Loan sharks in Malaysia’s Johor state set fire to a house in Kluang belonging to the parents of a 33-year-old assistant manager after she changed her mind about taking a 10,000 ringgit (US$2,407) loan.
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The victim, who only wanted to be identified as Lam and works in Singapore, said she was harassed by the loan sharks who demanded S$20,000 (US$15,348) after she decided not to take the loan.
Speaking at a press conference organised by MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Michael Chong in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, Lam said that since early October, several notices were pasted on her mother’s house threatening to set the house on fire.
She said that this happened even after she had paid off the extortionists for a loan she never took.
Her elderly parents and two children aged under five were at home during the fire, but luckily, neighbours helped put out the flames with a fire extinguisher.
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Fearing for her family’s safety, Lam said she deposited S$27,400 into separate bank accounts provided by the loan sharks on several occasions to put the matter to rest.
However, they continued to hound her.