KUALA LUMPUR: Demanding money, behaving like thugs and refusing to divulge who sent them, a retired man has been harassed by a debt collecting company for a debt he does not owe.
Chong Wan Yoong, 62, from Rawang, Selangor, has been subjected to ongoing intimidation by two men, who claimed to represent a debt collection agency.
Since December 2024, the duo has shown up at his home at least six times, resorting to aggressive tactics such as shouting, hurling insults, calling him a liar and plastering defamatory notices labelling him a “con man” on his house gate.
They have also repeatedly called him over the phone to intimidate him.
Wan Yoong, a former company director, resigned from his position in 2014.
A year later, the company he was associated with became embroiled in a legal dispute with a hardware firm, according to MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau chief Datuk Seri Michael Chong.
Although he and other directors were implicated, the case was resolved in 2018 with the court ruling that Wan Yoong was not liable for any outstanding debt.
Despite this, the debt collectors have demanded RM100,000 from him, offering no explanation.
“When questioned about who had engaged them, the debt collectors refused to disclose any information.
"Wan Yoong is still uncertain whether they were sent by a bank or the hardware company involved in the past dispute,” said Chong during a press conference at Wisma MCA here on Monday (Feb 24).
Chong condemned the actions of the debt collectors and raised concerns over the possibility of banks employing agencies that resort to harassment.
“If this is from the bank, we want to know why a debt collection company is hired to do the job.
“If it is not from the bank, then how do these collectors have so much information on the victim?
“Banks have access to personal information. If they are involved in hiring these third-party agencies, it is highly unprofessional.
“Financial institutions must not engage in such practices. Debt collection should be conducted professionally instead of through intimidation at people’s homes,” Chong added.
He further revealed that the case is not an isolated incident.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We have received numerous complaints of debt collectors harassing victims at their homes or offices."
To date, Wan Yoong has lodged four police reports over the incidents.
According to lawyer Ivan Tan, police have classified the case as “No Further Action” (NFA), stating that they can only intervene if the collectors trespass into the home of the victim.
“Until today, the victim still does not know who sent these debt collectors,” Tan said.
“We would like to suggest to the police to investigate this case under Section 506 of the Penal Code, which covers criminal intimidation.
“This case may also fall under defamation laws, specifically Section 499 of the Penal Code, as the victim has been publicly accused of being a liar despite the court ruling that he is not liable for any debt," Tan said, adding that stronger enforcement was needed to curb the use of illegal harassment tactics by debt collection agencies.
