KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is seeing an alarming rise in online fraud or scam cases, with 47,854 cases involving total losses of RM1.919bil recorded as of September, says Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.
The Deputy Home Minister said statistics from the police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) show that scam cases had increased by 12,486 compared with 35,368 cases in 2024, which involved losses amounting to RM1.574bil.
"This illustrates the significant number of victims involved, and in light of this situation, the government remains committed to implementing various measures, including stricter law enforcement, to address this crime," he said during the oral question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Oct 16).
He said this in his reply to a question from Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Baru), who wanted to know the firm actions being taken by the government to combat the growing trend of online fraud cases.
He added that the government has amended the Penal Code to strengthen enforcement against cybercrime, particularly the use of mule accounts, with new provisions under Sections 424A to 424D empowering the police to investigate and prosecute those involved.
The government has also amended the Criminal Procedure Code, introducing a new provision that allows the police to seize bank accounts or financial instruments suspected of being used for criminal activities, thereby preventing stolen funds from being transferred to criminals.
He also said that the government is in the process of drafting a new bill on cybercrime to further strengthen the country's legal framework in addressing the growing complexity of cyber threats. - Bernama
