Prevention is better, says Wilfred Yap

suppadmin | August 11, 2026

Assemblyman for Kota Sentosa, Wilfred Yap together with representatives from Yayasan Pengguna Negara Malaysia and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Pengguna Sarawak, paid a courtesy call on Datuk Mohamad Zainal bin Haji Abdullah, Police Commissioner of Sarawak, to brief him on the upcoming Anti-Scammer Awareness & Health Benefit Registration Programme.

The programme is jointly organised by Yayasan Pengguna Negara Malaysia, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Pengguna Sarawak and the Service Centre of YB Wilfred Yap, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening public awareness, consumer protection and community resilience against scams.

Yap stressed that scams are no longer limited to obvious or easily recognisable fraud. Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, exploiting technology, impersonation, urgency and fear to manipulate victims into making decisions before they have time to think.

“The best time to stop a scam is before the money is transferred. Once a victim has been deceived, recovering the money can be extremely difficult. That is why awareness and precaution are our first line of defence.”

He emphasised that no one should assume they are immune from being scammed. Regardless of age, education or background, anyone can become a target when scammers use convincing identities, fake offers, investment schemes, phone calls, messages or online platforms to gain trust.

He welcomed the Anti-Scammer Awareness & Health Benefit Registration Programme as a meaningful community-based initiative which brings together scam awareness, consumer protection and access to relevant assistance and benefits.

“We should not wait until someone loses their life savings before we ask what went wrong. We must educate people before they become victims. Every person who learns to recognise a scam is potentially one less victim. Every family that discusses scam prevention is another layer of protection.”

He also welcomed the cooperation of the Sarawak Police in supporting the programme, particularly through the provision of speakers who can share practical knowledge and guidance with members of the public.