KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Borrowers in Malaysia are keeping illegal moneylenders in business because of the difficulty in getting loans from banks, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said today.

He said the conditions to borrow money set by the "Ah Longs” — as illegal moneylenders are popularly called — are less stringent compared to licensed financial institutions.

"That is why 'Ah Long' activities are still prevalent due to the conditions and offers from 'Ah Long' that are easier compared to banks and licensed lenders.

"The society facing difficulties to get loans from banks and licensed lenders is the reason for demand of 'Ah Long' services,” Shamsul said in the Dewan Rakyat.

The deputy minister was responding to Perikatan Nasional’s Besut MP Datuk Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh who the government to explain what it was doing to curb the increase of violent backlash on borrowers inflicted by illegal moneylenders.

Shamsul said the authorities have been working to clamp down on illegal moneylenders through an operation codenamed Ops Vulture.

He disclosed that between January and August this year, 734 operations have been conducted with 898 arrests resulting in 196 people charged in court.

In comparison, Shamsul said 1,009 cases were detected last year with 1,262 arrests made, and 1,000 cases detected in 2021 with 1,067 arrests made.

"We are also working with the authorities to take down advertisements and with Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to erase unlicensed advertisements online and on social media.

"The police are also working on detecting 'Ah Longs' through the phone numbers printed on advertisements, and tracing the suspects locations,” he said.

He advised potential borrowers to check a website monitored by the government to verify if a money lender is licensed or not before accepting any loans.

"If they see that the money lender is blacklisted, don’t accept their services.

"But it doesn’t mean that we are encouraging borrowers, but if they really need to do so, please use the website to make prior checks,” he said.