Loan shark targets single mum over estranged hubby’s debts

KUCHING (Dec 8): A 26-year-old single mother is being severely harassed and threatened by an alleged loan shark over her estranged husband’s debt, said Milton Foo.

The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaints Bureau chief said victim Chong’s ordeal began on Dec 6 when she received WhatsApp messages on both her phone numbers from an unknown person.

Speaking at a press conference here, he said the person sent Chong a photo of her estranged husband holding his MyKad and demanded she pay RM500 for his debt.

“Madam Chong explained to the caller that she and her husband had been separated for nearly seven years, though not legally divorced. However, the caller claimed her husband had listed her phone numbers as ‘emergency contacts’,” he said.

Foo said the situation escalated when the caller threatened to go to Chong’s house, and also claimed to possess photos of her and her two children.

He added the caller, who claimed to be an ‘Ah Long head’ and part of a gangster group, had also threatened to ‘catch and sell’ Chong to Cambodia to become a prostitute.

“The victim managed to record two phone conversations, one at 19 seconds and the other about three minutes. The longer conversation was clearly made to agitate the victim.

“Later, the harasser sent a video of a house on fire, warning the victim to ‘standby at home’—a clear threat of violence. That was the last conversation on Saturday,” said Foo.

Following the latest harassment, Chong filed a report at the Batu Kawa police station and sought help from a community leader, who referred her to Foo.

According to the SUPP man, cases of violence, threats, arson and public shaming by loan sharks have become a serious issue over the past few years.

He deemed Chong to be an innocent victim of her estranged husband’s doing, and commended her for lodging a police report.

“I urge victims out there to not feel threatened. Do not succumb to blackmail or threats from loan sharks, especially since their identity is often unknown. You never see the person—it could be a scammer.

“Be brave enough to lodge a police report, be brave to approach us (SUPP) for help,” he said.

Foo pointed out that lawful debt recovery must be done through legal processes, such as issuing legal notices and suing the borrower in court.

Debts, he said, are solely the responsibility of the borrower and that family members or third parties are not legally obligated to pay unless they have explicitly signed as guarantors.