A member of the family, who gave his name only as Tang, said they are living in fear after being harassed over debts of about RM130,000 allegedly incurred by his ex-wife.
The 33-year-old, who works in the funeral business, said he divorced the woman seven years ago and has since been co-parenting their five children, the oldest of whom is 12.
"Four of the children are living with me, while one stays with my ex-wife’s father. I have since remarried and now have two more children.
"The situation is alarming as the loan sharks appear to have detailed information about my entire family," he told a press conference organised by Pasir Pinji assemblyman Goh See Hua here on Tuesday (March 24).
"What’s most concerning is that they have details of all my children, including my six-month-old baby.
"We are constantly worried about their safety and even question whether it is safe to send them to school," he added.
Tang also said that both his current wife and children have been threatened.
"We have received numerous messages demanding immediate repayment," he said.
Meanwhile, the ex-wife’s father, Phoon, 50, a hawker, said he is no longer in contact with his 28-year-old daughter.
"I was working in Johor for some time and only returned to Ipoh in March.
"That was when my daughter approached me about the loan sharks demanding repayment," he said, adding that they lodged a police report on March 12, but his daughter has since left home.
"Since then, we have not been able to contact her. We are also worried about our safety," he said.
According to Phoon, at least three police reports have been lodged by different parties, including Tang’s current wife.
"They have been contacting us through multiple phone numbers and even created WhatsApp groups, adding family members and issuing threats," he said.
Phoon urged those responsible to stop harassing the family.
"We do not know where my daughter is and we just want them to leave us alone, especially the grandchildren. We fear for our safety," he said.
Meanwhile, Goh reminded the public about the dangers of borrowing money, especially for gambling or to buy items beyond their means.
"If you borrow money for business purposes, there is still a chance to generate income and repay the debt.
"However, if you take loans to pay for daily expenses or items you cannot afford, you may not be able to repay them and could end up deeper in debt," he said.
He urged the public to think carefully before taking loans, as such decisions not only affect the borrower but also those around them, including their parents, spouses and children.
He also called on loan sharks to act responsibly and deal directly with the borrower, and not harass family members.
