Melaka: The establishment of a special ASEAN working group to combat money laundering will be among the key proposals at the 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) in Melaka from Sept 8 to 12. Home Ministry International Division secretary Mohd Azlan Razali said the idea was mooted by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, given that the region currently lacks a dedicated platform to address the issue.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Azlan highlighted that money laundering is a crime impacting all 10 member states, and there is consensus to enhance efforts to fight it through the creation of a full-fledged working group. Presently, ASEAN does not have a special body like the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) or the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG). This prompted the Home Ministry, together with Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), to propose this initiative at the meeting, aiming for the new group to focus on tackling money laundering.

Mohd Azlan noted that the proposal has gained support from international partners, including the United Kingdom, which has provided financial assistance and technical expertise through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). A series of regional symposiums and conferences have been successfully organized in preparation for the establishment of the working group. There is hope that the proposal will be endorsed in Melaka, paving the way for stronger ASEAN cooperation in tackling money laundering, which significantly impacts all member states.

In addition to money laundering, the AMMTC is also expected to address issues such as terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking, drug and timber smuggling, as well as wildlife trafficking. Security ministers from ASEAN member states will convene alongside East Asia's dialogue partners, China, Japan, and South Korea.