KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is committed to leading ASEAN in addressing various forms of cross-border crime, including online fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said as the Chairman of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) and the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime this year, Malaysia is not only acting as a facilitator but also taking a leading role in regional crime-fighting efforts.
“Malaysia will chair the AMMTC and SOMTC, which will be the main platform to deal with crimes such as human trafficking, drug-related offences and cybercrime.
“We want ASEAN to be safer, prepared, and firm in dealing with crime and regional issues.” he said in an exclusive interview with Bernama TV on the programme “ASEAN: From Kuala Lumpur to the World” tonight.
He said online scam, which is becoming increasingly prevalent across the region, poses a serious threat not only to economic stability but also to the social security of ASEAN countries.
“Scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, resulting in billions of dollars in losses, human exploitation and instability in foreign investment across ASEAN,” he said, adding that Malaysia is working on a long-term strategy to ensure all ASEAN member states are aligned in tackling crime threats.
The strategy, he said, would be implemented as Malaysia takes the lead in developing the ASEAN Plan of Action in Combating Transnational Crime and the SOMTC Work Programme.
“ASEAN upholds the principle of non-interference, but we cannot simply stand by when crises unfold in certain countries or allow cybercrime to spread unchecked.
“We must adopt a more flexible approach in addressing threats that jeopardise regional stability,“* he said.
Malaysia officially assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship on Jan 1 this year, marking the fifth time it has held the position, following its previous terms in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.
