KUCHING: Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap Yau Sin has urged the federal government to strengthen Malaysia’s legal framework to combat increasingly sophisticated financial scam syndicates.
Yap said the growing number of scam cases nationwide, including those affecting Sarawakians, had become a national crisis that required urgent action to better protect the public from financial losses.
“Almost every day, we hear of innocent Malaysians, including many Sarawakians, being cheated out of their life savings by highly organised and increasingly sophisticated criminal syndicates,” he said in a press statement today.
A legal practitioner by training, Yap said financial scams were more than just statistics, as many victims included retirees who had lost their lifetime savings, struggling families and small business owners whose livelihoods had been devastated.
While acknowledging that criminal law, banking regulation and telecommunications fall under the federal government’s jurisdiction, he said the impact of such crimes was felt by communities across Sarawak.
Yap welcomed measures already introduced by the federal government, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), financial institutions and the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC), including the establishment of the NSRC and banking “kill-switch” mechanisms.
However, he said the continued increase in scam cases showed that criminal syndicates were adapting rapidly, making it necessary for the country’s legal and enforcement framework to keep pace.
He called on the federal government to undertake a comprehensive review of Malaysia’s anti-scam framework by strengthening legislation against cyber fraud, organised scam syndicates and the misuse of mule accounts.
Yap also proposed greater accountability for financial institutions through enhanced fraud detection systems, faster emergency response protocols and stronger customer protection measures.
In addition, he urged tougher penalties for individuals who knowingly provide bank accounts, SIM cards or digital platforms to facilitate scam operations.
He further called for the NSRC’s operational capacity to be strengthened, particularly by improving coordination and response times for victims in Sarawak.
Yap also stressed the need to expand nationwide public education and digital literacy programmes, especially for senior citizens, youths and other vulnerable groups, saying prevention remained the strongest defence against scams.
He noted that scam syndicates frequently operate across state and national borders, making robust federal legislation, effective enforcement and close cooperation among relevant agencies essential.
Describing the issue as a national responsibility rather than a political one, Yap said every Malaysian deserved to carry out financial transactions with confidence, knowing that adequate legal protection was in place.
“We cannot allow organised criminals to remain one step ahead of the law.
“The time has come to strengthen our legal framework, enhance enforcement, and send a clear message that Malaysia will not tolerate those who prey on the hard-earned savings of our people,” he added.
