MELAKA: The 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime has endorsed a comprehensive regional action plan to combat cross-border criminal activities for the next decade.
Ministers approved the ASEAN Plan of Action on Combating Transnational Crime covering the period from 2026 to 2035 as a strategic framework addressing evolving security challenges.
According to a Home Ministry statement, this endorsement demonstrates ASEAN’s collective commitment to addressing increasingly complex transnational threats through strengthened regional cooperation.
The meeting established the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime Working Group on Money Laundering as a new platform for enhancing financial crime prevention efforts.
Delegates also approved the ASEAN Border Management Cooperation Roadmap to streamline cross-sectoral coordination on immigration and border control matters.
Several significant declarations were announced, including the Melaka Declaration on Combating Transnational Crime and separate declarations addressing human smuggling, cybercrime and online fraud.
The ministerial meeting endorsed three ASEAN Leaders’ Declarations focusing on money laundering prevention, fugitive apprehension cooperation and using sports to build community resilience against violent extremism.
Meeting participants agreed to extend the ASEAN Plan of Action to Prevent and Counter the Rise of Radicalisation and Violent Extremism and the Bali Work Plan until 2026.
These documents provide crucial frameworks for regional coordination against radicalisation and cross-border actions addressing violent extremism threats.
The meeting received valuable contributions from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and META regarding cross-border crime cooperation challenges and opportunities.
This achievement enables ASEAN to evaluate past decade accomplishments while opening a new comprehensive chapter in combating increasingly complex transnational crimes.
Melaka served as the regional focal point with ASEAN ministers and senior security officials gathering from September 8 to 12 for the 19th AMMTC and related meetings.
Malaysia hosted this significant event as part of its ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 under the theme of ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, demonstrating commitment to a safer and more prosperous regional community. – Bernama