Kota Kinabalu: Senator Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe
(pic) welcomed the Cybercrime Bill 2026, describing it as a timely and necessary law to tackle the growing threat of scams, artificial intelligence-enabled fraud and other cyber crimes affecting Malaysians.
Debating the Bill in the Dewan Negara in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, Phoong highlighted Sabah's growing exposure to international scam syndicates, citing the recent Op Pelican operation in which police arrested 341 suspects during raids on scam call centres across five districts.
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He urged the Government to strengthen enforcement against foreign syndicates, pursue the masterminds through international cooperation, impose tougher penalties and adopt a more proactive approach to prevent financial losses before victims are cheated.
Phoong also called for Sabah to be represented on the proposed Committee to Combat Cyber Crime and urged the Federal Government to allocate additional resources, training and closer coordination with enforcement agencies in the State, including the Immigration Department, to curb the misuse of tourist passes by criminal syndicates.
While supporting the Bill, he stressed that Sabah must continue to be recognised as a safe tourism destination rather than a base for international scam operations, adding that the legislation should be enforced effectively to safeguard the people and protect Malaysia's reputation.
