KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — A total of 8,014 charges related to online fraud crimes have been recorded as of May this year, surpassing the total of 6,140 charges throughout 2025, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said the statistics showed that the threat of online fraud crimes was becoming more serious not only in terms of the increasing number of cases, but also the increasing financial losses to the people.
“Therefore, there is an urgent need to enact a comprehensive cybercrime law to deal with cybercrime more effectively, in line with the increasingly complex and sophisticated cyber security threat landscape,” he said when tabling the Cyber Crime Bill 2026 for its second reading in Dewan Negara today.
According to him, a total of 10,245 individuals had been arrested as of May this year, with the highest arrests involving telecommunications, e-commerce, investment and non-existent loan crimes.
He said the number of arrests increased from 16,244 in 2022 to 23,753 in 2025, which is the highest number in the period.
Ahmad Zahid said the arrest statistics showed the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM)’s continued action in combating online fraud crimes.
“This reflects the enforcement focus on the most active syndicates and has a major impact on society,” he said.
The Cyber Crime Bill 2026, which consists of eight parts and 61 clauses, was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on July 1 and was drafted to repeal the Computer Crime Act 1997 and strengthen the country’s legal framework in dealing with the increasingly complex threat of cyber crime. — Bernama
