Loansharks from Singapore allegedly set fire to house in Malaysia on 18 Jan
Loansharks from Singapore have been accused of harassing a family in Malaysia over a debt owed by their 27-year-old son, despite the man’s death under mysterious circumstances.
The affected family has since sought help from their local Member of Parliament (MP), who has warned the loansharks about the serious consequences of committing arson.
Man who worked in Singapore borrowed money from loansharks
Speaking to the press on Tuesday (21 Jan), the parents of the deceased, Ho Wenjie (name transliterated from Mandarin), shared that they were informed their son had committed suicide on 21 Dec 2024.
Source: Sin Chew Daily
The reasons behind Ho’s tragic death remain unclear. However, his father revealed that Ho had confessed to borrowing S$500 from loansharks on 17 Dec 2024.
Days later, the father began receiving WhatsApp messages from loansharks, claiming that his son had outstanding debts.
The father attempted to contact his son, but was unable to reach him.
Concerned, Ho’s father then reached out to one of his son’s colleagues, who subsequently reported the matter to the Singapore Police Force.
The police informed them that Ho had left the country, but they were unsure of his whereabouts.
On 20 Dec 2024, just one day before Ho allegedly took his own life, his eldest brother received a call from a loanshark, who claimed that Ho was going to “commit suicide”.
Loansharks set fire to deceased’s family house
Despite Ho’s death, loansharks continued to harass his family, both in person and via text.
Ho’s father told the press that he tried explaining the situation to the loansharks, but the moneylenders remained insistent on recovering their debt.
They even threatened to harass the family further.
The situation escalated on Saturday (18 Jan) when one of the loansharks set fire to the family’s house in Selangor.
A CCTV camera captured a man dressed in a hoodie and mask approaching the house carrying a sign and a bottle.
Source: LIM LIP ENG æž—ç«‹è¿Ž on Facebook
As he approached the house, the man affixed the sign to one of the front pillars.
Source: LIM LIP ENG æž—ç«‹è¿Ž on Facebook
With the sign in place, the man appeared to ignite the contents of the bottle before throwing it at the building.
The bottle exploded upon impact, setting the gate and surrounding area ablaze.
Source: LIM LIP ENG æž—ç«‹è¿Ž on Facebook
The man quickly fled the scene, but not before taking a photo of the burning house.
Source: LIM LIP ENG æž—ç«‹è¿Ž on Facebook
Following the incident, Ho’s father received a call from loansharks based in Singapore, who claimed responsibility for the arson.
They warned that they would return to set fire to the house again during the Chinese New Year (CNY) period unless the family paid the outstanding debt.
Malaysian MP warn loansharks not to harass family
The affected family has reached out to Lim Lip Eng, the MP for Kepong, Selangor, for assistance.
Source: Sin Chew Daily
Mr Lim issued a stern warning to the loansharks, urging them to stop their harassment, emphasising that arson is a serious criminal offence.
The MP also expressed concerns about the circumstances surrounding Ho’s death, stating:
We believe that Ho Wenjie’s death involves elements of homicide.
Police investigations are ongoing.
Also read: M’sian Man Working In S’pore Has House Set On Fire After Clicking On Loan Application Link
M’sian Man Working In S’pore Has House Set On Fire After Clicking On Loan Application Link
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Featured image adapted from LIM LIP ENG æž—ç«‹è¿Ž on Facebook.Â
