KUALA LUMPUR: Scam-related content online is showing a steep upward trend, with tens of thousands of posts already removed in the first quarter of this year alone, says Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.
Citing Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) data, she said 43,618 pieces of scam-related content, including fake accounts and impersonation materials, were taken down between Jan 1 and March 31 this year.
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“The scale at which this issue is growing is deeply concerning,” she said in her speech at the 21st General Assembly of the Confederation of Asean Journalists (CAJ) here on Monday (April 27).
Beginning this year, the National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJM) is holding the CAJ presidency until the next term.
The figure on scam-related content online follows a sharp rise in previous years, with 6,297 posts removed in 2023, surging to 63,652 in 2024 and further increasing to 98,503 in 2025.
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Teo said scammers are increasingly exploiting artificial intelligence (AI), including cases involving the impersonation of the Royal Institution.
She said there have been fraudulent social media accounts using AI to replicate the voice of the King of Malaysia, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, in misleading videos promoting supposed financial assistance schemes.
“In the region, similar tactics have been used, including the misuse of former Singapore president Halimah Yacob’s image in AI-manipulated scam content linked to fake aid and financial fraud,” she added.
Teo said the theme of this year’s CAJ assembly, “The Future of AI and Its Impact on Journalism”, was both timely and critical as AI continues to reshape how information is produced, distributed and consumed.
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While AI offers significant benefits, such as improving newsroom efficiency, enhancing data analysis and making content more accessible, it also presents serious risks, she said.
“These include the misuse of intellectual property, inaccuracies in AI-generated content and the erosion of public trust,” she said.
“Our position is clear: journalism must remain human at its core. AI should serve as a tool to support journalists, not replace human judgment, ethics and accountability,” she said.
Teo added that the media industry is facing increasing pressure amid rapid technological change, underscoring the need for revitalisation to remain relevant in a fast-evolving digital landscape.
She said Malaysia remains committed to supporting this transformation, including through the RM30mil Media Innovation Fund.
The fund offers grants of up to RM300,000 per application across four areas: training for media personnel, software and technology adaptation, equipment and infrastructure support, and content research and development.
“To date, Phase One, which closed in January 2026, saw 34 organisations receive a total of RM12.38mil for digital transformation,” she said.
She added that Phases Two to Four, implemented through application windows in February, March and April, are currently at the approval stage.
Teo also announced that Phase Five of the fund will open from May 1 to 14, encouraging media organisations that have yet to apply to seize the opportunity.
