Loan sharks using funerary symbols to intimidate borrowers, says MCA
MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said his team had received complaints alleging that loan sharks had edited their victims' faces into fake funeral photos.
"These edited images are uploaded on social media to instil fear and shame not just in the victims, but also their families," he said.
In one recent case, a businessman from Klang identified only as Tan, 40, claimed he had received an image showing his portrait in a mock funeral memorial.
"The image had joss sticks and an altar backdrop. They sent it after I failed to fully repay an unlicensed loan," he said at a press conference at Wisma MCA today.
"The photo was sent by the lender, known as Han, supposedly to 'remind' me of what happens when you don't pay up. But I had already repaid RM6,000 of the RM10,000 borrowed," he said.
Tan said the RM10,000 loan was part of a larger RM50,000 sum he had borrowed in February to support his business, and which had been repaid in March.
"I had borrowed five times before this and paid every time. But this time, even before I finished paying, they started threatening me in all sorts of ways.
"The picture was sent on June 26 but was deleted several hours later," he said.
Meanwhile, MCA Public Complaints Bureau deputy chief and lawyer Ivan Tan said such tactics were increasingly being used as a form of psychological intimidation.
Ivan said the shift in approach might be due to the loan sharks realising that symbolic or visual threats carried lighter penalties than physical violence.
"They likely have some legal awareness and believe that these symbolic threats do not fall under the category of serious criminal intimidation.
"This in turn makes it harder for authorities to act under existing legal provisions. We urge the government to review the laws and consider harsher penalties for such tactics," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
39 minutes ago
- The Star
Quick take: Tong Herr climbs to six-month high amid investor interest
KUALA LUMPUR: Shares in Tong Herr Resources Bhd drew investor interest in early trade on Wednesday, emerging among the top gainers on Bursa Malaysia. The stainless steel fastener manufacturer rose 14 sen or 9.27% to RM1.65 — its highest level since early January — as at 9.18 am. The counter has climbed around 15% over the past month. A check on the group's recent filings showed no fresh corporate developments that might explain the sudden interest in the counter. On June 26, Tong Herr announced that its 51%-owned subsidiary, Tong Heer Aluminium Industries Sdn Bhd, had on May 27, 2025, disposed of a total of 2.2 million shares — representing 8.08% of the total issued and paid-up share capital of Han Tec Precision Industry Co Ltd — to Jion Feng International Co Ltd for NT$1.54 million (about RM231,000) cash. In the first quarter ended March 31, Tong Herr's net profit jumped over twofold to RM6mil, or earnings per share of 3.91 sen while revenue rose 17.5% to RM153.7mil.
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
LPG cartel busted: 4,500 cylinders seized in night raid
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 4,500 gas cylinders were seized during a raid by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) at a warehouse in Jalan Ipoh, following a month-long intelligence operation into the large-scale misappropriation of subsidised liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Kuala Lumpur KPDN director Mohd Sabri Seman said the same premises had been raided in August last year, and action was taken against the operator. However, continued surveillance revealed that illegal activity had resumed. The syndicate is believed to have transferred subsidised LPG from 14kg household cylinders into 50kg industrial ones, a method known as decanting. "The subsidised gas, purchased at RM22 per unit, was transferred and resold in industrial cylinders for between RM180 and RM240," he said. About 4,500 cylinders of various sizes, with an estimated retail market value of RM400,000, were seized in the raid. Sabri said the decanting process involved the use of ice blocks to cool the gas cylinders, and the frequent entry of ice trucks into the compound raised suspicions. The repackaged gas was supplied to local businesses, including factories, hotels, and restaurants. Although the premises held a valid LPG wholesale licence and operated legitimately during the day, it allegedly misused subsidised gas at night to avoid detection. Investigations also revealed the syndicate was operating under multiple business entities—four to five different companies across Kuala Lumpur—to avoid being traced. "Each time a company is raided, they change names and locations but continue the same night-time decanting activities. We believe it's the same cartel, operating under a new name," he said. The raid, which began at 11.20pm, also led to the arrest of two Bangladeshi nationals, who claimed they had only recently started working at the warehouse and had never met their employer, believed to be a local. Checks revealed both had valid work permits—but for the construction sector, not for handling gas. "The local owner of the premises has been identified. The detained foreign workers will be handed over to the Immigration Department for further action," Sabri said. The case is being investigated under Sections 21 and 61 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Debtors given ‘funerals'
Under torment: Chong (seated, left) and Ivan (right) holding a conference alongside the three ah long victims in Kuala Lumpur. Loan sharks hold mock wakes in new intimidation tactic KUALA LUMPUR: They used to issue threats, throw paint and even firebomb homes. Now, ah long have gone one step further – they are 'killing' borrowers. Well, not literally. Instead, they are holding 'elaborate funerals' for the defaulters and posting their actions on social media, reveals Datuk Seri Michael Chong. The MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head said a victim by the name of Tan saw a portrait of himself in a wake setting, with curses hurled using a joss stick shared on Facebook. It caused confusion about his death and embarrassment for Tan. It is also taboo for the Chinese to have a funeral when they are alive. 'The man had borrowed RM10,000 in February for his business and had paid RM6,000. 'Previously he had taken five different loans totalling RM50,000, all of which had been settled. 'On June 26, the ah long sent him a picture of a staged wake, which has since been deleted. 'This kind of intimidation shows how low they can go. They are using psychological fear against borrowers,' he said at Wisma MCA yesterday. Chong also spoke about another man named Chan, who is facing constant demands to pay more from a suspected runner going by the name of Kai Qiang. 'The man had borrowed RM700 but paid RM1,000 to Kai Qiang. 'I suspect that this person, who is a runner, has gone rogue without the knowledge of the boss. 'We have a duty to expose such individuals because some of these money lenders are legitimate,' he said. Chan had borrowed from nine different loan sharks, and has settled two on his own. For the remaining seven, he has managed to settle RM4,800 out of RM12,500. In another case, Chong said a mother had disowned her son Chang Kok Wah, 37, from Cheras who left home on June 17, leaving his mother and family members to face threats from ah long. Faced with demanding phone calls and threats to kidnap her grandchildren, Kuek Bee Bee, 63, from Cheras pleaded for the harassment to stop. 'Madam Kuek paid RM13,000 of the debts in May, but the son borrowed more. They don't know his whereabouts since he left. 'The family was even locked out of their home with an iron chain and padlock with a note instructing them to contact several numbers. The family lodged three reports in June,' Chong said. As of June, the MCA has received 165 ah long related cases involving a sum of RM18.6mil of which over 85% are from the Chinese community, Chong added. The bureau's deputy chief Ivan Tan said stricter laws were needed to address the issue of loan sharks.
