Kuching teacher loses nearly RM240,000 to scammers, forced to borrow from money lender at exorbitant rate
KUCHING (July 18): A female teacher here lost nearly RM240,000 to fraudsters last year.
Identified only as Jong, the victim then resorted to borrowing from moneylenders, keeping her family in the dark out of fear and embarrassment.
'The situation spiralled out of control and when her husband eventually discovered the issue, they worked together to repay all the money borrowed except for one loan,' Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak assistant publicity secretary Michael Kong said in a statement today.
The RM18,000 loan from a moneylender in December last year was for a four-year tenure.
Jong paid the instalments for January and February 2025 but upon her husband's insistence, attempted to settle the entire amount.
'The moneylender refused, insisting that since she had signed a four-year repayment plan, she was obligated to pay the full RM48,000, be it in one lump sum now or over the four-year tenure,' said Kong.
He arranged a meeting between the middle-aged couple and the moneylender.
After much persuasion, the moneylender agreed to terminate the loan arrangement subject to Jong settling the principal sum of RM18,000 and some administrative charges.
Kong said the case highlights the dangers of financial scams and the risks of borrowing from moneylenders.
He urged the public to be extremely cautious when dealing with unfamiliar financial schemes.
'If you fall victim to a scam or face financial difficulties, do not suffer in silence. Instead, seek help from trusted family members, friends, or legal channels instead of turning to high-risk borrowing.
'Let this be a reminder that seeking support and advice early can prevent deeper financial trouble,' he said.
Kong also advised the public to verify financial deals, stay informed, and most importantly, not to let fear or embarrassment get in the way of seeking the right help. lead Michael Kong moneylender
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
RM200 per passport: Border officers arrested over 'flying passport' racket
JOHOR BAHRU: Four enforcement officers have been arrested on suspicion of accepting a bribe of RM3,000 while on duty at the motorcycle entry zone checkpoint along the Johor-Singapore border. According to a source from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the four male suspects, aged between their 20s and 40s, were detained today at the Johor MACC office. "Two main suspects were initially apprehended by the Compliance Unit of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) during an inspection at the counter yesterday. They were subsequently handed over to the MACC. "Following their arrest, two more enforcement officers were detained on suspicion of being complicit in the 'flying passport' activity," the source said. Earlier today, MCBA confirmed the arrest of two enforcement officers on duty at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) last night in connection with the same scheme. MCBA CIQ BSI Commander Roszita Dim said the two male suspects, aged 31 and 49, were detained during a covert monitoring operation conducted by the agency's Compliance Unit starting at 3pm that day. The operation targeted officers stationed at the CIQ complex after suspicious activity was detected around 7.30pm at the vehicle zone checkpoint. Investigations revealed several questionable entries in the visitor log, using the login credentials of one officer at the counter, including records involving foreign nationals previously identified as problematic visitors. The MACC source added that during the arrest, 14 foreign passports, four mobile phones belonging to the main suspects, and approximately RM2,800 in cash were recovered. "Initial investigations suggest that the cash and mobile phones are linked to bribery transactions involving the 'flying passport' scheme. "For each passport stamped without the physical presence of the owner, the suspects allegedly received around RM200," the source said. Meanwhile, Johor MACC deputy director of operations Hairul Ilham Hamzah confirmed the arrests when contacted. He said the case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009. "All suspects will be brought before the Johor Bahru Court for a remand application," he added.
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
Tatchanai program aids 800 Indian students in STPM since 2018
PETALING JAYA: More than 800 Indian students have received guidance for the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM) through the Tatchanai Teacher Programme since its inception in 2018. Senior Private Secretary to the Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Anbumani Balan revealed that over 250 of these students successfully secured placements in public universities. The mentoring initiative, backed by Deputy Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, is managed by the Johor Self-Help Association and Social I-Tenaga Association. Conducted online, the programme supports Indian students preparing for STPM examinations. This year, nearly RM200,000 in education incentives were distributed through partnerships with Yayasan Bank Rakyat and agencies under the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (KUSKOP), benefiting more than 300 high-performing students. Anbumani shared these details after officiating the 'Sathanayalar Santippu' ceremony at the Sri Sithi Vinayagar Temple, which honoured over 100 top-performing Indian STPM students. The event was a collaboration between the two associations and the temple. Johor Self-Help Association chairman Krishnasamy Muniandy highlighted the programme's success as proof of the impact of community-driven efforts. He expressed hope for its expansion across Malaysia to assist more students. - Bernama
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Plastics remain top choice for Hanoi food and beverage shops
HANOI (VNExpress): Most Hanoi coffee shops continue to use plastic to serve customers, not wanting to spend extra money on environmentally friendly materials. Within 30 minutes in the morning at a busy coffee shop on Pham Van Bach Street, around 100 drinks were served, almost all in plastic cups. The practice is common at most food and beverage businesses, who use plastic straws, cups and bags. These contribute to the 1,400 tons of plastic waste discharged in Hanoi daily, 60% of it single-use items, according to the city government. Plastic bags, meanwhile, are typically not recycled because they get contaminated easily and offer little profit for scrap collectors, who can earn more from a single shampoo bottle than dozens of bags. Plastic pollution poses a significant challenge for Vietnam and other countries. Leaked plastic waste contaminates the soil, air, water, and sediments in lakes, rivers, and seas, eventually entering the human food chain. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh wants to turn the situation around. In a recent directive, he ordered Hanoi to trial a ban on single-use plastics in eateries, hotels, beverage outlets, and within Ring Road 1, which goes around the Sword Lake and West Lake to encircle a core area of the city. The initiative will begin in the fourth quarter this year and be expanded in subsequent years. Before the directive some food and beverage businesses had already begun transitioning to eco-friendly alternatives. Hoang Tung, chairman of F&B Investment, which operates six Pizza Home and Com Ga 68 (chicken rice) outlets, said their takeout packaging includes cups, lids, straws, boxes, plastic bags, and utensils. Paper boxes and wooden spoons and forks have replaced plastic items, but scaling up the initiative is challenging since wooden spoons and forks cost four times more. A 360ml biodegradable plastic cup with lid costs over VND2,000 (7 U.S. cents), seven times that of the popular plastic polypropylene (PP). Cheaper plastic items flood the market thanks to their dirt-cheap prices. Environment-friendly items have also proven to be less popular with customers. Tung said paper straws often soften or clog if used too long, and paper bags lack the durability plastic provides, especially for distant deliveries. These issues have plagued businesses like One Kitchen and the Ka coffee chain. Despite using paper boxes, cups and bags, One Kitchen still relies on plastic bags for most deliveries and takeaways. Vu Truong Giang, founder of Ka, said: "We haven't found a viable alternative to plastic bags for takeout, though switching to paper cups was easier." Plastic manufacturer Hunufa's management acknowledged that fully biodegradable plastic bags, unlike those mixed with petroleum-based plastics, do not match the durability of non-degradable plastics despite costing five to seven times more. The company has halted production of these bags due to low demand, only making them now in case of specific orders. "We're researching ways to reduce costs and improve the functionality of eco-friendly products to better compete with plastics," Nguyen Hong Vu, its CEO, said. But transitions require time, he said. "Alternative solutions will only gain traction when they address cost and convenience sustainably." - VNExpress
