PETALING JAYA: Mule accounts used in scams can now be frozen and seized by the police based on amendments to the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, says Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran.
The amendments allow police to block any suspicious financial transactions in banks or other financial institutions in an effort to stop scammers from withdrawing stolen money from these mule accounts.
The changes were passed in July by the Dewan Negara, approved by the King of Malaysia in September and effective from October 30.
Free Malaysia Today reported that the police can take action if they have “reasonable suspicion” of a crime, as quoted, believing if the account is linked to criminal activity or need it as evidence, according to Kula who told the Dewan Rakyat today.
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“These amendments allow police officers of at least the rank of sergeant to seize or prohibit transactions involving funds suspected to be tied to criminal activities.
“These measures will bolster our ability to protect victims and clamp down on financial crimes that have caused significant harm,” he was quoted as saying.
He was responding to an Lim Lip Eng’s (PH-Kepong) inquiry on new laws to temporarily block financial transactions believed to be carried out by scammers.
Kula added that the National Scam Response Centre received 52,836 calls related to scams between October 2022 and September this year, calculating losses of RM302.1 million.
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