Tuesday July 29, 2008
NGO helping loan shark victims shocked by arrests
By VIJENTHI NAIR BAILAND
KUALA LUMPUR: A non-governmental organisation which helps loan shark victims settle their debts was shocked when its members were arrested after apprehending several unlicensed moneylenders.
Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) secretary-general Datuk Dr Ma’amor Osman said that three of his members who were helping victims negotiate their debts with loan sharks were arrested after a fracas in their office on Friday.
The Ah Longs, however, were not picked up.
Dr Ma'amor said two loan sharks had come to collect RM200 from the organisation as part of a deal which it negotiated with a borrower.
Under PPIM's programme, the organisation would act as the middleman for the borrowers.
Dr Ma'amor said that on that day, PPIM could not pay the RM200 because the borrower had not paid the sum to the organisation.
“We told them that but they still came and harassed us. Our officers reacted and a fight started,” he said, adding that his officers noticed that one of the Ah Longs was carrying a pistol.
The officers overpowered the loan sharks and taped their hands and made them sit down in a corner of the office.
“Someone named Alias called and threatened to attack the PPIM office in 20 minutes if the two men were not released. Then, a man called Ah Teck, who claimed to be the head of the Ah Longs, called and threatened one of our officers, saying that he would kill his family if his men were not released.
“He later agreed to meet and settle the matter. However, he lodged a police report,” he said.
Dr Ma'amor said Ah Teck and a friend then turned up with two policemen from the Cheras police district headquarters.
“I was shocked. How can Ah Longs and policemen come together?”
The three PPIM members were taken to the Cheras and then Sentul police district headquarters. They were released the next day on police bail. They went back to the Sentul police station yesterday to be identified by the two Ah Longs whose hands were tied.
Dr Ma'amor said that coincidentally, MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong gave a press conference on the same day of the incident, claiming that there was an organisation threatening and handcuffing Ah Longs and called for such acts to stop.
He questioned why Chong was sympathetic towards loan sharks.
Chong, when contacted, confirmed that he was referring to PPIM. He said that the incident was not the first.
City CID chief Senior Asst Comm II Ku Chin Wah confirmed that PPIM also lodged a report over the matter.
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