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Cops to loan sharks: You have 24 hours to give up
June 02, 2009
COME out with your hands up.
That was the order given by Malaysian police to the country's most wanted Ah Longs after a recent spate of violence involving them.
The Star reported yesterday that the police were giving the loan sharks 24 hours to surrender themselves.
Or risk having their identities revealed.
At least three or four major loan sharks involved in kidnappings and assaults have been identified.
They included those involved in a recent case where three men were chained like animals in a vacant shop lot and fed scraps for about two months after being unable to settle their debts.
Ultimatum
Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan told Sunday Star that police had identified the culprits.
He said: 'If they don't surrender, we will release their pictures to the media.
'The police are going on the offensive to hunt down the Ah Longs. We will hunt them until we find them, even if they go underground.'
On Friday, the Home Ministry announced that it had formed a task force to deal with the problem.
MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Michael Chong warned that the Ah Long syndicates were big and sophisticated.
He said: 'Stronger enforcement will prevent loan sharks from becoming too violent in recovering their debt. However, many will now lie low; not only the police are after them but also the public.
'Even licensed moneylenders are more careful because they know people are angry with loan sharks at the moment.'
Mr Chong added that in the long run, the demand for loans from Ah Longs had to be tackled to solve the problem.
He said: 'The government needs to look at how to educate people on managing their finances as well as warn them of the dangers of borrowing money from these unlicensed moneylenders.
'Only when they stop going to them and put the Ah Longs out of business can we eradicate this menace from society.'
On 11May, a 3-year-old boy was kidnapped in Perak after his relative failed to repay his debt of RM300,000 ($124,100).
His body was found floating in a river a few days after he went missing.
In May last year, police found body parts strewn on the railway tracks between the Padang Jawa and Bukit Badak stations in Klang.
The victim, a 51-year-old businessman, was allegedly kidnapped and killed by Ah Longs after his family could not come up with the debt repayment of RM100,000.
His original loan was RM30,000.
Cops to loan sharks: You have 24 hours to give up
June 02, 2009
COME out with your hands up.
That was the order given by Malaysian police to the country's most wanted Ah Longs after a recent spate of violence involving them.
The Star reported yesterday that the police were giving the loan sharks 24 hours to surrender themselves.
Or risk having their identities revealed.
At least three or four major loan sharks involved in kidnappings and assaults have been identified.
They included those involved in a recent case where three men were chained like animals in a vacant shop lot and fed scraps for about two months after being unable to settle their debts.
Ultimatum
Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan told Sunday Star that police had identified the culprits.
He said: 'If they don't surrender, we will release their pictures to the media.
'The police are going on the offensive to hunt down the Ah Longs. We will hunt them until we find them, even if they go underground.'
On Friday, the Home Ministry announced that it had formed a task force to deal with the problem.
MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Michael Chong warned that the Ah Long syndicates were big and sophisticated.
He said: 'Stronger enforcement will prevent loan sharks from becoming too violent in recovering their debt. However, many will now lie low; not only the police are after them but also the public.
'Even licensed moneylenders are more careful because they know people are angry with loan sharks at the moment.'
Mr Chong added that in the long run, the demand for loans from Ah Longs had to be tackled to solve the problem.
He said: 'The government needs to look at how to educate people on managing their finances as well as warn them of the dangers of borrowing money from these unlicensed moneylenders.
'Only when they stop going to them and put the Ah Longs out of business can we eradicate this menace from society.'
On 11May, a 3-year-old boy was kidnapped in Perak after his relative failed to repay his debt of RM300,000 ($124,100).
His body was found floating in a river a few days after he went missing.
In May last year, police found body parts strewn on the railway tracks between the Padang Jawa and Bukit Badak stations in Klang.
The victim, a 51-year-old businessman, was allegedly kidnapped and killed by Ah Longs after his family could not come up with the debt repayment of RM100,000.
His original loan was RM30,000.
