Section 52 ah long (unlicensed money lenders) are already in 2018 with a spirited branding efforts not seen since an uppity Kota Bharu beauty purveyor jacked everything but the merch from Sephora to make her very own Sefarra.
The enterprising ah long have taken the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) logo, and printed leaflets in the fashion of traffic summons by the council advertising their rates. They’re calling themselves the MPBA, and have decorated parked vehicles throughout Section 52 with their summons… to buy into extortionate rates.
Wait for it. Instead of the details of the parking offence committed and the accompanying fine, there are details of interest rates on loans, repayment schemes, and a contact number.
The advertisement adds: We adhere to the laws [Ed. note: not a thing] strictly while carrying out business ensuring that each account given a loan with us can be signed professionally [Ed. note: define “professionally”.”
MBPJ filed a police report against the MPBA on December 29, telling the Sun that they take the issue of using their logo and likeness seriously, especially for what they referred to as “selfish gains.” A euphemism for some of the most appalling, paint-shaming, leg-breaking hustles going around if we’ve ever heard one.
And if you’re bored on this delightful Tuesday, we here at Coconuts KL thoroughly enjoyed this little legal thread explaining the differences between licensed money-lending and ah long. Educate yourselves, and stay woke in 2018!
