M'sian man claims he deposited RM1 million in bank 20 years ago, tries to get it, bank says no such record

A Malaysian septuagenarian claimed that he and his spouse deposited RM1 million (approximately S$313,000) into a bank on August 25, 2006. The funds were reportedly placed into two fixed deposit accounts, each with a 2-year lock-in period, according to Sinchew. The man said he did not withdraw the money from those accounts for two decades.

In February 2026, he said he discovered a photocopy of the deposit slip while organizing his home, which reignited his memory of the transaction. Upon visiting the Sibu bank branch in Sarawak to retrieve the money, the bank informed him that there was no record of the two deposits. He subsequently reported the matter to the police.

Further investigations with various officials, including a visit to the central bank in Peninsular Malaysia, also yielded no results. Frustrated, the man sought police assistance in September 2024 as he attempted to reclaim his money. An assistant to the state assemblyman accompanied him. The bank reiterated that they had no records of the deposit, and the police suggested that the money might have been transferred to the Accountant General's Department due to the prolonged period since the deposit.

The man expressed exasperation to Sinchew, stating that he hoped the relevant authorities would investigate this situation. He pointed out that despite presenting documents to the bank and numerous other government departments, no one could provide him with an explanation for the whereabouts of his money, describing the entire ordeal as "a frightening thing."