PUTRAJAYA: The Communications Ministry is expected to hold a meeting with Meta Platforms Inc (Meta) this month following a rise in complaints about scam-related content on various social media platforms operated by the company.
Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said many complaints on problematic content on Facebook and WhatsApp had been received from the police through the Commercial Crime Investigation Department as well as the public.
He said as of Wednesday, at least 31 fake accounts impersonating the National Scam Response Centre had been detected on Meta-owned social media platforms.
“This means that on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, there is a lot of scam and other problematic content. Previously, we also received complaints about the sale of vape liquids containing drugs, which were seen to be sold on Facebook.
“Since Meta’s cooperation so far has been, in my view, very unconvincing, I have instructed that they be invited for a discussion in the near future,” Fahmi told Bernama after officiating at the national finals of the Kenegaraan@Kelab Malaysiaku 2025 storytelling competition here yesterday.
Meta operates Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Fahmi said complaints regarding the misuse of social media platforms for scams and other crimes have been on the rise, and efforts to address the issue are being carried out at various levels.
“We hope the meeting (with Meta) will take place in a few weeks; we are arranging it,” he said, adding that Malaysia is prepared to take action under existing laws against social media platforms that allow cybercrime activities on their platforms,” he said.
“The Communications Ministry also takes note of the Singapore government’s action against Meta, imposing fines of up to S$1mil over its failure to implement several improvements in tackling scams on its platforms,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Fahmi revealed that he had almost fallen victim to a scam from someone impersonating a former Member of Parliament.
“Yesterday, someone claiming to be a former MP sent me a WhatsApp message under the name ‘Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin’.
“The message said, ‘Can I ask for a little help? I want to borrow RM4,400.’ It turned out his WhatsApp account had been hacked,” he said at the event that was also attended by Information Department director-general Julina Johan and Bernama editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.
