KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 — Malaysia is in the process of joining the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and plans to officially sign the UN treaty this October in Vietnam, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said today.
He said the move is part of Malaysia’s efforts to strengthen its fight against cybercrime by formalising cooperation through major international treaties.
“These treaties will enhance our cooperation with international enforcement bodies such as Interpol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, especially in areas of digital evidence exchange, joint investigations, and cybercriminal extradition,” Saifuddin told the Dewan Rakyat.
The minister also disclosed that a total of 46,086 investigation papers were opened in 2024 alone in connection with various cyber-related offences.
These include both cyber-enabled and cyber-dependent crimes investigated under multiple laws, including the Penal Code, the Computer Crimes Act 1997, and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
To further bolster domestic enforcement, Saifuddin said the ministry and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) have introduced key legislative amendments.
He cited last year’s revision of the Penal Code, which introduced Sections 424A and 424B, increasing penalties for certain offences from RM1,000 to RM10,000.
These changes are aimed at deterring the misuse of “mule accounts” often used by scammers to transfer illicit funds, he said.
“These mule accounts sometimes involve the use of ATM cards, credit cards, or e-wallets belonging to other individuals, making them difficult to trace,” he said.
Additionally, an amendment was made to the Criminal Procedure Code (Act 593) to empower sergeants — not just officers ranked inspector and above — to freeze or seize suspicious accounts.
“This allows earlier intervention in the financial layering process and helps stop the flow of scam proceeds at an earlier stage,” he added.
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