Malaysian Chinese Association Urges Loan Shark Victims to Come Forward
Quick Look
- The Malaysian Chinese Association's Public Services and Complaints Department is launching a nationwide initiative to help victims of loan shark violence and threats.
- MCA chief Michael Chong highlighted the escalating severity of loan shark tactics, including petrol bomb attacks, and urged victims to report incidents.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Loan sharks in Malaysia are escalating their violent tactics against borrowers, with incidents including petrol bomb attacks. The Malaysian Chinese Association is launching an initiative to support victims and gather data.
Victims of violent acts and threats by loan sharks have been urged to come forward under a nationwide initiative led by the Malaysian Chinese Association’s Public Services and Complaints Department.
MCA chief Michael Chong said the party’s youth and women’s wings have also been roped in to collect data and provide aid to loan shark victims.
“Throwing paint at homes is now considered lenient, as we are seeing loan sharks throwing petrol bombs. They are getting rampant with no regard for the law at all,” Chong told reporters at Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
“Even the cost of these violent acts, including making the bombs, is charged to the borrowers’ account to further increase their debts,” he said.
Chong revealed that a victim who appeared in a press conference last week had additional threats issued that very night, with petrol bombs thrown and paint splashed at his home.
“They said it was because the victim held the press conference,” he said.
Chong said he met Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department and was told that violent cases would now be referred to the Criminal Investigation Department.
Open Questions
- What specific aid will the MCA provide?
- What is the scale of the loan shark problem?
- What are the police doing to combat this?
