KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), with the cooperation of various parties, blocked some 1.6 billion suspicious calls from reaching consumers between 2018 and 2021.

       The Communications and Multimedia Ministry, in a written reply at the Dewan Rakyat Thursday (March 3), said that 2,232 public complaints on scam-related activities were received by MCMC and were referred to the relevant enforcement agencies from January to December 31, 2021.

       "The Royal Malaysian Police, the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, Securities Commission and Bank Negara Malaysia were among the enforcement agencies,” the reply stated.

       The ministry was replying to a question from Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar (PH-Hang Tuah Jaya) on the statistics of scam reports up to 2021 and what the ministry's plans were to ensure such telephone calls were monitored apart from being detected with the cooperation of telecommunication companies.

       The ministry said communication service providers were also involved in a special task force on telecommunication fraud to curb scams by irresponsible parties via calls and short message service (SMS).

       Apart from that, MCMC also set up an Industry Reference document outlining the seven restriction rules in 2018 to reduce the number of suspicious calls as well as adding five restriction rules in 2020 to curb calls reaching consumers.

       "MCMC is also looking at the need to draw up new guidelines to curb fraud via SMS,” said the ministry. - Bernama