59yo Malaysian father drains pension to pay US$17k son’s gambling debts, pleads loan sharks to stop threats

MALAYSIA: A 59-year-old waiter has appealed for illegal moneylenders to stop harassing his family after he exhausted his Employees’ Provident Fund savings to repay debts incurred by his youngest son.

The man, who wished to be identified only as Foo, said he had paid about RM70,000 (approx. US$17,266) to loan sharks over the past year, yet intimidation and threats against his household have continued.

“Each time they call, they would demand a different amount,” Foo told reporters, adding that he no longer has money to settle the outstanding claims.

Foo made the appeal during a press conference held on 18 January, organised by Pasir Pinji assemblyman Goh See Hua, together with city councillor Lim Chee Aun and a Democratic Action Party service team.

“It is useless to harass us,” Foo said, pleading with the moneylenders to stop targeting not only his immediate family but also neighbours living nearby.

He said his 54-year-old wife has been suffering from depression, with her condition worsening due to prolonged stress linked to the repeated threats and harassment.

According to Foo, he was contacted by several loan sharks between 27 December last year and 4 January this year.

He alleged they threatened to splash paint on his home and burn the house down if the debt was not repaid.

“White and red paint were splattered in front of my house on 12 and 13 January,” said Foo, a father of three.

Despite the payments already made, Foo said the moneylenders have refused to disclose how much his son allegedly owes in total.

“But the loan shark won’t say how much in total my son owes them,” he said, describing the situation as both distressing and confusing.

Foo believes his 22-year-old son borrowed from illegal moneylenders to finance online gambling activities.

He said his son works as a salesman and frequently travels across the country, making it difficult for the family to monitor his activities.

“He would only come home to ask for money to repay the debt and would leave after I transferred it to his bank account,” Foo said.

Foo added that he has not been able to contact his son since last month and does not know his current whereabouts.

“I want him to come back, take responsibility and settle the problem himself,” he said.

Goh echoed Foo’s appeal, stressing that debt collection should never involve intimidation, harassment or illegal acts against family members.

“We must emphasise a basic principle: whoever borrows money is responsible for repaying it,” Goh said.

“Debt collection should not involve intimidation or harassment of relatives, nor any illegal acts that disturb normal life,” he added.

Goh said the family had already spent approximately RM68,000 over the past year attempting to help settle the son’s debts.

Despite this, harassment allegedly continued, including threats of paint attacks and arson, which had created fear within the neighbourhood.

He urged parents to remain vigilant about their children’s behaviour and warned young people in particular to stay away from gambling.

“Online gambling not only ruins individual futures but often brings severe consequences for the entire family,” Goh said.

In a separate remark, he cautioned against viewing gambling as a solution to financial problems.

“Gambling is not a ‘quick money’ solution. It’s better for people to earn money the old-fashioned way, which is through work,” he said.

“There’s just no end for anyone who gets too consumed with gambling, especially when they borrow money from loan sharks,” Goh added.

The assemblyman and his service team said they would continue monitoring the case and work with relevant authorities to ensure the safety of Foo’s family and the wider community.

The case has been reported to the police.