PUTRAJAYA: The Communications Ministry will meet Meta Platforms Inc this month to address escalating scam-related content on its social media platforms.
Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil confirmed the meeting following numerous complaints from police and the public about fraudulent activities on Facebook and WhatsApp.
He revealed that at least 31 fake accounts impersonating the National Scam Response Centre have been detected on Meta-owned platforms as of yesterday.
“This means on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, there is a lot of scam content and other problematic content,” Fahmi told reporters after officiating the national finals of the Kenegaraan@Kelab Malaysiaku 2025 storytelling competition.
The minister cited previous complaints about drug-laced vape liquids being sold on Facebook as evidence of platform misuse.
Fahmi described Meta’s cooperation so far as “very unconvincing” and has instructed officials to arrange urgent discussions with the company.
He announced that TikTok’s management was meeting authorities today over delayed cooperation with police regarding fake news on its platform.
The minister stressed Malaysia’s readiness to take legal action against social media platforms enabling cybercrime activities.
Fahmi referenced Singapore’s recent imposition of one million Singapore dollar fines against Meta for failing to implement scam prevention improvements.
“The government will not hesitate to take action against platforms that allow criminals to abuse their platforms to victimise Malaysians,” he stated.
The minister shared a personal experience of nearly falling for a scam when he received a suspicious WhatsApp message impersonating a former MP.
He received a message from someone claiming to be “Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin” requesting to borrow 4,400 ringgit, which turned out to be from a hacked account.
The Communications Ministry and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission are coordinating the response to social media platform abuses.
Fahmi emphasized that addressing scam content requires cooperation from all social media companies operating in Malaysia.
The meeting with Meta represents part of broader efforts to combat online fraud and protect Malaysian social media users. – Bernama