May 13, 2010
Man dies after loanshark texts
<!-- by line --> <!-- end by line --> A 45-YEAR-OLD man died of a heart attack after being bombarded with 120 SMSes from a debt collection company over RM7,000 (S$3022) in credit card debts, the major Chinese dailies reported. Nanyang Siang Pau, Sin Chew Daily and China Press reported that Chan Kok Wah from Kajang was deluged with the messages urging him to pay up by 6.26am on May 7. Within five minutes, he had received 32 messages. And by the end of the day, he was overwhelmed by a total of 120 SMSes, according to the reports. Chan's wife, Yeap Chun Hong, 45, said she was upset with the method used by the debt collection company in going after her husband on behalf of the bank.
'They totally did not allow room for discussion. My husband owed them only RM7,000 and they pushed him to his death,' she told the dailies. Ms Yeap, who had lodged a police report, said her husband had banked in RM500 and RM550, and told her he was going for his breakfast at about 11am that day. 'But he suddenly collapsed before he could even take the food and his friend brought him home. 'He then complained about chest pains and fainted again. When he woke up, his friend immediately sent him to the hospital but it was already too late,' she was quoted by the dailies. -- THE STAR/ANN
