Fahmi: Communications Ministry expected to meet Meta over scams

The Communications Ministry is expected to hold a meeting with Meta this month following a rise in complaints about scam-related content on various social media platforms operated by the company.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said many complaints about problematic content on Facebook and WhatsApp had been received from the police through the Commercial Crime Investigation Department as well as the public.

As of yesterday, he said, at least 31 fake accounts impersonating the National Scam Response Centre had been detected on Meta-owned social media platforms, believed to be aimed at deceiving the public.

“This means that on Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, there is a lot of scam content and other problematic content. Previously, we also received complaints about the sale of vape liquids containing drugs, which were seen to be sold on Facebook.

“Since Meta’s cooperation so far has been, in my view, very unconvincing, I have instructed that they be invited for a discussion in the near future,” he told reporters after officiating at the national finals of the Kenegaraan@Kelab Malaysiaku 2025 storytelling competition in Putrajaya today.

Meta operates Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Fahmi said complaints regarding the misuse of social media platforms for scams and other crimes have been on the rise, and efforts to address the issue are being carried out at various levels.

“Today, we will be meeting TikTok, and after this, we will meet Meta. We hope the meeting (with Meta) will take place in a few weeks; we are arranging it,” he said.

On Tuesday, Fahmi said TikTok’s top management had been summoned to Bukit Aman due to the company’s delay in cooperating with the police in addressing the spread of fake news on its platform.

He also stressed that Malaysia is prepared to take action under existing laws against social media platforms that allow cybercrime activities on their platforms.

“The Communications Ministry also takes note of the Singapore government’s action against Meta, imposing fines of up to S$1 million over its failure to implement several improvements in tackling scams on its platforms.

“The government, especially the Communications Ministry and the MCMC, will not hesitate to take action against platforms that allow criminals, especially scammers, to abuse their platforms to victimise Malaysians,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Fahmi revealed that he had almost fallen victim to a scam when he received a suspicious WhatsApp message from someone impersonating a former MP.

“Yesterday, someone claiming to be a former MP sent me a WhatsApp message under the name ‘Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin’. The message was rather funny - it said, ‘Can I ask for a little help? I want to borrow RM4,400.’ It turned out his WhatsApp account had been hacked,” he said.

Also present were Information Department director-general Julina Johan and Bernama editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.

- Bernama

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