TLDM helps its personnel resolve illegal loans

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LUMUT: The Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) took a proactive step to help 102 of its personnel settle a total of RM139,000 they borrowed from loan sharks, otherwise known as ‘Ah Long’.

“Whereas 76 others were helped through the Credit Counseling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) who resolved the matter with the unlicensed money lenders and saved the repayment cost,” TLDM Commander Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar told reporters after delivering a New Year message to about 2,000 navy personnel at the TLDM base, here yesterday.

Those involved were of various ranks and the management has met them to find out the purpose for such loans, he added.

He said officers have been assigned to identify and inform on personnel facing difficulties and TLDM was also collaborating with banks to enable then to apply for loans based on their affordability.

Commenting on a handful of personnel allegedly borrowing from ‘Ah Long’ to gamble at slot machines, Abdul Aziz said Protela (TLDM Police) was monitoring such premises.

“If any personnel are found to be involved in such activities we will ask them to sign an agreement to stop and if they breach it we will take action against them,” he said.

In his New Year message, he emphasised the importance of human resource and work procedures to be in tandem with the navy’s development and not just focus on the acquisition of assets.

He also launched the 2013 TLDM plan to 2020 based on the Malaysian Armed Forces Strategic Plan. — Bernama