Malaysia needs stronger legal framework to combat complex cybercrime

KUALA LUMPUR - Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia requires a stronger legal framework to address the increasingly complex threat of cybercrime.

He said cybercrime is no longer limited to computer system breaches, but now includes online fraud, identity theft, ransomware attacks and the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI).

Ahmad Zahid said that in 2025 alone, 66,204 online fraud cases were recorded, involving losses of nearly RM3 billion.

"Behind those figures are ordinary Malaysians who have lost their savings, business owners who have suffered financial losses, and families who have fallen victim to digital crimes that are becoming increasingly difficult to curb,” he said in a Facebook post today.

Ahmad Zahid said he raised the matter during a briefing with members of the MADANI Government Backbenchers Club on the Cybercrime Bill 2026 at the Parliament building today.

He also expressed hope that the bill would be assessed based on facts, current needs and the country’s long-term interests, so that Malaysia can continue to maintain a safer cyberspace capable of protecting the interests of both the people and the nation. - BERNAMA