Malaysia tackles online scams with AI and new cyber guidelines
New regulations and AI tools are being introduced to stop online scams as Malaysia faces over RM1.5 billion in losses.
Cybercrime involving financial scams continues to rise in Malaysia, with 35,368 cases reported in 2024, a 2.53 per cent increase from the previous year, resulting in losses of RM1.58 billion.
The situation remains severe in 2025, with over 12,000 online scam cases recorded in the first quarter alone, involving fake e-commerce offers, bogus loans, and non-existent investment platforms. Losses during this period reached RM573.7 million.
Instead of waiting for the situation to worsen, the Digital Ministry is rolling out proactive safeguards. These include new AI-related guidelines under development by the Department of Personal Data Protection, scheduled for release by March 2026.
The documents will cover data protection impact assessments, automated decision-making, and privacy-by-design principles.
The ministry has also introduced an official framework for responsible AI use in the public sector, called GPAISA, to ensure ethical compliance and support across government agencies.
Additionally, training initiatives such as AI Untuk Rakyat and MD Workforce aim to equip civil servants and enforcement teams with skills to handle AI and cyber threats.
In partnership with CyberSecurity Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the ministry is also creating an AI-powered application to verify digital images and videos.
Instead of relying solely on manual analysis, the tool will help investigators detect online fraud, identity forgery, and synthetic media more effectively.
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