91 Pct Of Social Media Contents Removed By MCMC Linked To Online Scams And Gambling - Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 (Bernama) -- A total of 91 per cent of 271,472 pieces of contents ordered to be taken down by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) issued to social media platform providers were identified as being related to online scams and gambling. 

According to Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, the total contents were recorded since January 1 2026 until yesterday. 

He said 81 percent of online gambling content was detected on Facebook, while 58 percent of online scam content was also on the same platform.

“I was informed by the Assistant Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia that last year, banks in Malaysia successfully blocked about RM1.2 billion that scammers tried to steal through the banking institutions’ own security mechanisms,” he said at a press conference after the closing ceremony of the Inter-Agency Retreat on Combatting Online Scam 2026 here today.

He said the situation was very worrying considering that scam syndicates were reported to have defrauded Malaysians involving losses of RM2.7 billion last year.

Also present were the Ministry of Communications secretary-general Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) managing director Abdul Karim Fakir Ali, advisor (Southeast Asia) of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) Rajeshpal Singh Sandhu and Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

Fahmi said the outcome of the meeting also proposed the establishment of a special committee involving enforcement agencies, regulatory bodies, telecommunications companies and banking institutions to strengthen cooperation in combating scam crimes in an integrated and continuous manner.

He said the committee was expected to be formed within two to three weeks after the relevant note was brought to the Cabinet.

According to Fahmi, the move was important to enable new techniques used by scammers, including the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI), to be identified more quickly, as well as to ensure that enforcement actions could be implemented in a coordinated manner.

At the event, Fahmi also witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between MCMC and GASA.

The MoU is a step towards expanding international cooperation in the fight against online fraud, focusing on knowledge sharing and best practices, capacity building, advocacy and public awareness raising regarding the threat of digital scams.

This collaboration reflects MCMC's continued commitment to strengthening the country's ability to address the threat of online fraud as well as supporting the government's efforts to build a safer, more trusted and more resilient digital ecosystem.

-- BERNAMA