Loansharking : PAP govt's brilliant solution
Times are bad and the number of loanshark harassment cases has climbed sharply. Police had to deal a total of 4000 cases in the first 3 months of this year. But don't worry our Home Affairs Minister has come up with a brilliant solution to reduce the number of cases our police have to handle:"The ministry will also consider making borrowing from loansharks an offence."
- DPM Wong Kan Seng.[Link]
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"This would be good news for us. If the police arrest those who borrow, they won't dare to report us when we harass them," - Loanshark who welcomes the move[Link]
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If you still don't understand how brilliant this solution is, let me explain. The police has to handle so many cases of loansharking because the victims go to the police for help. By criminalising borrowing from loansharks, the victims of loanshark harassment now cannot go to the police for help because they themselves will be arrested for borrowing from the loansharks. The police will see a sharp drop in the number of cases and the govt can say the problem is solved! Briliant! Bravo! Now victims of loansharks have to suffer quietly. This will free up vast amounts of resources - there will be more police to handle those pesky opposition members and peaceful protestors who break our new our public order laws. I thought sending our old folks to JB was the best idea for the year -I was wrong.... this one is a lot more brilliant!
posted by LuckySingaporean at 6:59 PM 
59 Comments:
Wow MHA solve problem by punishing the people who were facing the problem.
Now wonder Mas Selamat can escape so easily for more than 1 year now.
By
Onlooker, at 7:28 PM
hmm... filming an illegal event is criminalized, borrowing money from illegal loansharks may be made a criminal offense.. What's next? Maybe they'll penalize victims from rape, theft, murder.. etc in future.
By
Anonymous, at 8:14 PM
This reminds me of those Hong Kong period soaps where corrupt and lazy magisrates would whip a complainant first before he gets to present his case - for disturbing the magistrate. Sigh...
By
Anonymous, at 8:29 PM
Brilliant idea indeed. Only the highest paid ministers in Singapore can come up with such brilliant ideas!
By
Anonymous, at 8:39 PM
I liken this to "blaming female rape victims for dressing sexily" it is their fault and we should make it illegal for victims to dress sexily.
By
Anonymous, at 8:47 PM
Worse FT(esp those with the dish washing talent) killing Locals Got reduced Sentence.
Soup Spoon. Remember.....
By
Onlooker, at 11:00 PM
Everytime i see wong kan seng, it reminds me of mas selamet. Truely a very competant guy, manage the 'great escape'.... pushing the blame all the way down...
By
Anonymous, at 12:07 AM
dont you envy ministers salary now?
not that they are better people. they just pay themselves well enough so they don't get into trouble with the laws they have brilliantly carved on stones for ....lesser imortals
just beat people up with laws and everything solved?
brilliant
By
Anonymous, at 1:42 AM
Why not extend this superb idea to all cases?
Make everyone who makes a police report post a bond of $10k. It will be returned to the victim only when the perpetrator has been found guilty by the courts.
A more brilliant solution is to charge a fee for using law enforcement services. Want that robber caught? Pay $3k to the police. Want loanshark caught? Pay $5k. Can pay by CPF and installments also.
These solutions will reduce the official crime rates and make Singapore the safest city in the world!
By
John, at 1:50 AM
Gotta be careful who you borrow money from next time ... later your friend betray you and say he is loanshark then you kenna sai.
By
Chee Wai Lee, at 2:11 AM
As long as there is 50% walkovers, 66% mandate and 98% seats for PAP, you can expect even more brilliant solutions in future.
Not just from Wong Kan Seng but also other ministers to solve other problems.
Because the people and opposition are brilliant to give them this opportunity.
Or is it they are brilliant to make you people and opposition to do this?
By
Anonymous, at 2:15 AM
Dr Ong Seh Hong who borrowed 60K (the equivalent of an annual pay of an ordinary Singaporean) from Ming Yi. He probably delayed the payment to the hospital until he knew he has been exposed by Ming Yi.
Bravo of Ming Yi to drag this greedy PAP MP into the dirt. He knew that the PAP wants to take over his hospital organization to service the lucrative healthcare tourism (same reason for Khaw to want to kick old Singaporeans out to JB).
Ming Yi should do the next best thing: to declare himself as a loanshark who cannot say 'NO' and kill this greedy MP Ong once and for all.
By
Anonymous, at 3:04 AM
Had the impression that in the majority of these cases, the loansharks were harassing the wrong people?
They have this weird habit of identifying debtors not by name, but by their addresses.
By
HanSolo, at 3:54 AM
Lets be honest.
Every time you see or hear about Wong Kan Seng, you DO NOT think of Mas Selamat.
You just think of the toilet bowl.
By
Lim Chin Siong, at 4:16 AM
Every time I see WKS I'm reminded of Snow White and The Seven Dwarves. He's the one named Dopey.
I wish there was an eighth dwarf named Stupid Idiot. Then I'd pick him and save Dopey for Khaw Boon Wan.
Grrr!
By
move along please, at 7:49 AM
It is like curing the disease by killing the patient!
By
skeptic, at 9:40 AM
thanks for picking this up. i din think of this angle, the suggestion seemed innocuous enough.
gosh, i must be a simpleton. which makes me wonder, is the multi-millionair minister a simpleton or a hard hearted person oblivious to our plight?
By
Anonymous, at 10:03 AM
Yo Lucky
Sinkees consistently rant against CSJ.
The one madman who dares speaks up.
Sinkees getting what they deserve no?
By
Anonymous, at 10:12 AM
i think, hor, the gahmen think sinkies borrow $$$ only for fun e.g. buy air-con, buy handphone, go french cuisine holidays.
therefore to help us save money, they make it illegal to borrow lor. oso help police save some work.
watch out for 154th spin on why sinkies borrow money fr loan sharks
By
Anonymous, at 10:35 AM
PREVIOUSLY:
Borrower: Please give me more time to pay up.
Loanshark: Pay up now or there'll be trouble for you !
Borrower: Better leave, or I'll call the police.
(Loanshark runs away)
NOW:
Borrower: Please give me more time to pay up.
Loanshark: Pay up now or I'll call the police !
(Borrower pays up immediately)
By
Anonymous, at 10:35 AM
i have a good idea.
reduce the workload and most importantly make big money by imposing a service fee for calling the police. they can then employ more staffs to collect the fees; a brillant win-win idea, yes?
By
Anonymous, at 10:49 AM
Making borrowing from loanshark illegal, I see.
What a clever way to free PAP from its responsibility to the society without finding out why more and more are resorting to this type of credit.
Better solution for Wong Kan Seng is since loansharks are doing a roaring business, lets beat them to it ... just like PAP beats illegal 4D operators hands down.
Well if you don't remember, in the 70's illegal 4D operators were rampant and PAP constantly raided them. Then a brilliant idea came to PAP, lets create state-run 4Ds betting franchises.
Now you can see them all around. And PAP and some critics are worried the IRs will bring a gambling scourge to Singapore.
Open ya eyes! For that matter, these 4D outlets partly or even largely explain why loanshark business is booming in Singapore.
So you see that's how PAP "resolved" the betting problem by making it legal, hehe. No wonder it is praised around the world for being such a great government.
So I am sure PAP with its brilliant advisers will come up with something like that.
The news already reported that permits have been issued to high interest money lenders when formerly such permits were refused.
PAP just have to impose a high licence fee or even get DBS into the same act to reap from this business and thus PAP will also have "resolved" this loanshark problem.
Hey in the US it was such high-interest loans through credit cards that did their economy in; here PAP might well think otherwise.
By
Anonymous, at 11:05 AM
Simple but yet brilliant analysis by lucky ! lol
And perhaps PM,MM and SM should pool their wealth and start a scheme that provides loans to PAP MPs and grass-roots supporters. Their combined wealth should be more than 200M $ ! The other multi Million $ ministers can also contribute to make loans available to all PAP members. Such loans should be interest-free, repayable over 20 to 30 years and of course whilst serving party interests.
This is a lot better than having PAP members borrowing from monks or loansharks which is not good for PAP's image and it is perfectly LEEgal. lol
By
PAP golden loan, at 11:30 AM
Whether or not it is a good idea depends on the composition of borrowers. Are they mostly irresponsible spenders/gamblers or genuinely needy people?
If it is the former, then I support criminalizing borrowers. As for the needy, once they borrow from loan sharks, it is very unlikely they will be able to repay. In fact, I would imagine the debt will grow because of the ridiculous interest rates (correct me if I am wrong). So, this source of borrowing should not be encouraged in order to prevent them from falling further into the pit.
However, for the needy, criminalizing them is no fair because loan sharks are probably their last resort.
So, if there is a way to separate the irresponsible ones from the needy, it would be great. Also, more thought has to go into how to prevent the needy from borrowing from loan sharks or helping them repay the sum.
As for existing borrowers, if it is possible, maybe they can decide on a cutting-off date, so only those who borrow after the implementation will be charged.
The only concern I have is that loan sharks may resort to trickery to trap people into borrowing because they have to keep their income channel alive.
By
Anonymous, at 11:54 AM
I actually support the idea of making borrowing from loansharks an offenseJust recently, a neighbour of mine had his window poured with red paint. He claimed he lost his IC and it was used to make an illegal loan with the loansharks.
What have we here in this senario?
1. Vandalism
2. People not relating to the borrower suffering from the consequences
3. People related to the borrower suffering from the consequences
If I'm in charge of passing this law, I'll pass it instantly without blinking an eye.
About people suffering in silence? They are already suffering whether or not they report to the police.
How about preventing more people in the future suffering in silence?
By
Parka, at 11:56 AM
there must be plenty of money to be made in the loansharking business.
then it is more reason for this greedy govt to catch these loansharks who have failed to declare their real source of income to Inland Revenue Dept.
afterall these buggers are the ones who are cash rich, right ?
just give better incentives to our SPF / men-in-blue. lol
By
Anonymous, at 12:11 PM
Anon @10:49 and Parka ... exacta!
I have a better idea ... the police can help collect for a percentage of the fees.
The poor gets their loans!
Loansharks get their profits!
No vandalism!
MHA turns a profit and meet their KPIs!
thats what i call "win-win" :-)
By
Anonymous, at 12:26 PM
"If I'm in charge of passing this law, I'll pass it instantly without blinking an eye." - Parka
No so fast, Parka, try the Resident Committee first.
By
Anonymous, at 12:28 PM
In the US, there's all kind of money lending/borrowing business, such as payday loan. Just that in Singapore, the credit market's so tightly controlled that avenues for credit do not flourish aboveground, and you have to go underground sometimes, in times of need.
Parka wants to criminalize PAP MP Dr Ong Seh Hong without blinking his eye. He's on the same boat as me.
By
Anonymous, at 1:16 PM
Maybe MHA did not do enough research before releasing this news.
Drawing a decision tree will help to know possible decision that will be made by the people who is directly or indirectly involved.
This policy, I think it will make matter worse.
For example, if I am in deep shit and need money, what would I do? Borrow first then decide what to do next.
Next, if I do not report my ”crime”, there won’t be any case on me. I believe my family will not report loan sharks cases to the police because I will get into trouble. What’s next? Suffer in silence.(Just think that most families won’t want their members to put in jail.)
Lucky, by now the loan sharks must be celebrating!! There is no way or hardly a way the police can track them down without the borrower's family reporting it.
The loan sharks will just have to pick on the right family. I think this is obvious.
Lesser number of loan sharks case might just be an illusion. The number of loan sharks might increase. The only difference is, the cases are not recorded.
Nail down the loan sharks and eliminate them should be the only way to solve the problem.
Agree totally agree with lucky's post.
By
tiredman, at 1:17 PM
Tiredman said "Maybe MHA did not do enough research before releasing this news."
I am wondering if any research was carried out at all by the incompentent MHA ! PAP policies have time and time again proved they lack due diligence, and we are paying millions to these elite for doing what morons also can do !
By
Anonymous, at 1:35 PM
similarly. set up casinos as stumbling blocks for people who want to bet for instant riches. but then, how do you deal with social problems that may arise from gambling?
the authorities have to decide...how to make more money and avoid being blamed for social problems
make money is still the government chief priority than social well being.
so same tactics. let people walk into these places of temptations. enact laws to punish people who failed to contain themselves and become social liabilities than use laws to slam them
in other words, for money, they'll tempt the people within the legal boundaries.
what they are saying is: i want to stroke your cock for money. but if you cock stand up, i am going to use the laws to cut off your cock.
By
Anonymous, at 2:20 PM
this reminds me of another recent law from MHA.
There's been a rise in contraband cigarettes in singapore. So instead of better policing at the borders, they decided to mark every single cigarette in Singapore with the duty paid logo.
Citizens, well smoking ones, get punished, instead of working harder to to catch the smugglers.
Now we'll likely go into a slippery slope argument.. if borrowing money from loansharks is illegal, then we should then make everything that leads to debts illegal too eg addictive gamblers should be fined or jailed.
or every form of vice in our society should also be made illegal like alcoholism.
it must be the MHA - the same people who say that ONE person gathering can be deemed an illegal gathering.
absurd, absolutely absurd.
By
Anonymous, at 3:53 PM
Wow, now I can sabotage anyone by scribbling their unit no. on the wall "O$P$ #-----", and then call the police saying that this person has borrowed from loansharks.
So instead of using their precious resources to catch real criminals i.e. loansharks, police now have to waste resources investigating innocent victims.
Maybe this is what they want because sitting ducks borrowers are easier to catch than elusive loansharks. They can justify their hefty salaries and bonuses by increasing the number of "solved cases".
By
Hurray!, at 4:32 PM
Wow, now I can sabotage anyone by scribbling their unit no. on the wall "O$P$ #-----", and then call the police saying that this person has borrowed from loansharks.
Donch be so "aw sim" lah.
Anyway, who will be so "jia ba ka eng?"
Only those with a never ending axe to grind.
What if you get caught for sabotage? Will be joke of the year :D
By
Anonymous, at 6:30 PM
"...if I am in deep shit and need money, what would I do? Borrow first then decide what to do next."
That is the most vulnerable state (desperation and panic) for the loan sharks to exploit and after that you might regret. Might be better for you to be stopped from falling into the pit.
"...if I do not report my ”crime”, there won’t be any case on me."
The loan sharks will use it to blackmail you to extort more until you tak boleh tahan and report yourself.
"Nail down the loan sharks and eliminate them should be the only way to solve the problem."
Definitely, this should be the priority. I believe making borrowing a criminal act in meant to be supplementary.
By
Anonymous, at 6:39 PM
And it will only get worse when the IR open kopishop.
All the loanshark will flock under their skirt.
By
Anonymous, at 8:55 PM
Btw, Lucky, are you going to write about this editor who got off from killing (due to dangerous driving, she was talking on the phone while driving)?
some more, the learned judge said this was to be a "one-off" sentence, not to be used as precedent.
got such thing one meh? seems like one rule for elites, one for peasants.
By
Anonymous, at 8:56 PM
to people who support this idea feeling that irresponsible people should not be saved:
what if u borrow ah long and ur daughter or wife was forced to or out of love sell herself secretly help u pay off ur debt???
don't be too quick to condemn other people ok?
the fact that many people actually support it shows singaporeans really have no compassion.
By
Anonymous, at 11:37 PM
Just got this feeling that everything the people in SIN does will become offence against the State one day !
By
Anonymous, at 11:49 PM
Lucky, you called this brilliant solution? Pls take a look at this video clip :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLLBJ8ZCnhc. If you were right Ah Nan can be our cabinet minister.
By
Anonymous, at 12:37 AM
LUCKY,
This has been happening for a very long time;
Under the Act, if the Ministries send you a bill for $XXXXXXXXX dollars, you have to prove to them why you didn't owe the money. HOW TO?
If the Income Tax Department revalue your property, or claim you made a few millions last year when you did not, you have to pay first and argue later. You have stashed funds?
Where to get the money to pay first? borrow from the loanshark?
If you do not want your organs and skin remove from your temporary diabled body, you better opt out.
Criteria for confirming brain dead,
1. your pupil does not response to light (temporary lose of eyesight pengsa).
2. your fingers does not response to needle pricking (temporary paralysis pengsa).
3. 2 doctors confirms you are brain dead (pengsa if some politician/millionaire has matching requirements).
Where are all the modern equpments?
The passport of the Pathetic Singaporean is the only valuable and useful object of being a Pathetic Singaporean!!
By
Anonymous, at 6:52 AM
"what if u borrow ah long and ur daughter or wife was forced to or out of love sell herself secretly help u pay off ur debt???"
It is your irresponsibility that causes your wife's or daughter's "suffering" and you blame others for being heartless?
No wonder they have to criminalize borrowing - some people just do not have conscience and they expect everyone else to tolerate that (including being victims of ah long's debt collection tactics when you do not pay up and waste of police resources that can be deployed for better uses).
By
Anonymous, at 7:49 AM
"I am wondering if any research was carried out at all by the incompentent MHA !"
They purposely don't do it, throw the idea around and let netizens/citizens debate and do research for them?
Because they have no idea?
By
Anonymous, at 7:53 AM
the way i see it: the main reason is to protect innocent pple who are harassed by the loansharks when real borrowers clear out of the old place. however even with the new law, the loan sharks will still continue to harass the new owners what.
the question is why polic cannot catch these loan sharks - why are they so elusive even when security cameras are installed by the new owners? the police shld tell us.
the other angle we can do, is for hdb or relevant authorities to keep new owners advised of the new hdb address of the real borrowers. this transparency is only fair, not just in the case of loan shark harrassment. it also helps if there is a hidden defect in the unit for which the previous owner is accountable for.
if you ask me, the real reason why wks wants this is because of the coming ir. they anticipate a lot of social problems, and they simply want to wash their hands of it. this is "you die, you business" - the same strategy in healthcare, housing and law and order.
By
Anonymous, at 9:46 AM
I got a better solution lah.
Death penalty for loan sharks.
Guarantee all the wannabes will be shocked out of the business. The die-hards maybe will switch to smuggling drugs since they figure both will get death anyway. Pronto, problem solved.
By
DanielXX, at 11:34 AM
Actually I don't see what's wrong with making borrowing from loansharks an offense. If providing an illegal loan is an offense, why shouldn't taking the illegal loan be an offense as well? For those people afraid of this new law, here's a simple solution: Don't take money from loansharks.
By
Ghost, at 5:25 PM
"If providing an illegal loan is an offense, why shouldn't taking the illegal loan be an offense as well?"
You may make anything illegal and there are always good selective l