70,122 PREPAID SIM CARD LINES TERMINATED OVER SUSPECTED MISUSE IN 2025 - TEO

KULAI, March 7 (Bernama) -- A total of 70,122 prepaid SIM card lines suspected of being misused to send suspicious messages were terminated in 2025, an almost tenfold increase compared to 7,409 lines in 2024.

Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said the increase showed that abuse of prepaid SIM card lines was still rampant and required stricter regulation.

“When we find more lines being misused, the government, through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has updated the guidelines for purchasing and registering prepaid SIM cards,” she said when met at the Safe Internet Campaign programme at Temenggong Kulai Ramadan Bazaar here today.

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The new measures taken include limiting purchases of prepaid SIM cards by foreign tourists to two cards for each telecommunications company, compared to five previously, and termination of all prepaid SIM cards registered by the tourist automatically after three months to minimise the risk of misuse for frauds, she said.

Registration of SIM cards will require using original identification documents such as identification cards or passports, along with MyDigital ID or biometric verification, she said, pointing out that the measures would curb the practice of some dealers using photostated copies of documents to register cards without the presence of the true owners.

She cautioned that enforcement action will be taken against any telecommunications company or dealer who fails to comply with the set guidelines.

-- BERNAMA