Zahid: 2026 Cyber Crime Bill allows courts to freeze scam proceeds before suspects are charged

The 2026 Cyber Crime Bill, passed by Parliament in July, grants courts the authority to issue property restriction orders against scam proceeds before any suspect has been charged, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Clause 54 of the bill enables the court to prevent violations of the law, with options including cessation orders, restitution orders, compliance orders, and property restriction orders.

These measures aim to protect victims of cybercrime by stopping assets such as scam proceeds from being dissipated. Applications for these orders can be submitted by the Public Prosecutor or an authorized officer. Speaking to Datuk Shamshulkahar Mohd Deli (BN-Jempol) about the adequacy of the existing legal framework to handle AI-based online fraud, Zahid emphasized that the bill was specifically designed to tackle online scams utilizing artificial intelligence, including identity impersonation, deepfakes, and digital manipulation.