‘Be smart in managing money’
IPOH: Being a bankrupt for almost 30 years, Wong Chek Wah, 81, hopes that his predicament will serve as a lesson to others.
“Life was hard. My friends left me and all I had was my own family. Don’t splurge on unnecessary things and be smart in managing your money,” he said.
The father of three, however, was on the cloud nine yesterday after he received a clearance certificate from Insolvency Department director-general Datuk Abdul Rahman Putra Taha.
“No words can describe how happy I am. After 30 years, now I can live without fear, fear of people’s perception. What happened to me should be a lesson to all out there.
“I was a contractor and kept thinking of having a lot of projects. I was so greedy and this prompted me to apply for several loans. I was declared a bankrupt for failing to settle my debts.
“I had to move out and rented a small room for my family. My wife had to work to support our children.”
Wong was one of two recipients who received the certificates from Perak Insolvency Department director Hezlin Haldi here yesterday.
“Some 6,000 Perakians from Gen Y, defined as those under 35, have become bankrupt over the past five years.
“As of last year, 749 individuals have been discharged from bankruptcy,” Hezlin said.