KUALA LUMPUR: The government has successfully recovered about RM34mil in scam funds from mule bank accounts, with RM6.7mil of that amount returned to victims in 2025, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said the returned funds were achieved by freezing and seizing RM17.5mil that had been moving through mule bank accounts.
“However, saving and returning the funds are two different things, as investigations into many scam cases are still ongoing,” he said during Ministry Question Time at parliament on Tuesday (Jan 27).
Saifuddin attributed the significant increase in recovered funds, from only RM508,479 in 2024, to the extended operating hours of the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC), which now operates 24 hours a day, compared with previous standard office hours.
This was further helped by an increase in personnel, with the NSRC now comprising 25 personnel from Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Division and 16 call agents appointed by Bank Negara.
He added that the centre also receives about 500 calls a day, of which only about half are genuine.
Saifuddin added that his ministry has also received over 50 cases involving mule bank accounts used in scams, which have been classified under Section 424 of the Penal Code in 2025.
He revealed that 51 cases have been recorded under Subsection 424A of the Penal Code, and of these, 20 have resulted in court charges.
Three were classified as requiring no further action, seven were kept on record, and 21 cases are still under investigation, according to Saifuddin.
“Under 424B, there is one case that is still under investigation, while under 424C, 10 cases have been recorded, all of which are still under investigation,” he said.
