How do “Ah Longs” obtain information from police reports filed by victims?

THE MCA Public Services and Complaints Department has questioned how details of police reports lodged by victims of illegal moneylenders are allegedly being accessed by loan shark syndicates, allowing them to issue threats almost immediately after reports are filed.

Its chief, Datuk Seri Michael Chong, said several cases handled by his office indicated that “ah longs” were able to obtain information about police reports on the same day or the following day, and would promptly use the information to intimidate victims.

“This is a strange matter. Every time victims lodge a police report, on the same day or the following day, loan sharks are able to find out where the report was made. So, my question is whether this should be happening?

“How are these criminals obtaining such information, which is supposed to be for internal police use only? Is the system accessible to anyone?

“This is frightening for victims. They no longer feel safe to lodge police reports because they are immediately threatened, and the criminals already know a report has been made,” Chong said at a press conference at Wisma MCA on Monday.

He said victims are often innocent family members who become targets after the main borrower disappears, leaving them to face threats and harassment.

He also described loan shark syndicates as increasingly resembling organised scam operations, combining financial fraud with violent intimidation tactics similar to traditional criminal gangs.

He said the criminals operate like scammers but use gangster-style methods similar to loan shark syndicates that extort victims, with some extreme cases involving petrol bomb attacks on homes.

“They extort victims, burn houses, and throw paint. They hire people to do dirty work for RM700 to RM800.

“Every time they do it, they record it and send the video to the victims. They admit to committing arson but are not afraid of the law, they don’t care about the law,” he said.

Michael said he has recently met with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to discuss the matter, including broader concerns about evolving loan shark activities, which he described as increasingly sophisticated and difficult to curb.

He said he was not accusing any party of wrongdoing, and that police had assured him the matter would be reviewed, including emerging crime trends involving such syndicates.

He added that despite repeated awareness campaigns, many members of the public continue to fall victim to loan shark scams due to their deceptive tactics and intimidation methods.

Michael said MCA would launch a special awareness campaign starting Monday to educate the public on loan shark tactics and proper procedures for lodging police reports. - June 22, 2026