Bursa Malaysia Berhad (“Bursa Malaysia” or “the Exchange”) recently launched its ‘Skuad ANTI-SCAM’ initiative at the opening ceremony of the Bursa Marketplace Fair 2025 at Mayang Mall, Kuala Terengganu. The initiative is part of the Exchange’s Bursa Smart Moves programme, aimed at tackling the growing threat of financial scams, through education, empowerment, and community outreach.
The initiative was launched by Dato’ Tun Ahmad Faisal bin Tun Abdul Razak, Director of the Terengganu State Land and Mines Department; Stephanie Tan Kar Mun, Director of Group Commercial & Market Coverage, Bursa Malaysia; Noorsuriani Muhamed, Acting Director of Islamic Capital Market, Bursa Malaysia; and Dr. Nor Mazlina binti Abu Bakar, representing Professor Dr. Syamsul Azri bin Abdul Rahman, Deputy Dean of Student Affairs and Alumni, Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (“UniSZA”).
Responding to Alarming Scam Trends
The ‘Skuad ANTI-SCAM’ initiative underscores the urgency of combatting investment scams, calling for stronger vigilance and collective community action to curb the growing threat of scam cases.
Collaboration for Community Impact
Bursa Malaysia emphasises that community education is an important step in preventing scams and protecting vulnerable groups through constant awareness, empowerment, and early intervention. Stephanie Tan Kar Mun, Director of Group Commercial & Market Coverage, elaborated: “Financial education is a form of protection. By empowering the community with knowledge through outreach efforts such as the ‘Skuad ANTI-SCAM’, individuals are better equipped to make informed decisions and reduce the risk of falling victim to increasingly sophisticated financial scams.”
As part of the initiative, Bursa Malaysia will train 100 students from UniSZA, as its first collaborating university, to serve as scam-awareness ambassadors. Training will cover essential topics such as financial literacy, scam identification, and fraud prevention tips, equipping students to serve as informed advocates within their local communities.
These student volunteers will thereafter lead community outreach efforts to educate 1,000 targeted individuals, including senior citizens, retirees, and novice investors.
Outreach activities will include:
- Face-to-face community engagements and educational sessions;
- Distribution of informative brochures, infographics, and scam-prevention guides; and
- Digital awareness campaigns via social media and messaging platforms.
The first outreach campaign is set to begin in December 2025, with completion targeted by February 2026.
The ‘Skuad ANTI-SCAM’ initiative reflects the Exchange’s commitment to building sustainable partnerships with local institutions to reduce the incidence of investors falling prey to financial crime, while empowering youth to take the lead in spreading financial literacy and alertness among members of the public.
