SIBU: The Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) has established its Sibu branch to address cases involving illegal moneylenders and mule accounts in the local community.
MHO Sibu branch’s chief, Bill Jugah, said the establishment of the branch was a natural progression from the work previously carried out by the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) Rajang which he chaired.
“As time progresses, SADIA Rajang became aware of the contemporary problems faced by the local community around Sibu.
“Irrespective of race, more and more problems involving licensed and unlicensed moneylenders have arisen, while cases involving mule accounts have also been increasing in Kanowit, Song, Kapit, Sarikei, Sibu and other surrounding areas,” he said to Sarawak Tribune.
Bill said Sibu was chosen because of its central location and accessibility to surrounding areas, enabling the organisation to serve communities in the Rajang region more effectively.
He said MHO Sibu was inaugurated on February 1, 2026, at his service centre and office in Sungai Merah, with 21 members attending the swearing-in ceremony.
To date, there are 42 official members ready to serve the Sibu and Rajang region.
Bill said he was motivated to lead the branch after witnessing an increasing number of young people trying to free themselves from what he described as the “shackles of modern-day enslavement”.
“Many of the youngsters in Sibu are self-motivated to free themselves from the shackles of modern-day enslavement, as evident from the numerous cases of unlicensed moneylenders resorting to criminal intimidation, as well as increasing cases involving mule accounts.
“Many of the victims reached out to me and my followers. This prompted me to spearhead this movement to create awareness and address these issues, while simultaneously producing more advocacy officers from Sibu,” he said.
He said MHO Sibu shared the same objective as SADIA Rajang – to improve the well-being of affected individuals – but now had the backing of a larger team of legal practitioners.
“The objectives are the same as when I led the SADIA Rajang association – to better and improve the state of well-being of all affected individuals, but this time with the backing of a large team of legal practitioners who provide legal representation and act in accordance with the law and the Malaysian Constitution,” he said.
Bill said the branch would focus on cases involving moneylenders who broke the law and mule accounts.
“MHO Sibu leans towards cases of moneylenders breaking the law and mule accounts. It serves everybody who is treated unfairly and has yet to receive justice,” he said.
The Sibu branch would complement MHO’s national-level efforts by raising local cases and receiving complaints from the community while providing a more personal approach.
“We raise cases and receive local grouses while giving a local personal touch in approaching an issue,” he said.
Bill shared the branch might organise visits to police headquarters in and around Sibu, while its awareness and outreach programmes would mainly be conducted through social media.
Bill said financial difficulties were among the pressing concerns facing the Sibu community, with traders and members of the public struggling to make ends meet and many resorting to borrowing.
“Sibu traders are not making enough money. The Sibu populace is trying very hard to make ends meet and most resort to borrowing. Let MHO Sibu share ways to counter that lack,” he said.
He said the branch hoped to make a significant difference by empowering members of the public with greater knowledge of their rights and legal protection.
“A big difference. When the populace become aware of their rights and how the law protects them, this empowers them.
“And with empowerment, they are able to make wiser decisions without having money being dangled in their faces,” he said.
Bill added that MHO Sibu was prepared to collaborate with government agencies, non-governmental organisations, community leaders and corporate partners as long as their objectives were aligned and served the wider community.
On membership, he said joining MHO Sibu was free although members were required to take an oath to uphold the law.
He said members could also purchase an MHO T-shirt for RM45 to make themselves recognisable to members of the public seeking assistance.
Bill said volunteers would receive practical, hands-on training by handling cases under his guidance.
“The training comes from the first case members bring in. I will guide them with the system already developed and from more and more cases in the future, members will be more equipped to handle cases solo.
“The best training is hands-on and via a baptism-of-fire type,” he said.
On funding, Bill said MHO Sibu did not rely on donations to finance its daily operations.
MHO is not solely an NGO but has numerous branches of commercial arms in handling cases. All of the commercial arms are registered as ‘Sdn Bhd’ under SSM, and they are the ones financing the operations.
“At the moment, MHO Sibu has appointed Icon Legend Sdn Bhd to be one of its commercial arms and operates similarly to MHO headquarters in that way,” he said.
He said members would receive a commission for every case they brought to the organisation, with the system applicable across all its branches.
Looking ahead, Bill said the branch’s immediate target was to increase public awareness of MHO Sibu.
“At the moment, the target is to give as much exposure as possible to the populace via MHO T-shirts. As more members wear the MHO T-shirts, more new members will join.
“Why not? The membership is free, members share the commission and gain knowledge of the law, free,” he said.
He hoped to see more members become empowered through greater knowledge of their rights and the law while improving their income through the sharing of commissions.
Bill also urged family members of victims of illegal moneylenders to support them instead of pressuring them to continue making payments.
“For now, since MHO Sibu is focusing on illegal moneylender cases, I urge the family members of victims to give support to the victims and not pressure the victims to continue paying off the illegal moneylenders,” he said.
He encouraged family members to participate in online consultations so they could learn the appropriate lawful steps to take in dealing with such cases.
“Fear comes from lack of knowledge. Courage comes from knowledge tempered with wisdom. Let’s be courageous for once in your lives.
“Your children will learn from your example and it is your decision whether your children will courageously venture into the new world or fall behind because of fear,” he said.
He said members of the public could submit their cases or make appointments through his website, billjugah.com.
