By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 22: Michael Kong of Democratic Action Party (DAP) has cautioned the public on the risk of the growing prevalence of scams and impersonations, especially involving property, after a man discovered an unauthorised ownership transfer of his company’s vehicle.
In a statement today, he said he recently accompanied an individual who wished to be known as ‘Mr Chai’ to meet with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Sarawak’s officers to address a troubling case of unauthorised vehicle ownership transfer of his Toyota Hilux vehicle, initially registered under his company, which was transferred to another individual without his consent.
Kong, who is the special assistant to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Cheing Jen said the incident began when a man approached Chai expressing interest in purchasing his company’s Toyota Hilux and another lorry.
“A deposit of RM3,500 was paid, and Mr Chai, trusting the buyer’s intentions, handed over the keys to facilitate an inspection at Puspakom. The buyer was given a two-week window to settle the remaining balance.
“However, the buyer not only failed to pay the balance but somehow managed to transfer the ownership of the Toyota Hilux to his name, without Mr Chai’s consent or approval. This unauthorised transfer is highly irregular, as Mr Chai never provided any essential company documents, such as a Director’s Resolution, needed to authorise the transfer,” he said.
Upon realising the severity of the situation, Kong said he immediately contacted JPJ Sarawak director, Norizan Jili, to seek assistance.
He said that after a thorough investigation, it was discovered that company documents had been falsified and the directors’ signatures forged to facilitate this unauthorised transfer.
He also said a police report has since been filed to address the forgery and document falsification.
“This incident serves as a powerful reminder to the public: exercise extreme caution when handing over property or important documents, even if it seems like a routine transaction. In this case, the simple act of handing over vehicle keys became an opportunity for unauthorised actions.
“We can never be too careful in today’s world, where scams, impersonations, and document fraud are on the rise.
“Always verify, re-check, and don’t hesitate to question any process or request that involves handing over your valuable assets. Trust is earned, and in matters involving property and legal documents, it is better to be overly cautious than to suffer the consequences of misplaced trust,” he added. — DayakDaily
