Man in Sibu gets RM10,000 fine after working for ‘Ah Long’

SIBU (Nov 20): The Magistrates’ Court here today fined a 27-year-old man RM10,000 in default four months in prison for assisting with an illegal money lending business or ‘Ah Long’.

Magistrate Oon Kork Chern convicted Joseph Lau on his own guilty plea to a charge under Section 29AA(1) of the Moneylenders Act 1951.

The Section provides for an imprisonment term of up to two years, or a maximum fine of RM20,000, or both upon conviction.

The accused was charged with assisting a moneylender known as ‘Apeng’, who is still at large, in carrying out the business of money lending without a valid licence on July 25, 2021, at around 5pm in front of a house here.

According to the facts of the case, the complainant had loaned RM20,000 from Lau in July 2021.

The complainant made his repayment starting August 2021 totalling RM40,000 into Lau’s bank account.

Although the complainant had settled the loan, Lau continued to ask the complainant to make payments.

On Sept 30, 2023 at about 2am, the complainant was contacted by his mother saying that someone had set fire to something in front of the gate of their house.

The complainant then filed a police report and on Nov 6, 2024 at about 9.20pm, the police arrested Lau in front of a fast-food restaurant at Jalan Ulu Oya here.

A check with the Sibu Resident’s Office found that Lau did not have a licence to operate a money lending business.

In mitigation, Lau requested a minimum sentence saying he had to take care of his parents and that his mother is sick.

Lau, who was not represented by a lawyer, also said that this was his first offence.

Deputy public prosecutor Aiman ​​Zarith Zahrullail requested for Lau to be given a proportionate sentence as a lesson for others.

Lau paid the fine.