Loan Shark Harassments

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Police investigating loan shark harassment cases do routinely record the reason for borrowers resorting to illegal moneylenders in the first place; (b) if so, what is the number and proportion of loan shark harassment cases reported in 2010 and 2011 where borrowers had indicated that the borrowing was due to (i) gambling debts at the casinos in Singapore; (ii) other gambling debts; and (iii) medical bills.

Mr Teo Chee Hean: The Police does not routinely record the reasons why borrowers resort to obtaining loans from unlicenced moneylenders when investigating into loan shark harassment cases. Such records may not be useful as borrowers generally have no incentive to report their debt circumstances truthfully.

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