PETALING JAYA: An expert has urged the Communication Ministry not to expand the “Biar Betul!” special segment on Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM).
Universiti Malaya Computer System and Technology Department lecturer Prof Dr Ainuddin Wahid Abdul Wahab suggested the segment be turned into a centralised portal for various crime prevention agencies.
He was responding to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil’s announcement on April 22 to expand “Biar Betul!” to a full-fledged portal using artificial intelligence (AI).
Fahmi said the expansion of Biar Betul!, which was launched on Oct 1 last year, will help the authorities verify information, combat defamatory news and fight fraud and scams.
Ainuddin said: “A centralised system could lead to long term cost savings. By consolidating resources and infrastructure on a single platform, the government could reduce costs associated with maintaining separate portals for each agency.”
Fahmi had earlier said Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) data showed “almost 80% of downloaded content until April consisted of scams, including advertising fraud and online gambling”.
“The current segment is less than a minute long and needs improvement to effectively address such issues. Although it is in the early stages, there is a need for it, so those with doubts can refer to the forthcoming portal.”
He said the new platform would enhance existing ones, such as Sebenarnya.my by MCMC and MyCheck.my by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama).
Ainuddin said in contrast, the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) portal and police app Whoscall were already operating to detect fraudulent calls and fake bank accounts.
He said the public is familiar with the portals and relies on them, “so introducing new platforms might confuse users and dilute the effectiveness of existing ones”.
He added that the threat posed by cyber attackers remains a significant concern as scammers often mimic government portals.
The Bukit Aman CCID reported an increase in online crime cases from 23,606 in January to 32,366 in November 2023.
This is a 37% rise compared to the same period in 2022. Total losses recorded were RM1.13 billion in 2023, which is a 46% increase from 2022.
Ainuddin said scammers are constantly adapting their methods to exploit weaknesses in existing prevention measures, with a significant focus on the financial sector.
“Introducing additional portals may compromise their integrity, provide additional opportunities for cyber attackers and jeopardise public security and trust in official platforms.”
He said centralising all enforcement agency services into a single portal could bolster security measures and streamline public access to essential information.
“Many cases remain unreported because victims are reluctant to inform police due to embarrassment, especially if they are of high social status.
“The public should be allowed to file reports directly through the portal, to streamline the process and soften such concerns,” he said, adding that the government should consider incorporating AI technology and streamlining the reporting process of existing platforms to enhance their effectiveness.
He said there is hope for Malaysians to have a safe online environment through an AI-incorporated portal, provided continuous improvements and vigilance are carried out.
