The relevant authorities dealing with Islamic laws and enforcement should consider taking action against illegal moneylenders or "Ah Longs" in the state for taking advantage of Muslims and other bumiputera in the kampongs in need of cash.
All of us are fully aware that majority of Ah Longs operating throughout the state are non-Muslims while those who are Muslims are mostly non-Malaysians from the Indian sub-continent.
The Muslim Ah Longs are found to be concentrating on those in the lower income group such as petty traders and hawkers operating at the open markets and tamu areas such as Inanam, Menggatal, Tuaran and Papar.
These moneylenders are charging exorbitant interests and 45% of their customers income goes towards repayment of the loan. The relevant authorities dealing with Islamic laws and enforcement should consider taking action against them as this would not only stop them from conducting the illegal moneylending activities but also serve to remind Muslims that dealing with illegal moneylenders who practise usury is in clear violation of Quranic commandments.
The Quran forbids usury, not interest and the Arabic language also makes distinction between earning interest ( faedah ) and Usury ( Riba ) and that the Quran forbids Riba.
Usury or Riba is an excessive interest and the illegal Muslims moneylenders are charging usury or riba as they have entirely separate standards for making loans.
They have been operating since the early seventies and nobody has stop them. There is talk among the agents of non-Muslim Ah Longs that it is not fair to them that the authorities are after them while these Muslim Ah Longs are free to do what they like.
Perhaps the only difference between the two is that the Muslim Ah Longs will not turn nasty, impatient and intolerant if they could not collect money from their borrowers while the non-Muslim Ah Longs would resort to harassing, intimidating and threatening their borrowers if they are in default.
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