Zurkarnain: Losses from scams are rising, escalating from hundreds of millions to billions of ringgit, as scammers continuously evolve their methods, including hybrid scams. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
AS MALAYSIA strives to achieve 100% connectivity by the end of 2025, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is intensifying its efforts to bolster online safety measures.
Moving into an era defined by rapid 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) expansion, the enhanced connectivity also brings with it advanced occurrences of cyber threats—posing a significant challenge against the escalating tide of cyberbullying, online scams and sexual exploitation.
Statistics from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) reveal a concerning trend, with 35,368 online crime cases reported in 2024, resulting in losses exceeding RM1.5bil.
On top of this, a report by End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT), Unicef and Interpol in 2022 revealed as many as 100,000 children are at risk of online sexual exploitation.
Just last year, PDRM arrested 13 suspects and seized 40,000 pieces of content related to child sexual abuse material.
“Losses from scams are rising, escalating from hundreds of millions to billions of ringgit, as scammers continuously evolve their methods, including hybrid scams,” said MCMC deputy managing director Datuk Zurkarnain Mohd Yasin in an interview.
“Another concerning factor is online content that touches on the 3Rs (Race, Religion, Royalty), which is extremely sensitive, and of course, cyber threats like hacking, data breaches and the spread of fake news.”
Zurkarnain mentioned that the sophistication of modern scams increasingly exploits the trusting and friendly nature of Malaysians, making them vulnerable to such threats.
To address these challenges, MCMC is employing a multi-pronged approach involving the government, industry and public, with a primary focus on reinforcing child online safety.
Regulatory intervention
As a regulatory body for the government, MCMC is bolstering its regulatory framework through the Online Safety Bill (ONSA) 2024 and licensing requirements for social media providers via the Class License for Application Service Providers (CASP).
“ONSA will impute responsibility and accountability on social media providers, ensuring they take proactive measures against harmful content.
“This creates a standard of service that adheres with government regulations and addresses the inherent risk on their networks,” said Zurkarnain.
He said that Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 has also been strengthened, with increased penalties and stricter court rulings for online offences, serving as a deterrent against occurrences of malicious online behaviour.
Industry collaboration
Recognising the subjective nature of online content, MCMC actively liaises with social media providers to address harmful online materials and the prevalence of social media-related scams.
Zurkarnain said that MCMC works closely with social media providers to understand the nuances of posts deemed to be harmful, using its “Code of Conduct (Best Practices) for Internet Messaging and Social Media Service Providers” as a guideline. Acknowledging that Malaysia’s laws and a platform’s terms of use don’t always align, the body works to bridge the gap to ensure that harmful content is addressed effectively while respecting legal boundaries.
“Content interpretation is not black and white—it varies for each person. So, our role is to provide the context to help social media providers understand the potential harm,” Zurkarnain explained. He added that MCMC is also collaborating with social media providers to enable a more efficient process of identifying online suspects with enhanced traceability.
Public awareness and education
A critical approach to MCMC’s strategy is targeted and inclusive awareness campaigns for all community groups.
“We need to focus on all sections of the community, including different races, because they face different challenges related to cyber threats.
“Through this targeted approach, we hope to see reductions in the amount of losses from scams and other cyber threats,” said Zurkarnain.
MCMC will also collaborate with Information Department (JaPen) to disseminate and provide online awareness training for senior citizens, teaching them how to protect themselves and what red flags to look out for.
The body has even gone down to schools and public spaces, like Ramadan bazaars, to increase awareness of online safety.
Zurkarnain shared that MCMC has also revamped its public fact-checking systems on the Sebenarnya.my website, utilising an artificial intelligence (AI) fact-checking assistant, known as AIFA, to empower the public with enhanced fact-checking tools.
He added that the public should also take proactive steps to ensure their online safety by practising digital maturity when online. “As a user, the public needs to be aware of the risks and how to protect themselves. They also have a responsibility to conduct themselves appropriately to safeguard online security and the peace of the nation.
“While conversations online can become toxic quickly, we don’t have to add fuel to the fire.”
For info, visit www.mcmc.gov.my.
