KL home torched after man in alleged $500 debt to Singapore loan sharks dies

Following their son's death, a Malaysian family has been harassed by multiple groups of loan sharks claiming that the deceased had borrowed money from them.

At a press conference on Jan 21, the He family recounted the events leading to the death of their second son He Wenjie (transliteration) and pleaded for loan sharks to stop hounding them. 

The family's 52-year-old patriarch said at the conference that Wenjie was 27 years old and worked in Singapore.

On Dec 17 last year, He's youngest son saw a Facebook post about Wenjie owing money to loan sharks in Singapore, reported China Press.

"My son told me he did owe $500 to loan sharks in Singapore, and that the sum was for his daily expenses.

"He added that other groups claiming to be loan sharks and looking for repayment are scammers," said He.

Two days later, however, the family, who live in the town of Kepong in Kuala Lumpur, received texts from multiple loan sharks demanding repayments.

Unable to contact his son, He called his son's colleague who lived in the same dormitory in Singapore, Sin Chew Daily reported. Through CCTV footage, the colleague told them that Wenjie had left the lodgings at 4pm that day and had yet to return.

After making a police report, Singapore police purportedly informed the colleague that Wenjie had left the country.

According to Sin Chew Daily, the family received another call from loan sharks on Dec 20 about Wenjie owing them money. They also told them that Wenjie would commit suicide. 

The family's fears came true the next day when a funeral service provider visited their home to inform them of their son's death.

Wenjie had allegedly fallen from a building and died in a Johor Bahru hospital, according to China Press.

Even after their son's death, the family still received calls and threats from multiple loan sharks. Their home was also torched by alleged loan shark runners on Jan 18 this year.

The father added that these loan sharks did not provide any proof that their son owed them money, and that their claims cannot be verified as his son is dead.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com