Cops rule out loan shark involvement in Johor teacher's death
Iskandar Puteri police chief M Kumarasan said Lo Kwan Fong was an only child and both her parents were deceased. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA : Police have ruled out any criminal link to illegal moneylending syndicates in the death of a female teacher whose decomposed body was found in her home in Bandar Selesa Jaya, Skudai, Iskandar Puteri, on June 13.
According to Bernama, Iskandar Puteri police chief M Kumarasan said although Lo Kwan Fong, 39, had previously borrowed RM20,000 from a loan shark, the debt had been fully settled.
He said preliminary investigations also found no incidents of paint splashing or threats against the victim — tactics commonly used by loan sharks to pressure debtors into repaying their debts.
'The deceased had previously lodged a report, which was investigated under Section 5(2) of the Moneylenders Act 1951. However, after clearing all her debts, there were no further police reports.
'Neighbours also confirmed that no loan sharks had come to throw paint at her house,' he was quoted as saying.
Kumarasan said checks with the national registration department revealed that Lo was an only child and both her parents had died. To date, her remains have yet to be claimed by her next of kin.
'We will discuss this further with the hospital.
'After two weeks, the body will be released to Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) for them to appoint a private funeral service,' he said, adding that several parents of her students had expressed their willingness to assist in funeral arrangements.
Kumarasan added police were informed that Lo has an aunt in Singapore, but they do not have further information about her.
Lo was found dead in her home on June 13 after neighbours detected a foul smell and alerted the Nusa Bestari police station.
Investigations indicated she had likely died about a month before her body was discovered.
A post-mortem conducted by a forensic pathologist at HSA concluded that the cause of death was 'unascertained due to advanced decomposition'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
25 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
No seatbelt, no excuse: JPJ to begin enforcement on new express, tour buses with RM300 fines from July 1
KOTA BARU, June 29 – Express and tour bus drivers and passengers must wear seatbelts from July 1, with enforcement initially targeting buses manufactured from January 2020 onwards, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) announced today. JPJ director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said older buses will be given time to retrofit seatbelts, while enforcement officers will ensure compliance starting Tuesday. 'Previously, we adopted an advocacy approach, but starting July 1, we will enforce it strictly,' he was quoted saying by New Straits Times. 'If drivers fail to remind passengers to wear their seatbelts, not only will passengers be fined, but the driver and the bus operating company will also be penalised.' He explained that if the driver had given a reminder but passengers still refused to comply, only the passengers would be fined RM300 each. Aedy said JPJ officers would use closed-circuit television (CCTV) recordings to determine if reminders were issued before departure. He noted that discussions with bus operators had already taken place and guidelines had been issued to facilitate enforcement. Drivers are responsible for ensuring all passengers fasten their seatbelts before starting the journey. The JPJ chief stressed there would be no compromise on violations moving forward. Calls for stricter laws came after 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students died when a bus carrying 42 passengers veered off the East-West Highway near Gerik on June 9. A total of 48 individuals were involved in the incident, with 13 pronounced dead at the scene and two more succumbing to injuries in hospital. A group of UPSI students involved in the fatal bus crash has since announced its plan to take legal action against the bus driver and the company operating the vehicle.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
‘Not the MRSM DNA': Asyraf Wajdi denies bullying cover-up, mounts surprise visit to Besut school after seven students remanded
BESUT, June 29 – Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has denied any attempts by Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) to cover up bullying cases in its boarding schools. He said he was disheartened by the recent incident in Besut MRSM and stressed that bullying has no place in the schools, describing it as contrary to the values and character-building mission of the institution. 'There was no attempt by the principal, warden, or teachers to cover up the case. I have always issued a stern warning — bullying will not be tolerated under any circumstances,' he commented on Facebook. 'Should there be any effort to hide or sweep such incidents under the rug, those responsible, whether the principal, warden, or teachers, will face strict action.' Asyraf praised the prompt action of the on-duty warden in Besut MRSM, who intervened before the situation worsened and witnessed one student physically slapping another. The incident was swiftly referred to the MRSM Disciplinary Committee, which confirmed that physical bullying had taken place. He made his remarks after a surprise visit to Besut MRSM following reports of a recent bullying incident there. 'I am deeply disappointed and saddened to learn that such an incident has occurred at this institution. This is not part of our culture. This is not the MRSM DNA,' he said after addressing students at the school's surau. The police have since arrested six Form Three students and one Form Five student to assist in the investigation, with all of them remanded. Earlier, it was reported that police received a report from a male Form Two student at a residential school in Besut, claiming he was bullied by Form Three students last Tuesday. Besut police chief Supt Azamuddin Ahmad @ Abu said initial investigations revealed that the senior students had ordered the victim to sit in a semi-squatting position with a slipper placed on his head for 40 minutes. The victim was also punched in the stomach and slapped in the face while at the school dormitory, he said.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Singapore court lets Netflix star David Yong travel to Malaysia, South Korea in July as bail hits S$1.5m
SINGAPORE, June 29 — David Yong, the Singaporean entrepreneur who gained fame on Netflix's Super Rich in South Korea, has been granted court approval to travel to Malaysia and South Korea for urgent business matters despite facing five criminal charges in Singapore. According to The Straits Times, a district court on Friday approved his application to travel to Seoul from July 4 to 11, and Kuala Lumpur from July 14 to 21. As part of the conditions, Yong must submit his full travel itinerary to the investigating officer before departure and surrender his passport within 24 hours of his return. Yong, 38, is the chief executive of Evergreen Group Holdings. He is currently out on bail after being charged with multiple offences involving falsification of accounts and breaching securities laws. His bail amount was raised by S$500,000 (RM1.65 million) to a total of S$1.5 million. His legal team from Dentons Rodyk & Davidson said in court that Yong needed to attend to 'urgent matters' abroad, including securing new office premises. Lawyer Navin Naidu told the court the issue surrounding a Cambodian passport in Yong's possession — issued under the name 'Duong Dara' — had been 'conclusively resolved'. Yong had previously claimed to have surrendered the document to Cambodian authorities. This was Yong's fourth attempt to seek permission to travel. A previous application in March was rejected after the court found the status of his Cambodian passport unclear. Yong was arrested on August 1, 2024, just months after appearing in the Netflix reality series. He was charged two days later with abetting Jolene Low Mong Han to falsify a tax invoice related to Evergreen Assets Management, a company under his group. Three further charges involving tax invoices and promissory notes followed in August last year. The latest, filed on June 3, accuses Yong of consenting to the offering of more than 1,000 promissory notes between July 2023 and July 2024 without meeting the disclosure requirements under Singapore's Securities and Futures Act (SFA). According to police, over S$61 million was raised through the notes, which promised a 10 per cent annual return. 'Under the SFA, any offer of securities must be made in or accompanied by a prospectus... unless an exemption applies,' police said in a June 3 statement. 'Members of the public are advised to exercise caution when dealing with such offers without a prospectus.' Yong's pre-trial conference is scheduled for July 18.
