An elderly woman publicly disowned her son in front of the press yesterday over the latter’s mounting debt that was allegedly putting her grandchildren at risk of kidnapping by loan sharks.
The woman, Kong Sew Koi, 89, said that her son, Chong Khee Voon, 64, was a gambling addict who regularly turned to her for financial support. But she soon realized that she would never see the end of it, as the debts hit RM45,000 (US$11,000) and were owed to 15 different loan sharks.
“Initially, I wanted to give him the money but my friend said I would never clear his debts, and advised me to lodge a police report,” Kong told the media at the Wisma MCA building, adding that loan sharks had harassed her school-going grandchildren.
She said: “That is why I am cutting off all ties with him. I no longer want him as my son.”
It is very rare for anyone to publicly disown their children in Malaysia. The last time this occurred was in 2016, when a furniture maker decided to disown his son over debts.
“Mom, can you help me and lend me a few thousand ringgit?” Kong quoted her son saying yesterday. “I would tell him to ‘please go away.’”
For Kong, she resorted to disowning her son after seeking help from the Malaysian Chinese Association on Tuesday, when she ended up beating her son with an umbrella.
“When she was talking to me, she suddenly stood up, took the umbrella, and started beating her son,” said Michael Chong, the head of the Public Services and Complaints department. Chong, who was also at yesterday’s press conference, plans to accompany Kong to the police and lodge a report against the loan sharks.
“I want the police to take action against these loan sharks who also threatened to kidnap her grandchildren,” Chong added.
Other stories to check out:
Four suspects arrested for beating up bodyguards who were fasting
Reader Interactions