The key facts

  • The 20th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime concluded on Wednesday in Makati, Philippines
  • Malaysia calls for translating regional agreements into concrete measures: intelligence sharing, financial investigations, combating syndicates
  • Saifuddin emphasized the need for cooperation in light of crimes involving digital technologies and AI

Outcomes of the Makati Meeting

Malaysia reaffirmed its readiness to strengthen security cooperation with Southeast Asian countries following the regional ministerial meeting on transnational crime held in the Philippines. The 20th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) concluded on Wednesday in the city of Makati. It took place over two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, and was dedicated to strengthening the regional response to transnational crime, including online fraud, money laundering, human trafficking and organized criminal networks.

Statement by the Malaysian Home Minister

Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said on Thursday that closer ties and mutual understanding between ASEAN member states are necessary to maintain peace and stability in the region, Malaysia's national news agency Bernama reported. According to him, cooperation should go beyond formal negotiations and strengthen ties between officials. The statement was made in a Facebook post after a gala dinner on Wednesday that marked the conclusion of the meeting. The minister noted that the forum provided an opportunity to exchange views with colleagues from other ASEAN countries.

Calls for Concrete Measures

Earlier, Malaysia called on ASEAN countries to translate regional agreements into concrete law enforcement measures, in particular through intelligence sharing, financial investigations and coordinated action against criminal syndicates. Saifuddin also advocated for closer cross-border cooperation to counter increasingly sophisticated crimes involving digital technologies and artificial intelligence.