SANDAKAN: Rural communities in Sabah continue to be exposed to online scams and misinformation due to limited digital literacy, especially with the fast-paced evolution of social media and artificial intelligence (AI).
This concern was raised during the one-day Komuniti Bijak Cyber programme, jointly organised by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and the Sabah Entrepreneurs Chamber of Commerce, recently.
Karamunting assemblyman Datuk George Hiew Vun Zin said many villagers lack the awareness or tools to protect themselves in the digital age.
“Social media is so advanced now, and we see more scams being reported in the news. With AI becoming more common, people in rural areas don’t have the knowledge to protect themselves,” he said when met at the event.
UMS Associate Professor Dr Jalilah Md Shah said the initiative provided a valuable platform for collaboration between students and communities in tackling real-life issues.
“It’s about sharing what’s happening in our society and what needs to be done to prevent people from falling victim to online fraud,” she said.
She added that partnerships between higher education institutions, elected representatives and NGOs play a key role in strengthening grassroots-level awareness and resilience.
The programme included talks on scam prevention and workshops on cyber navigation, and saw participation from residents, students and local organisations.
