theSun | TUESDAY JUNE 30 2009
news without borders
Loanshark targets
neighbour of defaulter
by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: The next time
your neighbour borrows money
from loansharks, beware.
These heartless loansharks
might end up throwing red paint
in your house as well, because
they want you to “pressure” your
neighbour to repay them.
Cheras police believe this is
a new scare tactic used by loan
sharks in a bid to add pressure
to loan defaulters following an
incident on June 22.
In the incident at 11.30pm in
Taman Cheras Perdana, a 39-year-
old businessman found his porch
and Mercedes Benz splattered
with red paint.
The victim, who wanted to be
identified only as Theve, said his
neighbour had borrowed some
money from loansharks and had
not returned home for several
days.
“First, the loansharks threw
some oil into my neighbour’s
empty house on June 21. The next
day, they threw red paint on my
neighbour’s porch and purposely
threw some into my house as
well,” Theve told theSun.
7
WORLD FAMOUS NOW OPEN !
MELT IN YOUR MOUTH DOUGHNUTS AT BERJAYA TIMES SQUARE
No sir, marks-fixing
‘is acceptable’
by Tan Yi Liang the harassment in Usim.
newsdesk@thesundaily.com “I had complained that a
senior shouted at me, accus-
PETALING JAYA: A former ing me of being a failure and
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia that I should leave as I am not
(Usim) law lecturer says Higher suitable to teach in Usim.”
Education Minister Datuk Seri Yasmin, who was with
He added that the paint also said. Khaled Nordin has contra- USIM’s law faculty, said she
splashed on his car and he was On May 27, police rescued three Theve’s car dicted his ministry’s stand on only received a letter from the
now worried that the loan sharks men men who were locked up and splattered “marks-fixing”. ministry in February which up-
might haunt him just because his treated like dogs by loan sharks in with “He says marks-fixing by held the university’s decision
neighbour borrowed money. Taman Bukit Serdang, Serdang. blotches of universities is unacceptable on altering and giving passing
Theve lodged a report with the The men had their neck and red paint and should be investigated. I grades to her failed students.
Cheras Batu 9 police station on legs chained to the walls of an while his have a letter from the ministry The letter states: “The Usim
June 23. unoccupied shoplot because of un- neighbour’s saying otherwise,” said Yasmin Senate acted correctly in its
A Cheras police spokesman, paid debts ranging from RM1,500 house (right) Noor, who had alleged that she capacity as the highest author-
who confirmed the report, said to RM4,000. takes the was victimised and pressured ity in academic affairs and has
police were working to track down Following the incident, police brunt of the to quit after refusing to pass the right to request that a stu-
the loansharks. and the government launched an loanshark’s students who had failed her dent’s marks be reassessed.
The spokesman also said police all-out war against loan sharks mischief. course. There was no wrongdoing on
did not rule out the possibility that and arrested several suspects. On Thursday, at the opening the part of USIM.”
this was a new scare tactic used of the annual National Higher “I, therefore, challenge
by loansharks Education Conference, Khaled the minister’s statement and
to force said: “I think any attempt to stand on marks-fixing being
loan de- fix marks is unacceptable. We unacceptable. I also never
faulters cannot accept such things got to meet the person whom
to pay because it is against profes- I complained to in the first
up. sionalism. place, Department of Higher
“ B y “We hope, if there is any Education director-general
scaring complaint over such mat- Datuk Radin Umar, what more
the neigh- ters, an investigation will be the minister.
bours, conducted by the relevant “I was also not notified that
these loan- university.” the matter was being investi-
sharks Yasmin said: “I complained gated prior to my resignation
hope the to the ministry after I was vic- on Dec 18, 2008.
neighbours timised in June 2008 but the “Why did they not tell me
will join in ministry only gave its reply in about this before I resigned,
and force February 2009. otherwise I would not have
the loan “The ministry had re- quit. Why didn’t they tell me
defaulters sponded in favour of Usim, about the letter until February
to pay,” he despite me clearly detailing 2009,” she asked.
SHARIL AMIN/THE SUN