Ah Long in Malaysia and Singapore
Ah Long (derived from the Cantonese phrase '大耳窿' (Jyutping: daai6 ji5 lung1) is a colloquial term for illegal loan sharks in Malaysia and Singapore. They lend money to people who are unable to obtain loans from banks or other legal sources, mostly targeting habitual gamblers. Often, they discreetly advertise by sticking notices, mostly on lamp posts and utility boxes around a neighbourhood, thus creating another vandalism problem as public authorities have to remove them. They charge a very high interest rate (about 40% per month/fortnight) and frequently threaten violence (and administer it) towards those who fail to pay in time.
Read more about this topic: Loan Shark