support@headlinenews360.com
Last Updated:
This 18-year-old boy, Zhou Deli, from Penang in Malaysia, was blacklisted by the bank for financial crimes, dating back to when he was just nine years old
Without a bank account, Zhou cannot receive his education loan funds, leaving his academic future hanging in the balance. (News18 Hindi)
There are many people around the world who take out education loans to secure a better future for their children. These loans are intended for students pursuing higher education. In one such case, a boy went to open a bank account in order to receive his education loan – but his application was unexpectedly rejected. What followed was a shocking revelation that left his family stunned.
This 18-year-old boy, Zhou Deli, from Penang, Malaysia, was blacklisted by the bank for financial crimes, dating back to when he was just nine-years-old. Zhou recently enrolled at ATC College for higher studies and was scheduled to receive his PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund) loan in in August 2025. However, due to being blacklisted, his future has been thrown into uncertainty.
The PTPTN disburses funds directly into students’ bank accounts, for which Zhou needed to open an account. His troubles began when his application at the National Bank branch in Penang was rejected. He then tried again at Maybank in Queensbay Mall but was turned away there as well. It was then that he discovered he had been placed on Malaysia’s ‘Tipping Offensive’ blacklist since 2016.
Zhou told the media, “I was shocked to learn this. When I was blacklisted, I was only nine-years-old. I didn’t even have a bank account.”
To understand the reason behind this, Zhou visited the National Bank branch in Penang on March 11, 2025, and requested a check on his record through the Central Credit Information System (CCRIS), which showed a clean history. On March 13, he lodged a police report at the Bayan Baru Police Station and on March 17, he approached Bank Negara, Malaysia’s central bank. There, security guards advised him to check his Credit Information Service (CTOS) report. Zhou followed their advice, but the CTOS report also showed no irregularities.
What Is ‘Tipping Offensive’?
The ‘Tipping Offensive’ blacklist refers to individuals reported for serious financial crimes such as money laundering, terrorism financing, or suspicious transactions.
Huang Yien, Head of the Penang Public Complaints Bureau of the Malaysian Chinese Association, questioned, “How can a nine-year-old child be involved in such crimes?” He also showed Zhou’s CCRIS record, which revealed no questionable financial transactions.
Zhou’s father, Zhou Shulin, stated, “My wife is a housewife. We both have bank accounts and have never committed any crime. If we had done anything wrong, would we be coming forward and asking for help?”
Now, without a bank account, Zhou cannot receive his PTPTN loan, leaving his academic future hanging in the balance. In Malaysia, CCRIS and CTOS are the primary systems used by financial institutions to check credit history.
Blacklisting under the ‘Tipping Offensive’ typically occurs only in cases involving serious financial misconduct. Yet, Zhou’s case remains a mystery, no one knows how or why he was blacklisted in the first place.
