According to a survey by FMT, Damansara, Sungai Penchala and Taman Tun Dr Ismail had plenty of these posters and advertisements.

In Damansara and Sungai Penchala, hundreds of posters were seen nailed onto trees at residential areas or high-traffic areas. In TTDI, these advertisements were attached to electricity poles, bus stops and even garbage bins.

A resident, Abdul Hadi Awang, 30, said these posters and advertisements placed around his housing area seemed aimed at Malays and had led a lot of them to borrow from loan sharks.

“This could probably be one of the reasons the Malays are dealing with loan sharks almost all the time.

“The ads and posters are placed at strategic places to catch the attention of a lot of people,” said Hadi, who lives in Damansara.

Zainuddin Mohd Radi, 26, shared the same opinion. He said the increase in the number of posters and advertisements in the Klang Valley could influence Malays to deal with loan sharks whenever they had financial difficulties.

“I also hope the authorities will remove these posters quickly so that they (Malays) do not borrow from the loan sharks.”

Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) Chief Activist Nadzim Johan said the association had helped solve 10,000 cases involving loan sharks.

“Out of that, 70 per cent of them were Malays, 15 per cent Chinese and 15 per cent Indians. The Malays usually take money in smaller quantities, perhaps several thousand ringgit.

“They borrow when business is slow, to start a business, or when lured by others to borrow from loan sharks.”

Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) Head of Corporate Communications Mohamad Khalil Jamaldin said it provided financial management services, counselling and restructuring of sales for those facing credit problems.

“If there is good financial management, they can have more savings,” said Khalil.