Melaka: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to strengthening cooperation with China in combating transnational crime, particularly scams, to safeguard regional peace and stability. He stated this during a bilateral meeting with China's Vice Minister of Public Security and Commissioner of the National Immigration Administration (NIA), Wang Zhizhong, held on the sidelines of the 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Saifuddin Nasution expressed Malaysia's deep appreciation for the nations' enduring partnership, both bilaterally and within the ASEAN context. He emphasized the threats posed by human trafficking, cybercrime, narcotics, terrorism, and money laundering, which do not recognize borders and require strengthened regional cooperation.
He highlighted the necessity for capacity-building programmes, joint training initiatives, and real-time information sharing to enhance interoperability among law enforcement agencies. Saifuddin Nasution welcomed further collaboration under the AMMTC+China mechanism, including the implementation of the ASEAN-China Action Plan on Transnational Crime.
He proposed regular joint workshops and dialogues, focusing on cybercrime prevention and counter-terrorism, as well as cooperation in digital forensics, big data analysis, and the application of artificial intelligence to law enforcement. At the bilateral level, he said Malaysia is keen to pursue dedicated working groups on transnational crime, complementing ASEAN mechanisms and welcomes exchanges through police academies, scholarships, and joint crime prevention research.
Saifuddin Nasution expressed confidence that enhancing cooperation under the ASEAN platform could lead to meaningful progress in protecting people from the threats of transnational crime. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Home Ministry, including Secretary-General Datuk Awang Alik Jeman, Security Division Undersecretary Mohd Azlan Razali, and Immigration Matters Division Undersecretary Dr Hebat Hisham Mohd Yusoff.
The Chinese delegation included officials such as the Ministry of Public Security, International Cooperation Department Deputy Director-General, Tan Jun; NIA Foreigners Management Department, Director-General, Chen Yongli; and NIA Chinese Citizens Exit and Entry Administration Department Director-General, Xiong Shuren. The 19th AMMTC, hosted by Malaysia in Melaka from Sept 8-12, convenes ASEAN ministers and senior security and law enforcement officials to strengthen regional cooperation against transnational crime.