Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has urged Bank Negara Malaysia to lead a “whole-of-government” crackdown on digital fraud, cyber theft and scams, warning that billions of ringgit in Malaysians’ life savings are at risk.
Lim said elected representatives nationwide had been receiving a growing number of complaints from scam victims, including ordinary Malaysians as well as professionals such as doctors, engineers and lawyers.
He described the situation as a “national crime wave”, claiming that the surge in digital fraud had devastated families and wiped out savings intended to secure their future.
According to Lim, relying solely on the police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to tackle the problem was insufficient, given the scale and complexity of the crimes.
“Banks are the vital intermediary enabling this digital fraud and theft to happen,” he said, arguing that financial institutions should be required to suspend accounts showing suspicious large withdrawals.
Lim cited official figures showing that only RM6.7 million was recovered from the RM2.97 billion reportedly lost to scams in 2025.
He described the recovery rate as “alarming and unacceptable”, saying the figures highlighted the need for stronger preventive measures rather than relying mainly on action after victims had already lost their money.
Lim called on Bank Negara to spearhead a coordinated response involving relevant government departments and agencies to curb digital fraud and strengthen protections for Malaysians’ savings.
