KUALA LUMPUR: Almost four years after their RM71,406 savings disappeared from their bank account, the lives of elderly couple Ho Ah Kan and his wife Fowa Chu Lim continue to be in a disarray.

Not only have they not managed to recover the money, Ho is now in dire need of funds to pay for his medical expenses after he was diagnosed with end-stage liver cancer.

“I hope that whoever took our money will come forward before the Chinese New Year, bearing good news,” said the frail 74-year-old at Wisma MCA here yesterday.

The couple's lives came undone after Chu Lim, 69, went to deposit money into their joint account at a foreign bank in April 2009.

However, she was shocked to find that almost all of their savings had disappeared since she last checked in 2005.

It was later found that the money had been transferred into another account at a local bank, purportedly owned jointly by one Toh Chee Soon and Fowa, in a series of transactions using Chu Lim's forged signature.

She denied owning such an account.

Kepong MCA Task Force Team Leader Tan Kok Eng, who showed reporters a duplicate copy of the bank's transactions, claimed that the transfer was carried out without proper documentation.

“We found out that the transfer was carried out without the couple's IC or bank book being produced.”

The couple have never reported their IC or bank book missing.

“We've written to the bank about this matter. Its reply is that the couple's case will only be handled after police investigations are completed.

“However, Ho needs money now for his medical expenses,” he said, adding that he had contacted the Dang Wangi police station, which is handling the case.

“The investigation officer told me that the report would only be completed in five to 10 years.

“The couple should not be made to wait so long,” he said, adding that they would consider raising funds for the couple's medical and daily needs if the matter was not settled soon.

MCA Public Service and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said he had also tried to contact the bank many times to help the couple, adding that he would lodge a complaint with the Association of Banks in Malaysia.

When contacted, the bank said it would need to collect information on the case before making a statement.

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