Singaporeans who borrow from loansharks have been put on notice and the Home Affairs Ministry (MHA) is considering making such acts an offence in the country.
Speaking at the annual Police Workplan seminar on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng said unlicensed moneylending harassment cases have almost doubled from 2,066 to 3,993.
To counter this rise, the police have installed more CCTVs at harassment—prone sites like lift landings in housing estates.
"From the arrests made, we know that many borrowers eventually join the loanshark criminal organisation as runners to carry out harassment and vandalism. We, therefore, need to stem the problem decisively," said Mr Wong.
Community leaders welcomed the move as neighbours of those who borrow from loansharks end up being harassed as well.
Teo Ho Pin, GPC chair for law and home affairs & MP for Bukit Panjang, said: "The town councils have also been doing a lot of goodwill painting and repair work to all the common property damaged by the loansharks and their assistants. So we need to come out with a holistic approach to resolve this problem."
Minister sir, do you know what is Desperate or not?! People don't borrow from Loanshark for fun, they are really in financial crisis.
Speaking at the annual Police Workplan seminar on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng said unlicensed moneylending harassment cases have almost doubled from 2,066 to 3,993.
To counter this rise, the police have installed more CCTVs at harassment—prone sites like lift landings in housing estates.
"From the arrests made, we know that many borrowers eventually join the loanshark criminal organisation as runners to carry out harassment and vandalism. We, therefore, need to stem the problem decisively," said Mr Wong.
Community leaders welcomed the move as neighbours of those who borrow from loansharks end up being harassed as well.
Teo Ho Pin, GPC chair for law and home affairs & MP for Bukit Panjang, said: "The town councils have also been doing a lot of goodwill painting and repair work to all the common property damaged by the loansharks and their assistants. So we need to come out with a holistic approach to resolve this problem."
Minister sir, do you know what is Desperate or not?! People don't borrow from Loanshark for fun, they are really in financial crisis.