A house in Seremban was damaged by fire in a suspected mistaken retaliation by loan sharks, targeting an innocent neighbour instead of the intended borrower.
PETALING JAYA: A house in Taman Seremban Jaya Fasa 1 was damaged in suspicious fire early on March 30 in what local assemblyman Datuk P. Gunasekaren alleged was a mistaken retaliatory attack linked to an earlier Ah Long threat case.
Gunasekaren, through a statement posted on Facebook after visiting the scene, said the fire at No. 1930, Jalan SJ 1/4 was reported at about 2am, and alleged that the house hit belonged not to the borrower who had earlier lodged a police report over Ah Long threats, but to an unrelated neighbour.
“Following that action, the Ah Long side is believed to have been dissatisfied and issued threats,” Gunasekaren said, referring to previous press conference held at at the Seremban Jaya state constituency service centre on March 13.
“However, an error occurred when the wrong house was targeted, involving the home of an unrelated neighbour, and a warning notice was also pasted at the scene.”
Photos shared from the scene also showed a handwritten note allegedly left at the house demanding repayment, referencing a police report and warning that the borrower or their family should “come out and settle the money”.
The note also said “owe money” and “you report police”, among other threatening lines.
Gunasekaren inspected the site and raised concern over the safety of residents in the area, urging authorities to act quickly against those responsible.
“He (Gunasekaren) hopes the authorities will take immediate and firm action against those involved to ensure such incidents do not recur.
“The safety and well-being of the local community must always be prioritised.”
The March 30 statement linked the incident to an earlier press conference held on March 13 at the Pusat Khidmat DUN Seremban Jaya, where a resident from Seremban Jaya Fasa 1 had come forward over alleged harrassment and threats linked to Ah Long activity.
The statement for the press conference was also posted on Gunasekaren’s Facebook page.
At the time, Gunasekaren said the woman had been living in fear after receiving threats from unidentified individuals, and had sought help and advice together with her son at the service centre.
The woman and her son later met Gunasekaren at the Seremban Jaya state constituency service centre to seek help and advice over the matter.
In the same statement, Gunasekaren said the case had also rauised concerns over how the victim’s phone number, family photographs and other personal details may have been obtained by unknown parties, adding that the threats had caused emotional distress to the household.
He said firm action was needed against unlicensed moneylending activities, describing such cases as a threat to public safety and community peace.