Kuala
\nLumpur, 8 August 2026<\/b> \u2013 The<\/b> British
\nGraduates Association Malaysia (BGAM)<\/b> in collaboration with HELP
\nUniversity<\/b> and The Hainan Professional & Graduate Team Malaysia
\n(HPGTM),<\/b> today organised the BGAM Lecture Series: Scam Awareness 2.0 \u2013
\nAction & Prevention.<\/b> The half-day event brought together government
\nleaders, law enforcement experts, cybersecurity professionals, industry
\npractitioners, academics and members of the public to address the growing
\nthreat of scams and cyber-enabled crimes in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In
\nhis Opening Remarks, Datuk Kamarudin Md Ali<\/b>, President of the British
\nGraduates Association Malaysia (BGAM), highlighted the growing threat posed by
\nincreasingly sophisticated scam syndicates that exploit digital platforms,
\nartificial intelligence and social engineering to deceive unsuspecting victims.
\nReferring to the latest statistics from the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), he
\nnoted that Malaysia recorded more than 66,000 online scam cases in 2025<\/b>,
\ninvolving losses of approximately RM2.97 billion<\/b>, underscoring that
\nscams have become a serious national challenge affecting individuals, families
\nand businesses across the country.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe
\nlatest figures released by the Royal Malaysia Police remind us that scams are
\nno longer isolated incidents. They have become a serious national challenge
\naffecting individuals, families and businesses across the country. Combating
\nthis threat requires collective responsibility, where every informed citizen
\nbecomes another line of defence<\/p>\n
against scammers,\u201d said
\nDatuk Kamarudin.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Delivering
\nthe Welcome Remarks, Professor Dato Sri Dr Akhbar Satar,<\/b> Director and
\nProfessorial Chair of the Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice and
\nChief Integrity Officer of HELP University,<\/b> as well as a Member of the
\nBoard of Directors of the Malaysia Institute of Integrity and the
\nAnti-Corruption Advisory Board of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
\n(MACC), emphasised that combating scams requires more than technological
\nsolutions. It demands integrity, critical thinking, public awareness and
\ncollective responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cScammers
\ndon\u2019t hack computers; they hack human psychology. Whether it is corruption or
\nscams, the crime begins when integrity ends,\u201d<\/b> said
\nProfessor Dato\u2019 Sri Dr Akhbar Satar.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
He
\nadded that universities play a vital role in preparing students, staff and the
\ncommunity by strengthening digital literacy, promoting ethical decision-making,
\nand raising awareness of common scam tactics.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
He
\nnoted that scam syndicates continue to exploit trust, fear and human behaviour,
\nmaking education and awareness among the public more important than ever. He
\nstressed that universities have a vital role to play in producing graduates who
\nunderstand the evolving nature of crime and are equipped to contribute to
\nprevention, policymaking and criminal justice.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Through
\nits Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, HELP University serves as a
\nplatform for research, policy dialogue and professional engagement, addressing
\ncontemporary issues in crime, justice, integrity and public safety. The
\nInstitute works closely with government agencies, industry and community
\nstakeholders to promote evidence- based approaches to crime prevention and
\nstrengthen public understanding of emerging security challenges.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
This
\ncommitment is further reflected in HELP University’s Master of Science in
\nEconomic Crime Management <\/b>programme, which equips students with advanced
\nknowledge in criminological theory, criminal justice, crime prevention,
\nforensic investigation and research methodologies. The programme prepares
\ngraduates to analyse emerging crime trends, formulate evidence-based policies
\nand contribute meaningfully to law enforcement, public policy, academia and the
\nwider criminal justice ecosystem.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The
\nprogramme was honoured by the presence of Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato’ Seri
\nDr Syed Hamid Albar,<\/b> Chancellor of Asia e University, First Chairman of the
\nMalaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF), and former Minister of Home
\nAffairs, as the Guest of Honour. Tan Sri officiated the BGAM Lecture Series:
\nScam Awareness 2.0 \u2013 Action & Prevention and delivered the Official
\nAddress.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In
\nhis address, Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr Syed Hamid Albar said that scams today are no
\nlonger merely financial crimes but have become a broader challenge affecting
\npublic trust, social well-being and confidence in the nation\u2019s digital
\necosystem. While enforcement remains essential, he stressed that education,
\nintegrity and informed citizens are equally important in preventing scams and
\nstrengthening society\u2019s resilience. <\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCombating
\nscams cannot rest on enforcement alone. It requires a whole-of-society
\napproach. Education remains one of the most effective forms of prevention
\nbecause an informed society is far more resilient than one that relies solely
\non enforcement after a crime has already occurred,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Delivering
\nthe keynote address, Dato’ Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf<\/b> highlighted that
\nSoutheast Asia has become the global epicentre of commercial crime, with
\nregional scam losses in 2025 estimated at between USD88 billion and USD114
\nbillion. He observed that organised scam compounds across Myanmar, Cambodia,
\nLaos and the Philippines are estimated to generate approximately USD40 billion
\nannually, increasingly driven by AI-generated deepfakes, cryptocurrency
\nlaundering and trafficked labour from more than 80 countries. He also stressed
\nthat, while Malaysia has strengthened its response through the Cybersecurity
\nAct 2024, enhanced compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
\nstandards and closer inter-agency coordination through the National Scam
\nResponse Centre (NSRC), scam syndicates continue to evolve rapidly, requiring
\nstronger collaboration, technological innovation and sustained public
\nawareness.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
This
\nlecture series also featured an esteemed forum discussion moderated by Datuk
\nYong Soo Heong,<\/b> President of the Malaysian Press Institue (MPI), with
\ndistinguished panellists, Ts. Ir. Eugene Teow<\/b> and ASP (R) Rahmat
\nFitri Abdullah<\/b>. The forum provided valuable insights into emerging scam
\ntrends, commercial crime investigations, cybersecurity, digital trust, media
\nliteracy, and practical strategies to help individuals and organisations better
\nprotect themselves against increasingly sophisticated scams. <\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The
\ndiscussions reinforced the importance of stronger collaboration between
\ngovernment agencies, law enforcement, financial institutions, technology
\nproviders, educational institutions, industry and community organisations in
\nbuilding a safer, more informed and scam-resilient Malaysia. The programme also
\nhighlighted the critical role of higher education institutions in nurturing
\nethical leadership, strengthening digital literacy and fostering a culture of
\nintegrity that serves as a long-term defence against scams and other forms of crime.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Organisers
\nBGAM and Hainan Professional & Graduate Team Malaysia (Economic Bureau)<\/b>
\nexpressed its appreciation to HELP University for hosting the lecture series,
\nas well as to its strategic partners, supporting organisations, sponsors,
\nspeakers, panellists, student volunteers and organising committee members whose
\ncollective contributions made the programme possible.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The
\nevent received support from various organisations committed to strengthening
\npublic awareness and digital resilience, including the Malaysia Crime
\nPrevention Foundation (MCPF), Hainan Professional & Graduate Team Malaysia
\n(Economic Bureau), EITA Resources Berhad, Hong Leong Bank Assurance Team and
\nother supporting partners.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Through initiatives
\nsuch as the BGAM Lecture Series, BGAM continues to champion<\/p>\n
knowledge-sharing,
\ncommunity engagement and multi-sector collaboration to strengthen public
\nawareness, promote digital resilience and build a safer Malaysia. Together with
\ninstitutions such as HELP University, these efforts contribute towards
\ndeveloping a more informed, resilient and ethically grounded society that is
\nbetter equipped to recognise, prevent and respond to the evolving threat of
\nscams.<\/p>\n
This press release has also been published on VRITIMES<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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