By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 23: Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen has urged police to launch a full investigation into the unauthorised transfer of RM48,999.99 from a pensioner’s bank account, including the banking systems involved, after the victim was offered only 20 per cent of his losses as a full and final settlement.
Chong said the pensioner, identified as Mr Lo, had lost his hard-earned savings through five unauthorised transfers made between Aug 2 and the early hours of Aug 3 without his knowledge or any notification from the bank.
He said the first transaction, involving RM3,000 through an FPX payment, was made at 12.12pm on Aug 2, followed by a RM3,000 transfer to a BSN account at 12.18pm.
Another RM3,000 was transferred to RYT Bank through an FPX payment at 12.31pm, while RM999.99 was transferred to an individual identified as Joanne Ak Johan at 12.35pm.
The final transaction, involving RM39,000, was made to an Alliance Bank account at 3.12am on Aug 3.
Chong said Lo only discovered the unauthorised transactions when he went to the bank on the morning of Aug 3.
“Notwithstanding that the bank was informed within 24 hours of the unauthorised transfer, and in the case of the last transfer, which was carried out on Aug 3 at 3.12am, less than seven hours later, the bank claimed that it was unable to block the transfers,” he said in a statement today.
According to Chong, the bank also claimed there was no “cooling-off” period mechanism for bank accounts and transfers.
“The losses could have been prevented had the bank implemented the cooling-off period mechanism suggested by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in 2022,” he added.
Chong said that following his intervention, the bank last week offered Lo RM9,799.99, equivalent to 20 per cent of his total losses, as a full and final settlement.
“This is not acceptable to him,” he said.
Chong stressed that while RM48,999.99 might not be a substantial amount to a bank, it represented a significant sum for Lo as a pensioner and constituted his hard-earned savings.
“He has done nothing wrong and yet his money was simply transferred out from his account with that bank. Now he was offered 20 per cent of his loss as full and final settlement,” he said.
Chong urged police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unauthorised transfers, including the bank’s systems and those of the recipient banks.
He also called for Lo to be fully compensated for the RM48,999.99 he had lost.
“I will continue to pursue the matter to assist Mr Lo,” he said. — DayakDaily
