Declare dealings with ‘Ah Long’, Navy personnel ordered

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LUMUT: Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) personnel who have taken loans from unlicensed money lenders (‘Ah Long’) have been given a month to declare the matter to their division heads before stern action is taken against them.

Navy commander Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar explained that they had received reports of a group of members having taken such loans.

“It was recently discovered that eight members had borrowed money from ‘Ah Long’. This is unacceptable. They should borrow from the government if they need funds, not from ‘Ah Long’,” he told reporters after TLDM’s 78th anniversary celebrations.

Also present at the event were Transport Minister and Sitiawan member of parliament Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha and Malaysian Marine Department director-general Capt Datuk Ahmad Othman.

Aziz said that this action could court danger to their families and cause personnel to lose focus at work when they are unable to repay the loans.

He added that the division heads are prepared to help those who are facing such predicaments.

“We will work with financial institutions to assist and resolve their problems,” he said.

Aziz emphasised that the management systems in each division should be revamped to enable problems to be reported with ease.

“Officers are responsible for the well-being of their personnel so they must report such problems to higher authorities for action,” he said.

Earlier during the event, Aziz witnessed a march past at the KD Pelanduk parade grounds, TLDM base here.

TLDM made history when the KD Pelanduk and KD Sultan Idris centres were declared as Maritime Training Institutes by the Marine Department on May 30, 2011.

“The recognition is very important as navy personnel would have employment opportunities in the shipping line. It is also part of the government’s effort in strengthening Malaysia as a maritime nation and to make TLDM a career choice for the younger generations,” he said.

The centres conduct two out of nine basic modules, which are Standards of Training, Certificate and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1995 (STCW 95), which is basic safety and training and Tanker Familiarisation (TFA). — Bernama