Latest news with #enforcementagencies
Zawya
7 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
The Global Anti-Scam Summit (GASS) Asia 2025 returns to Singapore with a strong regional coalition against scams
SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 12 August 2025 - As scam networks across Southeast Asia grow more coordinated and transnational, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is responding with counterforce and progress. This year's Global Anti-Scam Summit (GASS) Asia 2025 will be held on 2-3 September in Singapore and will convene over 1,200 industry leaders, policymakers, and enforcement agencies from over 60 countries (physical and online) to address the real-world strategies for preventing and disrupting online scams at scale. "Scams are no longer isolated incidents, they are a systemic, cross-border threat. GASA's role is to connect the dots, not just across sectors, but across borders, creating the shared infrastructure needed to act faster and smarter," said Jorij Abraham, Managing Director, GASA. "Over the past year, we've scaled our membership, launched new national chapters in high-priority markets, and strengthened data-sharing through the Global Signal Exchange. The summit is where these efforts come together into concrete action." Exponential growth in partnerships GASA's membership has doubled globally, with the Singapore Chapter now exceeding 100 members, including major organisations such as Amazon, Google, MasterCard, Meta and Microsoft, alongside government, enforcement, and civil society stakeholders. Singapore's role as a strategic testbed for anti-scam policy frameworks, technology pilots, and cross-sector coordination has made it a hub for regional collaboration. In the past year, GASA has deepened its presence across the Southeast Asia region, having established chapters in two of the region's important markets: the Philippines and Indonesia. These economies are heavily mobile-first, with widespread use of digital finance tools, making scams a significant consumer and economic threat. . In Indonesia, the chapter is chaired by Reski Damayanti, Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer, at Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, one of the country's leading telecom providers. According to GASA's 2024 Asia Scam Report, 65% of Indonesians experience scam attempts every week, from phishing texts and fake job offers to investment fraud. With telcos increasingly targeted through phishing, SMS spoofing, and fake service alerts, the chapter will focus on industry-wide intelligence sharing, public awareness campaigns, and closer alignment with national authorities. In the Philippines, the chapter is co-chaired by Irish Salandanan-Almeida, Chief Privacy Officer and Vice-President for Governance, Risk, and Compliance and Derick Ohmar Adil, Head, AI and Privacy Governance, at Globe Telecom. As one of the nation's largest digital service providers, Globe has been at the forefront of consumer protection initiatives, from blocking malicious SMS at scale to launching awareness campaigns. "These chapters are more than local extensions. They are strategic footholds in markets where digitalisation is instrumental in raising standards of living, yet scams threaten to undermine this. By bringing in national champions like Indosat and Globe, we're embedding GASA's model into the heart of each market's digital ecosystem. It is heartening to see this community of scam fighters assembling a short 2 years after we led the establishment of GASA in this region." said Rajat Maheshwari, Chair, GASA Singapore Chapter. A stronger data backbone: Global Signal Exchange (GSE) More than 35 organisations are now contributing scam signals to the Global Signal Exchange (GSE), supported among others by GASA, Google, GSMA, Meta, Microsoft and other key players. The GSE is a global clearinghouse for the real-time sharing of scam and fraud threat signals – URLs, domains, IP addresses, emails and more. Since its launch in January 2025, GSE has grown from 40 million to 370 million signals. More than 230 organisations are now onboarded or in the pipeline to join. During the summit, GSE will also announce an important milestone and honoured addition to its program. Other key highlights at the summit include: Fireside chat featuring Mr. Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development, Ministry of Health, and Patron of the GASA Singapore Chapter Launch of the Southeast Asia Scam Report, presented by Rajat Maheshwari, Chair of the GASA Singapore Chapter Panel deep dives on regional scam typologies, enforcement strategies, and cross-border disruption tactics INTERPOL session on cybercrime operations and challenges in Asia United Nations (UN) on trafficking networks linked to scam centres in Asia Researcher and investigator Paul Raffile, on cyber extortion, impersonation scams, and blind spots in digital victim protection The Anti-scam pitch room, showcasing real-world tools and early-stage innovation in scam prevention and detection Launch of Anti-Scam resources by various GASA Members (e.g. Tech for Good Institute) To register for GASS Asia 2025, please visit For media registration, interview opportunities, or to attend the media lunch briefing on 2nd September, please contact 2025gasa@ Hashtag: #GASS #GASA The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. About GASA The Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA) is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to protecting consumers worldwide from scams and online fraud. Working across the globe, GASA brings together governments, law enforcement agencies, consumer protection bodies, financial institutions, technology companies, academia, and civil society to share intelligence, coordinate responses, and develop joint strategies. Through initiatives such as the Global Signal Exchange, a secure platform for real-time scam data sharing, and the Global Anti-Scam Summit series, GASA drives collaboration that enables faster detection, disruption and prevention of scams. Its work is guided by a mission to reduce the financial and emotional harm caused by scams, and to create a safer digital environment for all. For more information, visit Global Anti-Scam Alliance
Malay Mail
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Why does misconduct persist behind the uniform? EAIC points toward normalisation of ‘tidak apa' culture, legislative weakness
The EAIC says misconduct in enforcement agencies persists due to legislative weaknesses that limit its powers to mere recommendations without enforcement authority. A culture of complacency and top-level officials protecting wrongdoers has normalised misconduct, undermining accountability and effective disciplinary action. The commission urges a legal overhaul to give its findings binding power and stresses the need for leadership courage to enforce discipline at all levels. KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — An old Chinese proverb says: 'A fish rots from the head.' The adage still holds true today, encapsulating the challenges faced by the federal government's watchdog — the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) — in performing its statutory duties effectively. Speaking to Malay Mail, EAIC commissioner Datuk Seri Razali Ab Malik conceded the existence of a large gap between the agency's investigative findings and follow-up action taken by an enforcement agency under its supervision against reported misconduct. Existing legislative weakness has also exacerbated existing hurdles, since disciplinary authorities of enforcement agencies under EAIC's supervision are not legally bound to execute its official recommendations. 'Yes, it is true we faced several persisting challenges because if you look at our EAIC Act, the commission can only make recommendations despite having investigative powers [to probe any complaints]. In the Act, also called Act 700, EAIC may only make recommendations pertaining to disciplinary actions, reviewing of standard operating procedures and internal structure improvements after a complaint is found to be substantiated. 'However, the execution of the recommendation [after an investigation is completed] and final decision is still vested with the respective agencies or ministries of which a complaint of misconduct has been filed against. Nevertheless, Razali said none is more detrimental than institutional weakness, such as 'enablers' at the top normalising misconducts and cultivating a tidak apa attitude — or 'couldn't care less' — among subordinates. 'We have always stressed that continued sternness is key to nurturing a culture of accountability. 'This must come from the top, department senior officials who should serve as guardians of values, yet some chose to protect wrongdoers instead and make it a norm for misconducts to take place,' he said. Razali then disclosed several instances where enforcement agencies took on a dismissive approach instead, either by imposing a more lenient punishment than recommended or even expressing outright refusal to execute. 'For example, we recommend a termination, but instead the wrongdoer is served with a warning instead or no further action taken against them. 'This has led to EAIC being often seen as ineffective despite having conducted a thorough investigation after acting on a substantiated complaint,' he said. EAIC commissioner Datuk Seri Razali Ab Malik speaks to Malay Mail during an interview at the EAIC head office in Putrajaya. — Picture by Yusof Isa A tiger without its fangs, for now Razali said there are still rooms for improvement to ensure EAIC effectively performs its role, starting with a thorough review of the existing Act to further strengthen the enforcement of its recommendations. 'Foremost, our recommendation should not remain as mere suggestion but has to be followed with a stern and systematic action,' he said. 'We are also suggesting that any conducted investigations can be used as part of the official evidence in any disciplinary action when a referral is made. 'The existing Act must also be harmonised with other existing laws in order for disciplinary authorities to make use of our findings without legal hurdles,' he added. Most importantly, Razali said the willpower and courage to take action against any form of misconduct must be instilled on all levels, from the top to bottom. Citing an internal circular dated July 5, 2024, issued by the Director-General of Public Service, Razali said it was clearly stated any senior officials failing to take action against any misconduct by their subordinates can be punished with disciplinary action for being careless. 'Misconduct will continue to happen not because of the absence of law, but because there is no longer courage to address them. 'It is possible the lack of assertiveness in disciplinary enforcement has fostered a permissive culture where misconduct is considered negotiable or excusable,' he said.
