KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Two China students have been conned of RM17,200 by a middleman in a second-hand car deal.

Wang Kai Hong handed the man RM15,000 for a Proton Waja 1.5 Aeroback while Song Xiao Fei paid a total of RM2,200 in four instalments for a Waja 1.6 sedan.

Both 21-year-old are students of LimKokWing College University of Creativity in Cyberjaya.

Wang, who is studying accountancy, was introduced to the man, known as Paul, by a friend at a hypermarket in Puchong on March 8.

He handed over RM12,000 on the same day and remitted RM3,000 through a bank account.

He has not been able to contact the man since.

Graphic design student Song paid RM2,200 - being deposit and instalments for four months from December last year - to the same man at a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur.

The students related their woes to Datuk Michael Chong, head of the MCA Public Complaints and Services Department and adviser to the Chinese Students Federation in Malaysia. Also present was federation president Wong Ji.

Chong urged Paul - who drives a yellow Hyundai Getz with registration plate WNG 343 - to see him to settle the matter.

"Not less than seven complaints had been received from Chinese students against the man," Chong said.

"All said he took their money but failed to deliver the cars they purchased."