KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu Supreme Council member Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan has suggested that more lawmakers could have been targeted by the recent wave of AI-generated blackmail emails, but some may not yet be aware, as the messages could have gone directly to spam folders.
Writing on Facebook, the Tasek Gelugor MP revealed that he only discovered the threatening email while checking his spam inbox during breakfast in his constituency.
The message, he said, accused him of criminal activity and demanded US$100,000 in cryptocurrency to prevent alleged evidence from being exposed.
The email included a QR code for payment and an image of a person in bed – similar to the doctored pictures other MPs reported receiving.
“I believe there are more MPs who received these threatening emails. Maybe they don’t realise it yet because, like me, the email went straight into the spam folder,” Wan Saiful wrote.
He added that he would consult the authorities on whether to lodge an official police report, but insisted the public could see that the images were fake.
The incident comes amid a growing list of Malaysian politicians – including Cabinet members and senior PKR lawmakers – who have confirmed receiving AI-manipulated threats over the past week.
Police have opened investigations with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) providing technical support. — September 14, 2025