M'sia boy, 15, racks up S$3,900 in debt to satisfy girlfriend's craving for fried fish in sweet, spicy & sour sauce

A 15-year-old boy in Selangor, Malaysia, accumulated a debt of RM13,000 (about S$3,900) to satisfy his girlfriend’s craving for ikan siakap tiga rasa — a popular dish of barramundi cooked in a sweet, spicy and sour sauce, according to the Malaysia daily Kosmo.

Found loan shark ad on TikTok

Too embarrassed to ask his parents for money, the teenager stumbled upon an advertisement for loan sharks, or "ah longs", on TikTok.

He eventually borrowed money from 12 different lenders, rapidly racking up a substantial debt.

Feeling overwhelmed, the boy sought assistance from the Darul Muttaqin (DM), an initiative aimed at helping victims of illegal money lending.

The manager of DM’s Fardu Ain and Quran Studies Centre, Fariz Izhar Adrus, said the boy’s parents have now been informed of the situation.

“He likely felt too ashamed to seek help from his family and instead resorted to illegal money lenders,” Fariz explained.

Operation Darul Muttaqin

DM is an initiative aimed at helping individuals aged 15 and above who have fallen victim to loan sharks or illegal lending scams.

The boy’s case is one of over 3,700 reported to DM since the initiative was launched in 2022.

Fariz revealed that many cases involve women borrowing money to cover family expenses, often leading to severe consequences.

Some are even forced to sell their newborns, Fariz said.

DM’s general manager, Datuk Mohd Zaki Zainol, shared that they receive up to 50 reports daily about individuals struggling with loan shark debts, with women accounting for around four out of  every five cases.

Victims are often driven by financial scams, gambling, or drugs, unaware of the life-altering consequences of their actions, he said.

Top photos from Canva and Siakap Keli/Facebook