KUALA LUMPUR: A family is enduring relentless harassment from loan sharks after the borrower, a 40-year-old man known as Cheng, was found dead in a hotel room, leaving behind a suicide note.
China Press reported that Cheng's body was discovered on Dec 12, and police informed his family of his death.
Burdened with debts exceeding RM200,000, Cheng had turned to loan sharks to sustain his business. Overwhelmed by his financial situation, he left a suicide note for his family and his two adopted sons, aged 12 and 15.
Shockingly, even after his death, the loan sharks continued to target Cheng's family. They resorted to violent and inhumane methods, including issuing death threats and posting personal details of Cheng's adopted sons and nephews online.
At a press conference held with the assistance of Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng, Cheng's sister shared the family's ordeal. She explained that after her brother's passing, the family — including their 72-year-old father — had been subjected to constant harassment. Their phones were bombarded with calls, and they repeatedly received death threats from the loan sharks.
Cheng's sister also revealed that the family does not know the exact amount he owed, but based on the information he left behind, it was understood that he first borrowed money online in August. After being scammed out of RM20,000, he turned to loan sharks for further loans.
"Since my brother's death, the family has been harassed non-stop. The loan sharks posted our personal details, including the children's information, on Facebook and threatened to burn down our house or take our lives as repayment," she said.
Unable to withstand the harassment, the family filed a police report on Dec 14. On Dec 18, they sought help from Lim's service centre.