Five years have passed since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a global pandemic, marking the start of one of the most devastating health crises in modern history. The virus, which may have originated from bats in Wuhan, China, quickly spread worldwide, causing millions of deaths and overwhelming healthcare systems.

Special Report: The pandemic in numbers

The rapid growth of deepfake technology has rapidly given rise to numerous identity fraud cyberthreats, making them more accessible to fraudsters. Traditional security approaches are no longer sufficient to keep up with these evolving threats, according to iProov’s annual report titled “Threat Intelligence Report 2025: Remote Identity Under Attack”.

Identity fraud is a growing concern

According to data from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Malaysia (as at Jan 31, 2025), electric vehicle (EV) registrations reached a record high of 28,048 in 2024 (50% of which were cars, including jeeps and trucks), representing 10.76% of total vehicle registrations for the year.

Number of EV users rising in Malaysia

Advancements in technology and the rise of  digital platforms have led to the exponential increase in independent workers or self-employed individuals who do not hold full-time jobs.

The rise of the gig economy

The prevalence of illicit cigarettes in Malaysia fell for a fourth consecutive year to 55% in 2024, from 55.6% in 2023. JT International Bhd (JTI Malaysia) managing director Juliana Mohd Yahaya attributed the decline to law enforcement efforts in curbing illegal tobacco smuggling and a ban on the trans-shipment of tobacco products.

Malaysia’s illicit cigarette trade down for fourth straight year

Bank Negara Malaysia, via the Financial Education Network (FEN), has issued the Discussion Paper on the Proposed Features of Malaysia’s Second National Strategy for Financial Literacy (2026-2030).