UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST CYBERCRIME:
STRENGTHENING INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR COMBATING CERTAIN CRIMES COMMITTED BY MEANS OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS FOR THE SHARING OF EVIDENCE IN ELECTRONIC FORM OF SERIOUS CRIMES
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Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. First and foremost, Malaysia would like to sincerely thank the Government of Viet Nam for kindly hosting this important and memorable event. Today, more than 90 countries and international organizations coming together to sign this landmark agreement. Malaysia is proud and honoured to be among the signatories here today.

2. I would also like to convey Malaysia’s apologies on behalf of the Minister of Home Affairs, His Excellency Dato’ Seri Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail. He had planned to attend this ceremony but is unable to join us because the ASEAN Summit is taking place in Kuala Lumpur, where his presence is needed. It is therefore my honour, to represent Malaysia on his behalf.

3. Our journey to reach this point, began in 2013. Over the years, many consultations and meetings were held across the country. Finally, in April 2025, the Cabinet of Malaysia agreed for Malaysia to join this important Convention. This process was coordinated by the Ministry of Home Affairs together with the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department (BHEUU) and the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA).

4. For Malaysia, joining this Convention shows our strong commitment to work together with the international community to fight cybercrime. No country can face this challenge alone. Cybercrime has real and serious effects. According to META, global losses caused by cybercrime are estimated to be nearly USD 1 trillion every year.

5. In Malaysia, more than 47,000 online fraud cases were recorded in 2025, involving losses of more than 1.9 billion Ringgit. These numbers remind us that as technology advances, our efforts must also grow stronger. We must unite to protect our people from this growing threat. Through this Convention, Malaysia shows its clear intention to work closely with other nations to stop this crime.

6. We understand that joining this Convention means that Malaysia will need to make some changes to our national laws. We see this as a positive step. Laws must change with the times — they cannot stay the same forever. These updates will help make our legal system stronger and more flexible in dealing with the new and complex forms of cybercrime that continue to evolve.

7. Malaysia believes that the fight against cybercrime is a shared responsibility. It requires effective law enforcement and close international cooperation. The Global Peace Index 2025 highlights cyber threats as a major risk to global peace and stability. For Malaysia, protecting our citizens and maintaining trust in our digital system are top national priorities.

8. At the national level, Malaysia has taken strong steps to tackle online scams and digital fraud. On 26 June 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs established the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC), led by the Royal Malaysia Police.

9. Crime never stops, thus, NSRC operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It brings together key agencies — including the Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM), the National Anti-Financial Crime Centre (NFCC), the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), as well as banks and telecommunication companies. This structure allows quick action where officers can trace, freeze, and stop fraudulent transactions within minutes. Therefore, I would like to invite all interested delegates to visit our NSRC which is located in Cyberjaya.

10. Between 2023 and 2025, more than 40,000 arrests and raids were made by the Royal Malaysia Police. These actions targeted mule account networks, online investment scams, and call-centre syndicates. The main types of scams included telecommunication fraud, fake investments, false loan offers, e-commerce scams, and even “love scams.”

11. At the regional level, as Chair of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) this year, Malaysia reaffirms ASEAN’s strong commitment to fight cybercrime and online scams that threaten public trust and safety in the digital world.

12. The recently adopted ASEAN Declaration on Combating Cybercrime and Online Scams shows our shared determination to strengthen cross-border cooperation, improve information sharing, and build capacity together. This effort supports the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime (2026–2035) and ASEAN’s vision of a safe, resilient, and trusted digital environment for everyone.

13. Cybercrime has no borders, and no country can tackle it alone. Success depends on strong international cooperation, built on trust, understanding, and shared responsibility. Only by working together can we make the digital world safer for all.

14. In closing, Malaysia stands ready to work with all countries and organizations. Together, through partnership and commitment, we can overcome these digital challenges and move towards a secure, stable, and prosperous future for all.

Thank you.