Malaysian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said that legal action could be taken against Facebook if they do not increase their cooperation efforts. The statement was made after the Inter-Agency Retreat on Combatting Online Scam 2026 in Kuala Lumpur on May 24. Fahmi also mentioned that it would be up to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to deal with further interactions with Facebook.
Facebook Becomes the Main Enforcement Target
This pressure comes from a substantial volume of takedown activity. From January 1 to May 23, Malaysian authorities made 271,472 takedown requests for harmful online content across digital platforms. Of those removal requests, 91% involved cases of scams and online gambling.
Facebook accounted for the largest share in both categories. As Fahmi said, 81% of online gambling content and 58% of online scam content were detected on Facebook.
Scam Losses Add Pressure on Enforcement
Financial pressures exist here as well. According to Fahmi, Malaysians suffered losses worth RM2.7 billion due to scammers last year. Bank Negara Malaysia informed Fahmi that banks had blocked about RM1.2 billion in scam-related transactions through their own security systems.
These statistics move the discussion away from content moderation issues. The Malaysian authorities are considering online scams to be a multi-faceted challenge involving multiple industries, including platforms, banks, telecoms, and law enforcement agencies.
The takedown data groups online scams and illegal gambling content together. That may bring gambling-related promotions under closer platform scrutiny.
New Committee Could Link Agencies
Malaysia is also considering a special committee to coordinate anti-scam work. According to Fahmi, the proposed body would consist of the enforcement bodies, regulators, financial institutions, and telecommunication companies.
This proposal is to be sent to the Cabinet in the coming weeks. Bernama reported that the committee could be formed within two to three weeks following the submission of the Cabinet note.
The goal is faster detection and coordinated enforcement. Another reason for agency cooperation mentioned by Fahmi is the new scam techniques, including the misuse of AI.
GASA Deal Adds an International Layer
The same event included the exchange of a memorandum of understanding between MCMC and GASA. The agreement includes information sharing, capacity building, public awareness, and good practices.
Final Notes
Malaysia is no longer treating harmful platform content as a slow moderation issue alone. The next stage may combine takedowns, payment controls, banking alerts, telecoms data, and direct pressure on major platforms. For online gambling operators and affiliates, Facebook exposure in Malaysia now carries a sharper enforcement risk.
