The Royal Malaysia Police has escalated its pursuit of activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak by requesting assistance from the International Criminal Police Organisation to trace and apprehend him across borders. The Home Ministry disclosed that police obtained an arrest warrant from the Langkawi Magistrate's Court on May 17, 2026, and subsequently placed the suspect on a blacklist. Following these initial steps, authorities cancelled his passport and formally submitted the Red Notice application to Interpol on June 8, 2026. Immigration Department records indicate that Dahri remains abroad, having departed Malaysia and not returned.
The charges against Dahri stem from allegations involving the desecration of a soolam, a sacred symbol venerated in Hindu religious practice. The incident reportedly occurred at the grounds of a derelict temple in Langkawi, Kedah. He faces prosecution under Section 295 of the Penal Code, a statute designed to address offences related to outraging the religious sentiments of any community. The specific nature of the allegations underscores the sensitive intersection between individual expression and religious sensibilities that frequently generates public debate in Malaysia's plural society.
The issuance of an Interpol Red Notice represents a significant escalation in the manhunt. Such notices are distributed to police forces worldwide and represent the highest alert status within Interpol's system. This mechanism allows Malaysian authorities to coordinate with international law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions to locate fugitives. The decision to pursue this avenue reflects the seriousness with which authorities regard the case and their determination to bring Dahri before the courts.
The utilisation of international enforcement mechanisms highlights broader questions about Malaysia's approach to handling cases involving alleged religious offences and activism. The case has drawn attention from opposition legislators, with RSN Rayer from Jelutong raising parliamentary questions about the government's efforts to locate the suspect. Such parliamentary scrutiny reflects public and political interest in how the case is being managed and the appropriateness of the enforcement response.
In a separate parliamentary development, the Home Ministry provided updated figures on Malaysia's maritime enforcement capabilities. The completion costs for the remaining two offshore patrol vessels designated for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency have been revised upward to RM319.58 million. These vessels, identified as OPV 2 and OPV 3, represent critical infrastructure for the nation's coastal security operations. The initial contract with THHE Destini Sdn Bhd was terminated by mutual agreement on December 31, 2024, necessitating a new procurement approach for completing the construction work.
The first of the three-vessel order, designated KM Tun Fatimah, was successfully delivered to the Maritime Enforcement Agency on January 2, 2024, demonstrating that the overall programme concept remains viable despite the contractual complications. Completing the remaining vessels has proven more complex than anticipated. The ministry is currently engaged in the process of identifying and appointing a contractor to finish the work, with parallel discussions underway regarding access to the Pulau Indah shipyard where the vessels are located. Price negotiations with prospective contractors are proceeding in accordance with guidance from the Ministry of Finance, which issued fresh directives on June 5.
The timeline for reactivating construction work has been provisionally set for November this year, contingent upon successfully reopening the Pulau Indah facility. This delay and cost revision underline the challenges inherent in major maritime procurement projects, particularly when circumstances force changes to contractual arrangements. For Malaysian security and maritime interests, the timely completion of these vessels remains important for enhancing the nation's capacity to patrol and protect its extensive coastal waters and exclusive economic zones.
Beyond these headline matters, the Home Ministry also disclosed concerning statistics regarding online fraud victimisation in Malaysia. Data compiled between January 2024 and May 2026 reveals that three categories of scam schemes account for more than ninety percent of financial losses incurred by victims. These dominant categories are schemes involving non-existent investment opportunities, telecommunications-based fraud, and e-financial crimes. The aggregate loss across these three categories reached RM4.88 billion against a total recorded loss of RM5.37 billion.
Non-existent investment schemes emerged as the most damaging category, with cumulative losses reaching RM2.68 billion. This reflects the effectiveness of fraudsters in exploiting aspiration for wealth accumulation and financial improvement. Telecommunications crimes generated RM1.54 billion in losses, exploiting victims through phone-based deception and impersonation. Electronic financial crimes accounted for RM660.64 million, targeting victims through digital banking platforms and financial services. These three categories dwarf losses from other fraud types, including e-commerce crimes at RM250.81 million, fabricated loan schemes at RM138.92 million, and romance scams at RM111.08 million.
The Malaysian government has responded by institutionalising a specialised response mechanism in the form of the National Scam Response Centre. This facility functions as a consolidated command centre integrating expertise from the Royal Malaysia Police, Bank Negara Malaysia, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, and private financial institutions. The collaborative approach reflects recognition that combating sophisticated online fraud requires coordination across law enforcement, financial regulation, telecommunications oversight, and private sector banking expertise. A dedicated hotline identified as NSRC 997 enables rapid reporting and immediate intervention.
The critical advantage of this integrated approach lies in its capacity to act during the narrow window between fraud report and fund transfer completion. By coordinating with banks and payment service providers, authorities can freeze accounts and block outbound transfers before victims' money leaves the domestic banking system. This intervention capability, though reactive rather than preventive, represents a pragmatic response to the technical reality that fraudsters operate at digital speed. For Malaysian consumers, awareness of these fraud categories and the availability of the NSRC hotline constitute essential knowledge in the evolving landscape of online financial risk.
