SERVICE-LEARNING AS A TOOL FOR CRIME PREVENTION EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY-COMMUNITY COLLABORATION IN RAISING AWARENESS ON SCAMS

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35631/IJMOE.831013

Keywords:

Civic Values, Community Engagement, Service-Learning, Scam Awareness, Value-Based Learning

Abstract

The service-learning project "SULAM Titian Ilmu: Weaving the Roots of Values" involved diploma students from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Seremban.  80 university students facilitated the programme on 19 June 2025 for 180 secondary school students at SMK Seri Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan, on scam awareness activities. Although service-learning in the SULAM programme is common in higher education, its impact on scam awareness and value-based learning, especially among secondary students, is not well studied, thus contributing to the study conducted. This research looks at how a service-learning program affects scam awareness, civic values, and community engagement skills in university students. The "Weaving the Roots of Values" module was created to fill this gap, using awareness talks, hands-on activities, group discussions, and games. The programme was evaluated with surveys before and after the event, structured observations, and reflective reports. Results showed that 92% of participants felt more aware of scam prevention, and 88% had a better understanding of responsible decision-making. The program also improved respect, cooperation, empathy, social responsibility, and critical thinking about scams. The results of the programme show that the activity helped close the knowledge gap between university students and the community, supported student growth, and showed how service-learning can combine civic education, crime prevention, and community engagement in secondary schools.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Basyir, M. & Harun, H.N. (2022, September 26). Online Scam Cases Increasing in Malaysia. New Straits Times. http://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2022/09/834531/online-scam-cases- increasing-malaysia.

Bui, G. T. T., & Nguyen, H. T. M., (2021). Students’ and teachers’ perceptions on impacts of service-learning in a language course. Pertanika Journal of Social Science & Humanities, 29(S3), 69-84

Chan, S. C., Ngai, G., Lam, C. H., & Kwan, K. P. (2020) How participation affects university students’ perspectives towards mandatory service-learning. Journal of Experiential Education, 44(4), 137-151. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053825920948889

Chariri, A., Sektiyani, W., Nurlina, N., & Wulandari, R.W. (2018). Individual characteristics, financial literacy and ability in detecting investment scams. Jurnal Akuntansi Dan Auditing, 15(1), 91-114.

Culcasi, I., & Venegas, R. P. F. (2023). Service-learning and soft skill in higher education: A systematic literature review. Open Journal per la formazione in rete, 23(2), 24-43. https://doi.org/10.36253/form-14639

Department of Higher Education Malaysia (2019), Service-Learning Malaysia: University for Society. Putrajaya: Ministry of Education Malaysia

Diong, F. W., Phaik Kin Cheah, & Siah, P. C. (2025). Advancing understanding of service-learning: A case study of university in Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 22(1), 117-139. https://doi.org/10.32890/mjli2025.22.1.7

Fidlizan Muhammad, Ahmad Zakirullah Mohammed Shaarani, Mohd Yahya Mohd Hussin, Salwa Amirah Awang and Rozilah Hamdan, Scam Awareness Gaps: A Survey on Malaysian Youth’s Digital Habits and Knowledge, International Journal of Religion 2024 Volume: 5| Number 11 | pp. 3130 – 3141 ISSN: 2633-352X (Print) | ISSN: 2633-3538 (Online) ijor.co.uk DOI: https://doi.org/10.61707/28kb8w07

Gonzales, A. D., HARMON, K. S., & Fenn III, N. E. (2020). Perceptions of service learning in pharmacy education: A systematic review. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 12(9),1150-1161

Hanoch, Y., & Wood, S. (2021). The Scams Among Us: who Falss Prey and Why. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 30(3), 260-266.

Hidayath Hisham. Malaysia records RM1.2B losses due to Online Scams. The Malaysia Reserve. December 3rd, 2024. Retrieved on 12 April 2025. https://themalaysianreserve.com/2024/12/03/malaysia-records-rm1-2b-losses-due-to-online-scams/

Jais, Z., Azmi, S.N.S., Hasini, N.F.M., Samsudin, S.N., Izhar, N.I., Idris, N.A. & Hassan, A.A.A. (2024). Online Scam: A Systematic Literature Review. 9(1), 257- 280. Jurnal ‘Ulwan eISSN: 2600-7843 Jilid 9 (Bil.1) 2024: 257-280

Jamhari, M. R., Nordin, M. S., Aripin, M. A., et al., Implementation of Service Learning in Malaysian Higher Educational Institutions: A Literature Review. J Workforce Edu Res 2024; 1(1): a0000518. https://doi.org/10.36877/jwer.a0000518

Jusoh, W. N. H. W., & Nizar, N. M. S. (2022). Online Scams Awareness Among Muslim University Students in Malaysia. Journal of Islamic, 7(43).

Kakulte, A., Dhamija, S., Kelkar, P., & Chaudhury, S. (2024). Internet addiction and cyber fraud. In S. Chaudhury (Ed.), A guide to clinical psychology: Therapies (pp. 219–234). Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Khadijah, A., & Syahrul, M.A.S. (2018). Love Scam in Selangor: An Exploratory Research on Modus Operandi in Cyber Crime towards Professional Women. Jurnal Pembangunan Sosial, 21(Sept.), 105-122.

Lev, E., Maha, L.G., & Topliceanu, S.C. (2022). Financial frauds’ victim profiles in developing countries. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.999053.

Ma, K.W.F., & McKinnon, T. (2022). COVID-19 and cyber fraud: emerging threats during the pandemic. Journal of Financial Crime, 29(2), 433-446.

Maharam Mamat, Najah Nadiah Amran, Zainab Ismail, Maznah Ibrahim, Hamdi Ishak and Suria Baba, Service-Learning in Malaysia: Practice and Implementation in Four Public Universities. International Journal of Civic Engineering and Technology, 10(3), 2019, pp. 2850-2859

Malaysia Ministry of Education (2012, September). Preliminary Report Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025. https://teachformalaysia.org/wp-.

Mohamad, J., Baharun N., & Sedhu, D. S. (2024). The Implementation of Service-Learning Malaysia-University for Society (SULAM) programme at Universiti Teknologi MARA Perak Branch, Malaysia. Journal of Creative Practice in Language Learning and Teaching, 12(2), 49-62. 10.24191/cplt. v12i2.3617.

Monroe, H., Carvajal, A., & Pattillo, C. (2010). Perils of Ponzi: regulators need to stop Ponzi schemes before they gain momentum, especially in developing countries. Finance and Development, 37-39

Muhammad Adnan Pitchan, Ali Salman & Nadhirah Muhamad Arib, A Systematic Literature Review on Online Scams: Insights into Digital Literacy, Technological Innovations, and Victimology, Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, https://ejournal.ukm.my/mjc Jilid 41(1) 2025: 107-124, https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2025-4101-07

Naseem, S., Fatima, S. H., Rafi, S. & Meraj, L. (2022). Perception of undergraduate medical students regarding civic responsibility through service learning by visiting persons with different abilities. Journal of Rawalpindi Medical College, 26(3), 497-502. https://doi.org/10.37939/jrmc.v26i3.1984

Naufal, W. N. A. D. M., Aris, S. R. S., Wahi, R., Mohamed, A. M. D., Zulkipli, Z. A., Hashim, R. A., Si, e. m., & Yusof, M. M. M., (2024). Key Success factors for Implementation of Service-Learning Malaysia-University for Society (SULAM) Project at Higher Education Level: Community perspectives. Asian Journal of University Education, 20(1), 152-172.

Pellerano. M. B., Fingerhut, L., Giordano, S., Kaul, E., Bapiste, B., Jimenez, M. E., & Jahn, E. (2023). Community partners’ experiences with medical students’ service learning activities. Health Education Journal, 82(3), 336-346. https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896231157698

Peterson, J. C., Judge, K., & Pierce, D. A., (2012) Conducting a Community-Based Experiential- Learning Project to Address Fitness. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 83(6), 30-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2012.10598793.

Rizal, M.A.R. (2020). Online scammers and their mules in Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Law and Society, 26(1), pp. 65-72.

Salam, M. Awang Iskandar, D. N., Abang Ibrahim, D. H., et al., (2019), Service learning in higher education: A systematic literature review. Asia Pacific Education Review, 20(4), 573-593. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-09580-6

Suhaini Mat Daud, Intan Shafina Suid, Hayazi Hanafi, Factors influencing online scam awareness among Malaysian civil servant, Journal on Technical and Vocational Education (JTVE), Vol 10, No 1 (2025) eISSN: 0128-0821, http://upikpolimas.edu.my/ojs/

Wan Nur Arina Dayana Mohd Naufal, Sharipah Ruzaina Syed Aris, Rafeah Wahi, Ani Mazlina Dewi Mohamed, Zulinda Ayu Zulkipli, Rosna Awang Hashim, Elianawati M Si, Mohammad Mubarrak Mohd Yusof, Key Success Factors for Implementation of Service-Learning Malaysia University for Society (SULAM) Projects at Higher Education Level: Community Perspectives, Asian Journal of University Education (AJUE), Volume 20, No 1, January 2024

Wilson, S., Hassan, N. A., Khor, K. K., Sinnappan, S., Abu Bakar, A. R., & Tan, S. A. (2024). A holistic qualitative exploration on the perception of scams, scam techniques and effectiveness of anti-scam campaigns in Malaysia. Journal of Financial Crime, 31(5), 1140–1155. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-06-2023-0151

Wilson, S., Hassan, N.A., Khor, K.K., Sinnappan, S., Abu Bakar, A.R., & Tan, S.A. (2023). A holistic qualitative exploration on the perception of scams, scam techniques and effectiveness of anti-scam campaigns in Malaysia. Journal of Financial Crime, (in print). https://doi.org/10.1108/JFC-06-2023-0151.

Yusof, N. A., & Ariffin, M. Z. (2021). Service-learning and civic responsibility: A Malaysian higher education perspective. Journal of Education and Society, 14(1), 45–58.

Yusof, N., Tengku Arifin, T. F., Awang-Hashim, R., Nordin, H., & Kaur, A. (2020). Challenges of service learning practices: Student and faculty perspectives from Malaysia. Malaysia Journal of Learning and Instruction, 17(2), 279-309

Yusop, F. D., [Farah Dina Yusop] (2022, March 22), Webinar Service-Learning Malaysia University for Society SULAM 2022 (YouTube). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmueUkT7194

Downloads

Published

10-09-2026

How to Cite

Nurudin, S. M., & Zain, Z. M. (2026). SERVICE-LEARNING AS A TOOL FOR CRIME PREVENTION EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY-COMMUNITY COLLABORATION IN RAISING AWARENESS ON SCAMS. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MODERN EDUCATION (IJMOE), 8(31), 206–220. https://doi.org/10.35631/IJMOE.831013