Loan sharks chase dead man's debt

The Star

2 days ago

Reopened wound: The deceased's mother flanked by Chong (left) and Koh at the press conference. — LOW BOON TAT/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The debtor died four years ago, but loan sharks appeared out of nowhere to hound his family for money.
The brother of the deceased, identified only as Koh, said his mother was contacted by the loan sharks using two different numbers on Aug 4.
'It happened out of the blue. They demanded payment of RM46,000 they said had been loaned to my brother.
'They said if the money was not paid to them, they would 'come to see her' at her home,' said Koh, 46.
He admitted his late brother had accrued debts in the past, borrowing around RM100,000 from loan sharks to help fund his studies.
The family had also helped to clear those debts over the years.
Koh said his brother took his own life in 2021 due to financial issues.
Since then, he said, the loan sharks had left them alone except for one call made to his family shortly after his sibling's demise.
MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong told a press conference yesterday that a police report had been lodged on Aug 4 over the threats.
Chong said he had spoken to the loan sharks on behalf of the family as well.
The loan sharks, he said, had offered a 'discount' on the debts.
Chong added that such cases are not new, with at least two others facing similar situations involving the death of the debtor.