Loan shark’s menace in Malaysia affect debtor’s neighbours, spark concern

MALAYSIA: In Malaysia, the tactics employed by loan sharks have reached alarming levels, extending beyond threatening debtors to now include their neighbours.

A distressing incident was recounted by a Malaysian woman on her X page, detailing the repercussions faced by her friend, who was one of the neighbours of the debtor, due to the actions of a loan shark.

The post shows pictures of several cars and houses splashed with red paint as a warning.

The woman’s post also shared a letter left by the loan shark, which conveyed a stark message, “This is a notice for all of you, because your neighbour has unpaid debt with us and refuses to pay.

You, as the neighbours, are instructed to have the person at (house number) to call us and settle.

Failure to comply will result in repercussions for the neighbours as well, we will resort to burning your house down if the matter is not resolved promptly.”

Menakutkan MO Along sekarang ni, jiran tak bayar hutang, sampai jiran2 sebelah kena simbah cat, ugut nak bakar rumah 😥 pic.twitter.com/MXHNc8tn50

— Nadia 🇲🇾🍉 (@nadiazaman__) January 25, 2024

The concerned woman also seized the opportunity to caution others against resorting to loan sharks, emphasising the far-reaching consequences that not only impact the debtors but also those nearby.

It was disclosed that the affected neighbours swiftly lodged police reports on the same day at the Gombak district Police Headquarters, Selangor, and the case is now under investigation under Section 427 of the Penal Code.

Since its posting on 25 January morning, the viral post has garnered 2.2 million views, sparking various reactions from netizens.

A majority of netizens condemn the loan shark for resorting to violence and threats in debt collection.

Many express their disdain, labelling such actions as “ridiculous” and “crazy,” especially since the consequences extend to individuals unrelated to the original debtor.

Comments also shed light on instances of scams by illegal money lenders who deceive victims by claiming to possess licences.

Some suggest that the proliferation of street advertisements contributes to the rise in loan shark cases, urging others to report such ads to the authorities.

Satu punca ramai pinjam along skrg sbb benda ni ha. Bersepah keliling selangor! Kalau nampak korg report je kt majlis https://t.co/Bq9gprkqmh . Kalau rajin cabut je sndiri tggu majlis kadang2 lambat pic.twitter.com/SygjGtEkzb

— Z (@zacloud123) January 25, 2024

In a sarcastic tone, one commenter even suggested taking down the advertisements personally, implying that government actions might be sluggish.

However, amidst the condemnations, netizens are arguing that the blame should not solely be placed on the loan shark.

Instead, they assert that responsibility lies with the individuals choosing to borrow, emphasising the importance of timely repayments to avoid such dire consequences.