| James Kon |
ASEAN National Police (ASEANAPOL) member countries need to develop a legislative framework for effective action against transnational cybercrime, said the Commissioner of the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy bin Haji Muhd Shah Al-Islam in a speech delivered at the closing ceremony of the 38th ASEANAPOL Conference held at the International Convention Centre.
The three-day meeting concluded yesterday with the signing of the 38th Joint Communique, which incorporates new proposals and adopted resolutions spanning 14 topics of mutual interest to the ASEANAPOL member countries and their dialogue partners.
The 38th ASEANAPOL Conference, said Dato Paduka Seri Haji Mohd Jammy, “was graced by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and the Inspector-General of the Royal Brunei Police Force, in which His Majesty emphasised on the significance of the ASEANAPOL Conference in safeguarding regional security, strengthening the close collaboration and cooperation in overcoming transnational crimes, enhancing partnership with law enforcement agencies from beyond the region and sharing the responsibility in the efforts to achieve the objective of an ASEAN Security Community by 2020.”
The RBPF Commissioner also highlighted some pertinent points raised during the conference, which included getting the involvement of local communities through crime awareness programmes; the strengthening of partnerships with public and key private stakeholders; and the fight against the rising trend of cybercrime.
In addition, he said, “ASEANAPOL member countries are encouraged to cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security, People’s Republic of China, on transnational crime pertaining to telecommunications and Internet fraud, through capacity-building and the training of relevant personnel on the awareness of such crimes, assisted and facilitated by the ASEANAPOL Secretariat.”
The RBPF Commissioner also said that a joint exercise has been scheduled to test and operationalise the ASEANAPOL communication and coordination protocol for crisis management.
“This conference has provided a platform, not only to deliberate and discuss issues pertinent to ASEANAPOL, but also an impetus to strengthen all existing friendships and forge new ones,” he said.
The closing ceremony also witnessed a handover of the ASEANAPOL Conference hostship to Police Lieutenant General at the Office of Investigation Police Agency, under the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security Tran Van Ve.
Vietnam will be hosting the 39th ASEANAPOL Conference next year.