Kuala lumpur: A total of 70,122 prepaid SIM card lines suspected of being misused to send suspicious messages were terminated in 2025, marking an almost tenfold increase compared to 7,409 lines in 2024. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching highlighted the ongoing issue of prepaid SIM card abuse, emphasizing the need for stricter regulations to tackle the problem.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the government, through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), has revised the guidelines for purchasing and registering prepaid SIM cards in response to the rising misuse. The new measures include limiting foreign tourists to two prepaid SIM cards per telecommunications company, down from five, and automatically terminating all prepaid SIM cards registered by tourists after three months to reduce misuse for fraudulent activities.

The registration process for SIM cards now requires original identification documents, such as identification cards or passports, along with MyDigital ID or biometric verification. This measure aims to prevent the practice of using photocopied documents for registration without the true owner's presence. Deputy Minister Teo warned that enforcement action would be taken against any telecommunications company or dealer failing to adhere to the new guidelines.