New Inspector General of Police Mohd Khalid Ismail said Malaysia has lost over RM1.22 billion last year to cybercrime. Or more specifically, the figure was recorded between January and October of 2024. This is cited as a sign that cybercrime is growing in scale and sophistication, with range including financial scams, identity theft, online deception and data breaches.
Bernama cites the IGP as saying “according to Cyber Security Malaysia, more than 5,900 cyber incidents were recorded in 2023, including 3,705 fraud cases. Reports of data breaches alone rose by a staggering 1,100% compared to the previous year”. These stats reveal that cybercrime is now a present danger to the nation’s economy, rather than just a peripheral threat.
In response, the IGP says that PDRM is “enhancing digital forensic capabilities, strengthening intelligence coordination and expanding inter-agency and international cooperation”. On that note, the also said that the police will adopt AI in administration, management and operations. Khalid claims that AI adoption will help the force save time and reduce reliance on human resources.
This was said during the Police Special Dialogue III 2025, which the IGP launched. As part of the launch, he also said that “cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. We all serve as guardians of digital integrity”, emphasising the importance of collaboration in safeguarding Malaysia’s digital integrity.
(Source: Bernama)
