Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia has officially inaugurated the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) at the headquarters of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in Putrajaya, marking a key step in strengthening coordinated efforts to combat the growing threat of online fraud.
Speaking at the launch on March 3, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stressed the importance of raising public awareness as a central element in tackling online scams, alongside stronger law enforcement and enhanced operations of the NSRC. He noted that awareness-raising campaigns should be intensified to ensure Malaysians do not fall victim to scams, which are sometimes driven by greed or seemingly attractive offers.
According to the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs, the NSRC was established in October 2022 and initially operated 12 hours a day starting from 8 am at the Central Bank of Malaysia building in Kuala Lumpur. In November 2025, the centre moved to Putrajaya, expanded its workforce by 82 personnel and begun operating around the clock.
The enhanced operations are part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen national cyber security and protect citizens from increasingly sophisticated cybercrime.
The NSRC has improved its ability to respond quickly to fraud cases, including helping recover funds for victims, through close cooperation between the Royal Malaysia Police and commercial banks, which now operate within the same command centre. The centre also serves as a coordination hub to trace and freeze funds linked to fraudulent activities while improving response mechanisms to public reports.
Since its establishment, the NSRC has prevented more than 34.05 million MYR (8.5 million USD) from falling into the hands of scam syndicates. The amount returned to victims rose significantly from 508,479 MYR in 2024 to 6.65 million MYR in 2025.
Last year alone, the centre handled 146,167 complaint calls and took action to freeze 138,915 related bank accounts. By January 2026, it had secured 1.44 million MYR through initial account freezing measures./.
