Suspected illegal moneylender wanted by police after threats, demanding RM4,000 for RM1,200 loan

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Photos of Yap Qi Wei released by the police.

KUCHING: The Sarawak Commercial Crimes Investigation Department (CCID) has named Yap Qi Wei, 19, as a person of interest to help in their investigation under the Moneylenders Act 1952.

In a statement today, CCID head Supt Mustafa Kamal Gani Abdullah said a report was received from a victim in July this year claiming that he borrowed RM1,200 from Yap, who is allegedly an unlicensed moneylender, or ‘Ah Long’.

“The victim, who is in his 30s, claimed that Yap wanted him to pay a total of RM4,000 for a RM1,200 loan,” said Mustafa.

The victim is said to have received the loan inside a parked car at the roadside near the Kuching International Airport on May 12 this year.

The victim was also told to pay RM2,000 before May 22 in an agreement which he (victim) signed. However, the victim never received a copy of the signed documents.

On July 4, the victim received a threatening message from Yap demanding him to pay RM4,000 for the loan.

He added that the walls and gates of the victim’s house at Jalan Penrissen were also sprayed with red paint and scribbled with writings demanding him to pay the loan.

The case will be investigated under Section 5(2) of the Moneylenders Act 1951 for carrying on the business of moneylending without a valid licence and Section 29B of the same Act for harassment or intimidation of the borrower.

Under Section 5(2), the offender he said is liable to a fine of not less than RM250,000 but not more than RM1 million or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both, and in the case of a second or subsequent offence shall also be liable to whipping in addition to such punishment.

Under Section 29B of the same act, the offender is liable to a fine of not less than RM50,000 but not more than RM250,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both, and in the case of a second or subsequent offence shall also be liable to whipping in addition to such punishment.

Those with any information on Yap can call the case’s investigating officer Mohd Hisyam Mohd Shah at 016-4569169 or Inspector Hamizan Ismail at 016-4455695.