Living in fear of Ah Long

KUALA LUMPUR: A 63-year-old woman is living in fear over seven loans amounting to RM42,000 taken from a loan shark by her former son-in-law.
The woman, who only wants to be known as Madam Lau, claimed debt collectors splashed red paint in front of her house and her white Perodua Myvi yesterday about 12.30am.
She said the debt collector, who introduced himself as Ah Quan, also left a message attached to a photo of her former son-in-law, Chia, 42.
"But I am not involved in this matter as my daughter, Winnie Lim, had left Chia last year because she could not help him to pay his gambling debts anymore," she told reporters at a press conference at the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department here today.
Also present was department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong.
Lau, who is staying with her son now, added Lim had obtained a divorce order in May this year and they have not kept in touch with Chia since January 2013.
After the incident, she said Lim had tried to contact Chia, who is staying in Puchong, but failed.
Lau lodged a police report at Cheras police station yesterday as she is worried the debt collector may cause her more problems.
"I hope that the loan shark can go after Chia but not me or any of my family members because it is none of our business," she said.
"Although the borrower had used a certain home address to get a loan from the Ah Long, it does not mean the individual owns the property, so just go after the one who borrowed the money," Chong said.
Up to August this year, Chong said he had received 599 loan shark cases totalling RM40 million.
He said the number of cases and the amount had increased tremendously compared with 576 cases involving RM54 million in 2013 and 599 cases (RM39 million) in 2012.
"I received 61 loan shark cases involving RM7 million in July.
"Most were gambling related because it was just after the World Cup," he said.