A FAMILY in Ipoh says they are living in fear after being harassed by loan sharks over an alleged RM130,000 debt they claim is linked to a former spouse and not incurred by them.
A family member, who identified himself only as Tang, 33, said the intimidation has escalated to the point where detailed personal information about his household and children has been used by the debt collectors.
“I have been divorced from my ex-wife for seven years, and we have been co-parenting our five children, the eldest of whom is 12. Four of the children live with me, while one stays with my ex-wife’s father. I have since remarried and now have two more children,” he said at a press conference organised by Pasir Pinji assemblyman Goh See Hua on Tuesday.
Tang, who works in the funeral industry, said the situation has become increasingly alarming as the loan sharks appear to have access to sensitive details about his family.
“The situation is alarming as the loan sharks appear to have detailed information about my entire family. What’s most concerning is that they have details of all my children, including my six-month-old baby,” he said.
He added that repeated threats have left the family constantly anxious about their safety, including whether it remains safe for the children to attend school.
“We are constantly worried about their safety and even question whether it is safe to send them to school,” he said.
Tang also said that both his current wife and children have been directly threatened, with multiple messages demanding immediate repayment sent to them.
“We have received numerous messages demanding immediate repayment,” he said.
His former father-in-law, Phoon, 50, a hawker, said he is no longer in contact with his 28-year-old daughter, Tang’s ex-wife, who is believed to be linked to the alleged debt.
“I was working in Johor for some time and only returned to Ipoh in March. That was when my daughter approached me about the loan sharks demanding repayment,” he said.
He added that a police report was lodged on March 12, but his daughter has since disappeared.
“Since then, we have not been able to contact her. We are also worried about our safety,” he said.
Phoon said at least three police reports have been filed by different individuals, including Tang’s current wife, as the harassment continues through multiple channels.
“They have been contacting us through multiple phone numbers and even created WhatsApp groups, adding family members and issuing threats,” he said.
He urged those responsible to stop targeting the family, stressing that they do not know the whereabouts of his daughter.
“We do not know where my daughter is and we just want them to leave us alone, especially the grandchildren. We fear for our safety,” he said.
Goh, meanwhile, cautioned the public against borrowing from illegal lenders and warned of the wider consequences of falling into debt.
“If you borrow money for business purposes, there is still a chance to generate income and repay the debt. However, if you take loans to pay for daily expenses or items you cannot afford, you may not be able to repay them and could end up deeper in debt,” he said.
He urged the public to exercise caution before taking loans, noting that such financial decisions can affect not only borrowers but also their families.
He also called on loan sharks to cease harassment of family members and deal directly with the borrower instead. - March 24, 2026
