War On Scam: Placing NSRC Directly Under Police Supervision Timely - Lee

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Bernama) --The Alliance for a Safe Community has commended the government decision to place the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) directly under the Royal Malaysia Police supervision in combating the alarming scam cases in the country.

Its chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye in a statement today said the move is timely because scam cases in Malaysia continue to escalate at an alarming rate, inflicting devastating financial and emotional harm on victims across all segments of society.

He said by placing NSRC directly under the watchful eye of the Royal Malaysia Police it will further enhance its operational capacity, streamline coordination among enforcement agencies, and increase public confidence in the system’s ability to act swiftly and decisively.

On this regard Lee proposed to integrate NSRC operations with Bank Negara Malaysia, telecommunications providers, and financial institutions in real time to immediately freeze fraudulent accounts, trace money trails, and block suspicious phone lines or digital platforms to ensure that its operations more effective.

“In addition to that, the alliance also proposes investing in advanced technology and AI-driven surveillance.

“This includes using cutting-edge surveillance tools, AI algorithms, and digital threat-detection systems to quickly identify and stop scam operations, especially those run by cybercrime syndicates operating from overseas," he said.

Lee also emphasised the need for a stronger legal framework and stricter enforcement, including amendments to existing laws to impose harsher penalties on scam syndicate members and money mules, as well as to hold digital platforms accountable for failing to remove scam-related content or advertisements.

“Expand and strengthen the NSRC Team. Increase manpower with trained scam response officers and digital forensic experts to ensure round-the-clock monitoring, faster response times, and enhanced tracking of illicit transactions,” he said.

Lee also called for enhanced cross-border collaboration, urging closer cooperation with INTERPOL and regional partners to track down and dismantle transnational scam networks that exploit jurisdictional loopholes.

He said the police should launch aggressive, continuous public awareness campaigns, particularly in schools, colleges, and community centres, to educate the public on common scam tactics and preventive measures.  

“We commend this proactive step and urge the authorities to treat the scam epidemic with the same seriousness as other national security threats. It is only through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach that we can turn the tide in this relentless war against scammers,” Lee added.

-- BERNAMA