KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 8,014 charges related to online fraud crimes have been recorded as of May this year, surpassing the 6,140 incidents throughout 2025, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the statistics showed that the online fraud threat was becoming more serious not only in terms of the increasing number of cases, but also the increasing financial losses to the people.
"There is an urgent need to enact a comprehensive law to deal with cybercrime more effectively, in line with the increasingly complex and sophisticated cybersecurity threat landscape," he said when tabling the Cybercrime Bill 2026 for its second reading in the Dewan Negara on Monday (July 20).
According to Ahmad Zahid, 10,245 individuals were arrested as of May this year, with the majority involving telecommunications, e-commerce, investment and non-existent loan crimes.
He added that the number of arrests increased from 16,244 in 2022 to 23,753 in 2025.
Ahmad Zahid said the arrest statistics also showed the police's commitment to combating online fraud.
The Cybercrime Bill 2026, which consists of eight parts and 61 clauses, was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on July 1. It was drafted to repeal the Computer Crime Act 1997 and strengthen the country's legal framework in dealing with increasingly complex cybercrime threats.
