A woman in Taiping, Perak, Malaysia decided to set her motorcycle on fire on Thursday afternoon (26 Dec) in an attempt to keep it from getting repossessed.
Footage of the incident was captured by a man believed to be the towing staff, who then posted it on Facebook.
In the video, the woman is seen pouring petrol all over the vehicle before setting it ablaze using a burning piece of paper, ignoring the bystanders’ protests.
The motorcycle quickly catches fire and billows with black smoke.
According to a report by The Rakyat Post, the Taiping Fire and Rescue Department were able to extinguish the fire but not before the motorcycle sustained over 80% of damage.
The report also states that the woman had registered the vehicle under her kid’s name.
In a statement on Friday (27 Dec), the Taiping District Police said they received a report regarding the incident at around 4.27pm, then arrested a woman in her 40s at around 7.30pm.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the woman was dissatisfied with the towing staff’s arrival to repossess the black Honda motorcycle, which had been overdue on insurance payments for 20 months.
She will be investigated for mischief by fire, which may result in up to 14 years in prison and a fine.
The police also urged residents to provide further information regarding the incident to ensure public welfare and order.
Netizens weighed in on the issue after the video went viral.
Many believe the woman’s actions were foolish, as she would still retain her debt but no longer has the motorcycle.
They also pointed out the additional costs and charges caused by burning the vehicle.
One netizen stated that Malaysian banking regulations usually allow borrowers a 21-day grace period after repossession to settle their back payments and potentially recover their vehicle.
Meanwhile, others reminded fellow netizens to only purchase vehicles they can pay for.
Also read: Family in M’sia smashes car before it gets towed away, they allegedly defaulted on loan
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Featured image adapted from Sri Shah Faizal on Facebook
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