GEORGE TOWN – Following the recent arrest and deportation of Penang-born fugitive businessman and alleged scammer Tedy Teow in Southern Thailand, Penang PKR vice-chairman Jason Ong has called for tougher measures against the digital black economy or digital black market.
Speaking to The Vibes, the politician demanded stiffer penalties such as life imprisonment and tremendous fines on these fraudsters who have conned investors out of their life savings.
Ong has been informed that some people in Penang are receiving scam or prank calls at least three times daily now.
“The black economy which thrives on online fraud and detailed scams is on the rise as the world migrates towards a digitalised economy, especially on the back of the Covid-19 pandemic, where masking, social distancing and working from home are its legacies.”
He explained that when people are wired up digitally, they are prone to frauds and scams hatched online but for the black economy to prosper, they also need access to the data of people to defraud them.
“The authorities need to step up their game to arrest this rise in illicit activities. Who is selling the lives of Malaysians online?” questioned the politician, adding that Malaysia must change the perception that the country is home to an underworld economy.
Such a reputation will deter real investors and the nation will lose out on capital inflows to create high-paying jobs while growing the economy on a sustainable basis. – The Vibes, July 25, 2022
