PETALING JAYA: The roll out of Malaysia’s upgraded emergency call platform, the Next Generation Malaysian Emergency Response Services (NG MERS 999) system, could face serious operational risks if prank calls and misuse of the hotline continue, experts warn.
Malaysia Cyber Consumer Association president Siraj Jalil said the rising number of false calls detected by authorities presents a “real and material risk” from both cybersecurity and public safety perspectives.
“Emergency response systems operate on finite bandwidth. Every false call diverts dispatcher attention, slows verification and can delay the mobilisation of critical resources such as ambulances, fire-rescue units and police teams,” he said yesterday.
Siraj, who also sits on the National Consumer Advisory Council, stressed that in high-acuity emergencies such as cardiac arrest, road trauma or crimes in progress, mere seconds can determine survival.
“A delay of seconds can shift an outcome from survivable to fatal. Prank calls are not merely a nuisance; they are a direct threat to public safety,” he said, adding that such calls should be treated as an obstruction of emergency operations.
He said clear penalties, publicised consequences and targeted enforcement are necessary, noting that global data shows deterrence works when the public recognises the seriousness of the offence.
Universiti Sains Malaysia Cybersecurity Research Centre director Prof Dr Selvakumar Manickam said cybersecurity principles apply directly to emergency call centres.
“In the NG MERS 999 system, which forms part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, the resources at risk are human operators, ambulances and fire engines. Prank calls create false positives, dispatching real teams to incidents that do not exist.
“When a fire engine is diverted to a fake address, it becomes unavailable for a real emergency nearby, and that delay can cost lives. It is similar to a Distributed Denial of Service attack.”
Selvakumar also noted that under the upgraded system, anonymity is no longer an option.
“NG MERS 999 uses advanced geolocation and triangulation. Every call generates a digital footprint that includes metadata such as cell tower IDs and device IMEIs.
“Even silent calls can be traced. Offenders can be prosecuted under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries hefty fines or imprisonment. A prank call is not entertainment; it is a cybercrime with lasting legal consequences.”
He urged users to review their phones’ SOS settings and for parents to teach children that a phone number is a digital identity.
“Even a ‘test call’ to 999 is logged and tied to the parent’s registered ID.
“The SaveME 999 app provides a structured way to send accurate information and location data, and the public is encouraged to learn how to use it,” he said.
On Nov 19, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming warned that legal action would be taken against those who misuse the 999 hotline, calling such behaviour irresponsible and an “abuse of the system”.
Nga said the NG MERS 999 system, which replaces MERS999, offers improved data-sharing between emergency call centres and agencies, including enhanced caller-location detection.
As of September, MERS999 had recorded 169,015 prank calls, accounting for 2.28% of all calls received this year.
Making fraudulent calls to 999 is an offence under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries penalties of up to RM50,000, one year’s imprisonment, or both.
Offenders may also be charged under Section 182 of the Penal Code for giving false information to public officers, punishable by up to six months’ jail, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both.
