Debtors enslaved by along to harass other borrowers

GEORGE TOWN - Police have arrested two men and two women in connection with three cases of cars being vandalised in Penang on April 30, which were linked to illegal moneylenders (Along).

The two men were apparently debtors to Along from Singapore and were forced to harass other borrowers after failing to repay their own debts of RM1,000 to RM2,000.

Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said the suspects, aged between 22 and 33, were arrested in several locations in Ipoh, Perak, between May 4 and 6.

"We received a report from a 40-year-old woman who said her son’s Perodua Kelisa car was burnt and spray-painted in an incident at 4.30 am on April 30 in Bukit Tengah near here.

"Police later received two more reports of similar incidents, in Bukit Minyak and Air Itam, involving a Perodua Alza and Myvi on the same day between 4.30 am and 7 am,” he told a press conference here today.

Mohd Shuhaily said a closed-circuit camera (CCTV) check found that a suspect had used a red Toyota Yaris car and police later managed to locate a couple in Jalan Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh, at 12.05 am on May 4, asleep in the car.

He said a search of their car showed up a lighter, pen, house keys and receipts proving purchase of petrol and based on information from them, police arrested a man in Taman Pakatan Jaya, Ulu Kinta at 6.10 am (on May 4).

"Police then arrested another 33-year-old woman in Kampung Simee, Ipoh, at 1.15 pm on May 6 and investigation found that the two men had failed to repay their debts to Along.

"They were then promised a reduction in outstanding debts if they splash paint and burn cars belonging to other borrowers, and were even given a wage of RM700 through the Touch ‘N Go e-wallet,” he said.

He said investigations found that the woman who made the first report also owed money to a foreign-based Along and worked in Singapore, while the other two victims also owed the same Along RM1,000 to RM2,000.

He said the suspects had been remanded for between four and seven days for investigation. - BERNAMA