KUALA LUMPUR: An elderly couple continues to suffer relentless harassment from illegal moneylenders more than a month after their 35-year-old son's death, MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong revealed Wednesday (Aug 12).
The victim's family, who operate a machinery business in Sungai Buloh, discovered after their son’s passing that he was allegedly linked to an unlicensed loan scheme.
“First, they splashed yellow paint as a warning (Aug 5). The second time, it was brown paint as a more serious warning (Aug 6). The third time, it was red paint as a final warning (Aug 8),” he said at a press conference at Wisma MCA here on Wednesday (Aug 12).
According to a police report lodged on Aug 6 by the deceased’s 71-year-old father, known only as Chew, the harassment began on Aug 5 when a delivery rider arrived to collect three air compressors. After checking online records and finding no such request, Chew spoke to the individual who booked the rider, who then demanded debt repayment.
A demand note was subsequently pasted on the shop's roller shutter, followed by a series of threatening WhatsApp messages.
"What is very serious is that they are not only going after the borrower, but also targeting family members who have nothing to do with the loan," Michael said, noting that the harassment persisted even after police reports were filed.
MCA National Youth Deputy Chairman Mike Chong Yew Chuan expressed growing concern over loan shark activities, including those tied to online gambling during the World Cup. He stated that MCA Youth will write to police leadership and seek a meeting with the Inspector-General of Police or the Criminal Investigation Department director.
"Another thing we want to know is how the loan sharks could have known that the victim's family had lodged a police report within less than an hour," Mike added.
