DNB to deploy scam message detection for enhanced protection in Malaysia
- free of charge to customers, locates and locates false transmitters used to send phony messages.
- reduces phishing and safeguards consumer protection to stop the number of scams rising.
The first 5G wholesale network provider in Malaysia, Digital Nasional Bhd ( DNB), has developed a tool to identify illegal transmitters who distribute scam messages to mobile users within its 5G network management systems.
Ericsson claims this is the first time the Radio Access Network (RAN ) and network management enhancement have been tested on a commercial 5G network since it was first announced on March 3 at the Mobile World Congress ( MWC ) in Barcelona.
This capability, which is deployed across DNB’s national 5G network and is powered by Ericsson’s network software and the Ericsson Security Manager ( ESM) cybersecurity platform, supports the Malaysian government’s call for the telecommunications industry to take decisive action against the growing threat of scams.
DNB is the first retail community to use its ESM, despite having over 20 clients using it, according to Ericsson.
45 % of consumers in the ASEAN region reported having fallen victim to a scam, up from 31 % the previous year, according to the GSMA ASEAN Consumer Scam Report 2025. Between 2022 and 2025, Malaysia’s government only blocked 2.1 billion unsolicited calls and messages.
Malaysians are further protected by this service by scammers who use unlawful transmitters to mimic legitimate cellular base stations and deliver authentic-looking messages with malicious links intended to steal personal or financial information.
Without having to manually retrace transmission sources, the technology provides improved community visibility and advanced analytics to identify and neutralize suspicious exercise.  ,
According to Ericsson, this considerably strengthens Malaysia’s wireless network defenses against scam-related threats.
The capability, which is implemented on DNB’s protected nationwide 5G infrastructure, allows the retail network provider to quickly safeguard user privacy, boost network operators ‘ ability to communicate with customers at no extra cost, and underscores DNB’s ongoing commitment to raising the quality, resilience, and security of Malaysia’s 5G network.
Our top focus has always been providing a secure and reliable nationwide 5G network to the people of Malaysia, according to Azman Ismail, CEO of DNB. This technology improves buyer protection by mildly locating false bottom stations, preventing scams and protecting protection, and reflects DNB’s continued commitment to continuously improving the reliability, security, and quality of our network for customers, at no additional cost.
” Security has always been a pillar in Malaysia’s 5G voyage,” said David Hägerbro, Head of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. This protection enhancement demonstrates how sophisticated network intelligence may defend subscribers without the use of additional hardware or manual labor.
Apac PE market to see exit rebound in 2026 after mixed 2025: Bain & Co. | FinanceAsia
According to Bain &, Company’s most recent PE report, there is growing investor confidence in the private equity ( PE ) market in Asia Pacific ( Apac ) as liquidity improves as exit values rebound for a second consecutive year. Additionally, net cash flows to investors are increasing for the first time since 2021.  ,
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Apac M&A deals continue momentum with Vietnam, Japan, Taiwan buys | FinanceAsia
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2026 is expected to be another significant year for M&, A activity in Asia Pacific ( Apac ), following the success of 2025, with deal momentum sustaining over the next few weeks.
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Nearly 700m speed pills seized, B6bn assets frozen in six-month crackdown
PUBLISHED: 26 Mar 2026 at 20: 43
The federal police captain said on Thursday that a comprehensive six-month narcotics assault has resulted in the seizure of nearly 700 million methamphetamine pills and the freezing of assets worth about 6 billion baht as drug syndicates continue to use extremely clever smuggling strategies.
Operations conducted from Oct 1st, next year, to Mar 25th, 2026 were covered by Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch’s presentation at a press briefing at the police headquarters in Bangkok.
In a demonstration of coordinated efforts to disrupt drug supply lines, transport routes, and financial networks, representatives from the Border Patrol Police, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board ( ONCB), and the Internal Security Operations Command ( ISOC ) were present.
According to the police commander, officials handled 145, 541 drug-related cases over the course of the time and seized significant amounts of cocaine, including:
- 693.45 million heroin devices
- 22. 8 tons of crystal cocaine
- 597 kilograms of cocaine
- 3. 8 tons of morphine
- 268, 105 joy medications
Additionally, government dumped 5.85 billion bass worth of assets connected to drug-trafficking sites.
A significant arrest on January 3 in Krok Phra, Nakhon Sawan, was one significant instance. Working with military personnel, officers from the anti-drug transport division detained six suspects at a gas station and seized roughly 2 million velocity pills hidden in 11 altered gas cylinders.
The drugs had been transported from the northern county of Chiang Rai to be distributed in the northern provinces after being welded shut to suppress them. The concealment was found by X-ray machines.
According to Pol Gen Kittharath, the event reflects an continuing shift in trafficking strategies, with syndicates utilizing packages, home goods, and other items to escape detection.
In some cases, drug dealers reattached the tag back down to conceal the alteration by cutting both stops off plastic bottles.
Officers were examining whether rising gas prices, which were impacted by the Middle East conflict, were influencing the narcotics industry, according to Pol Gen Kittharath, who asked whether rising fuel prices were limiting trafficking networks.
He did, however, warn that pirates were working out of checkpoints and security.
The police chief added that all products have been instructed to uphold professional standards, increase intelligence-gathering, and be away of rapidly changing sneaking methods.
US supports Taiwan on defence, energy, senior diplomat says
XI WILL PASS IN MAY.
The US President Donald Trump announced he would join Chinese President Xi Jinping in mid-May, a attentively watched trip that had been postponed as a result of the Iran war. Today, Greene, who heads the American Institute in Taiwan, is speaking only a day after that statement.
Beijing has demanded that US arms sales to politically controlled Taiwan be stopped despite having previously renounced the use of force to subdue the island under its control.
Greene also made the pledge that the US would “further mitigate the effects of ongoing international product offer problems,” even though he did not specifically mention the Middle East conflict.
CPC, a state-owned refinery in Taiwan, and Cheniere Energy, a US exporter of LNG, had just come to an agreement that the US company had double CPC’s gas imports to the island, he added.
” As I stated last month, America is willing to support Taiwan’s energy needs from all sources and technology,” I said.
Iran allowing Malaysian vessels to pass Hormuz, says PM Anwar after talks with regional leaders
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated on Thursday ( Mar 26 ) that he had spoken with the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and other regional nations and that Malaysian vessels were now permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a televised address, Anwar thanked the Iranian president for allowing Indonesian ships to pass.
He said,” We are currently releasing the Malaysian oil tankers and the workers involved so they can continue their journey home.”
Anwar claimed to have spoken with Iran and additional nations as part of efforts to promote peace in the Middle East.
However, he said,” Iran finds it difficult to take steps toward harmony without a clear and binding security guarantee for its country,” because it feels deceived frequently and has difficulty accepting them.
Malaysia’s government may continue to pay for oil-price subsidies, but he said the country is taking measures to lessen the impact of offer disruptions, including reducing the monthly allocations of subsidised fuel.
The Strait of Hormuz siege, the war, and the halted supply of oil and gas all have an effect on us, he said,” for us now, we are compelled to manage the situation.”
Cabinet approves measures to ease fuel cost impact
Among short-term fixes are: energy help, targeted gas support, SME loans, and fuel card top-ups.
PUBLISHED: 26 Mar 2026 at 17: 55
A number of measures, including security card top-ups and gentle loans for small companies, were approved by the caretaker government on Thursday.
Following a particular government program that took place after retail energy prices increased by 14 to 22 %, Lavaron Sangsnit, continuous secretary for the Ministry of Finance, revealed details of the measures. Among the methods are:
Energy under assessment has received a cut in the excise tax.
The Ministry of Finance has been given the task of examining options for lowering gas excise taxes, including the proposed price and the proposed reduction’s duration. One of the few choices left is tax cuts, which the Oil Fuel Fund had to reduce the incentives it was offering.
The plan must first be approved by the Election Commission because the government is now in caretaker setting. According to Mr. Lavaron, when approved, the determine can become effective right away.
Welfare cards top-up for a fortnight
The monthly income for low-income people will increase from 300 to 400 baht, increasing the amount already paid for state security tickets by an extra 100 ringgit for one month. Consumer products will be the only items that will be spent. After the one-month time, the authorities will reevaluate the situation.
Cost savings on fertilizer for landowners
The” Green Flag” initiative was approved by the cabinet to lower farmers ‘ costs and lessen Thailand’s dependence on imports, half of which are typically from the Middle East. The program aims to lower the costs of producers and encourage the use of organic fertilizers.
Cheaper gasoline for the fishing industry
Professional fishermen will be urged to use B20 diesel, which the government claims will lower their gas costs by 5 to 6 baht per gallon.
Freedom for contractors on state jobs
Government organizations will be able to expand contractor inspection times and take into account cost-related compensation.
B10 billion in unsecured loans for small businesses
The Government Savings Bank ( GSB ) will allocate 10 billion baht for soft loans to improve liquidity for small and medium-sized businesses that are struggling with rising energy prices.
Travel operators’ use-based gas support
According to Chayatan Phromson, permanent secretary to the Ministry of Transport, grants will be provided for transportation users, including those who use public trucks, freight cars, little commercial vehicles, and motorbike taxi drivers.
With targeted assistance based on actual fuel usage that has been monitored by GPS, support will be focused on two major groups: public passenger buses and freight trucks. Providers will receive payments through PromptPay straight.
After registering with the Department of Land Transport, little public automobiles and motorbike taxi drivers may also get usage-based support.
Additionally, Mr. Chayatan claimed that the primary minister had instructed transportation authorities to improve the use of buses and trains during the Songkran vacations to reduce the use of private vehicles.
The Interior Ministry will arrange designated refueling locations in order to maintain continuous energy source for public transportation, while the Ministry of Energy will work to increase gas shares at service stations across all provinces.
Ex-Taipei mayor jailed 17 years for corruption
A former mayor of Taipei City who once ran for president was given a 17-year prison sentence on Thursday ( Mar 26 ) for accepting bribes and using political donations.
Hundreds of supporters had gathered in Taipei District Court before the verdict was handed down to Ko Wen-je, the founder of Taiwan People’s Party ( TPP ), which has since become a third force in Taiwanese politics.
Ko, 66, was detained in December 2024 after being charged with corruption in connection with a house development while he was mayor of Taipei.
Additionally, he was charged with breach of trust and misusing funds for the TPP and a donation basis.
Ko was prohibited from running for public office for six years in addition to the combined 17-year statement, according to the court.
Prosecutors had requested a combined prison sentence of 28 years and six months. Ko, who served as governor of Taipei from 2014 to 2022, denied wrongdoing, a lawyer for his party told AFP on Thursday.
A restoration project that received the town government’s approval and supposedly benefited the developer saw its floor area ratio significantly increase as a result of the property scandal.
Ko was a group donor who allegedly cheated up more than Ain$ 68 million in political donations to the TPP and a business that was connected to the party and received more than NT$ 57 million ( US$ 582,000 ) in bribes.
Additionally, he misappropriated about NT$ 8.27 million in donations for his political campaign’s social welfare basis.
In January 2025, Ko resigned as TPP chairman after being detained for several months. Huang Kuo-chang replaced him, who had recently called the allegations against the party’s founder “politically motivated.”
Ko was released in September on a$ 70 million bail.
Follower Kenny Yang claimed Ko was “falsely accused” and a target of “political persecution” ahead of the conviction.
We may continue to support him and assist him in seeking righteousness, according to Yang, a 52-year-old IT employer, who spoke to AFP outside the courtroom.
” We don’t permit Taiwan to develop without a sense of fairness and rightness.”
Ko Wen-je: Ex-Taiwan presidential hopeful sentenced to 17 years for corruption
Ko gained notoriety by presenting himself as a third party outside of the two major parties. He also criticized the ruling Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP ) for escalating tensions with Beijing, which views the self-governing island as its territory, and also attributed the opposition Kuomintang ( KMT ) for being too deferential.
Tourist island transport operators feel fuel pinch
Samui bridge operator raises fares after seeing a decrease in visitors to Koh Chang.
Commerce users on Thai beach islands are preparing for the effects of Thursday’s sudden, sharp increase in gas prices.
According to a study conducted on Koh Chang in the eastern province of Trat, pump costs on the island are approximately three baht higher than those on the island, with gas prices rising to 52.39 ringgit per liter.
Diesel now costs 18 % more than it did a day ago, while increases for other fuels range from 14 % to 22 %.
The rapid increase of 6 baht per gallon, according to Wasan Rungmanee, a member of public transportation vehicles in Koh Chang, has had a significant impact. He claimed that a sharp increase is much harder to take in than progressive raises of 0.50 or 1 baht.
Individuals have no increased passenger charges as of Thursday, but Mr. Wasan said they will check the situation before making a decision.
He said he will keep the tickets intact if gas prices appear to be declining. However, some users may be unable to continue operating services if the condition persists because the cost increase has been significant while the customer count has decreased.
The current upheaval along the Thai-Cambodian border is a contributing factor to the decrease in visitors. This may result in a decrease in home travelers, Mr. Wasan added, combined with high fuel prices and limited supply.
Nanthawan Sangthong, a food vendor, claimed that her company has also suffered because gas prices have increased along with transportation costs. She has never raised food prices, but rather has reduced portion sizes to lessen the strain on local residents, mainly low-income employed workers.
Additionally, temporary adjustments have been made to ferry service to and from Koh Chang. Daytime services will only flee when the boat is full, while the first and last trips will continue as usual at 6:30 am and 6:30 pm. Depends on traffic volume, exit days may change.
Due to rising gas costs, Seatran Ferry Co Ltd in Surat Thani announced suffer increases for service between Donsak Pier on the island and Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
Donsak-Phangan-Donsak charges will increase from 250 to 280 ringgit, and Donsak-Samui-Donsak fares may increase from 180 to 210 ringgit.
On Friday, the new charges may become effective. The fresh charges will start at 8 p.m. on Thursday for online tickets.