A Bidayuh farmer from Bau, near Kuching, filed a police report claiming that telecommunications giant Celcom had appointed a collection agency to chase him for outstanding mobile phone charges.

However, Aturn Anak Asek, 51, is perplexed by this since he is not a registered Celcom subscriber and does not own a mobile phone with the stated number.

He told malaysiakini today that he had lodged the police report on June 12 after the Sibu-based collection agency sent him a 'final reminder' to settle the RM333.61.

Aturn said he ignored the first letter because he thought it was a mix up but when he received the second letter, he decided to contact his friend, State Reform Party (Star) president Dr Patau Rubis, for advice.

Similar cases

With a copy of the police report, the two of them went to the Celcom office in Kuching.

Aturn claimed that when he asked the staff there for a print-out of the bill with details of the calls he was supposed to have made, they had alleged refused to do so.

"I am curious why they simply refused to let me have a copy of the bill with the details," he said, adding that the Celcom staff had merely told him to pay up.

In his police report, Aturn said: "I never regisered or used a phone with that number. I am lodging a police report as I am afraid something unpleasant might happen to me and my family."

Meanwhile, Patau told malaysiakini that he knew of two other similar cases involving Bidayuh farmers in Bau.

The two are said to owe RM1,000 and RM2,000 respectively despite not being Celcom subscribers.

"Something is going on and I think these three cases are not isolated," said Patau, who added that the government should not allow telecommunication companies to engage the services of collection agencies.

"Such matters should be dealt with according to the law. We have the courts to deal with this," he said.

Celcom officials could not be reached for comment.