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ASEAN has unanimously adopted a landmark Plan of Action for 2026–2035, setting a new strategic direction for the region in addressing increasingly complex forms of transnational crime over the next decade.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who chaired the 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), described the action plan as a key framework that will guide the bloc’s collective efforts going forward.
“This sets the course for ASEAN to address transnational crime over the next ten years, and it was accepted unanimously by all member states,” he said following the meeting in Melaka.
The newly endorsed action plan will be underpinned by three major declarations agreed during the summit: the Melaka Declaration on Combating Transnational Crime, the ASEAN Declaration on Countering People Smuggling in Southeast Asia, and the ASEAN Declaration on Combating Cybercrime and Online Scams.
“These declarations are the key outcomes under Malaysia’s chairmanship and will serve as core documents in realising ASEAN’s vision for the coming decade,” Saifuddin explained.
Malaysia further strengthened its leadership role in the region by proposing the establishment of the SOMTC Working Group on Money Laundering, which was accepted by all member states. The group, involving Bank Negara Malaysia, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), will convene for its first meeting in 2026.
The meeting also made a pivotal decision to remove maritime piracy and international economic crime from AMMTC’s list of priority areas, citing the rising threat of cybercrime and online scams, which now cause significant economic damage.
“The threat still exists, but it is not as severe as online scams. Therefore, greater emphasis is being placed on cybercrime,” Saifuddin said.
He revealed alarming statistics shared by META during the open session, including an estimated global loss of USD 1 trillion annually due to online scams. In East and Southeast Asia alone, UNODC reported losses between USD 18 billion and USD 37 billion in 2023—equivalent to nearly RM100 billion.
“Without serious preventive measures, this phenomenon could lead to public anxiety and economic instability,” he warned.
Three further declarations have been elevated to the leadership level for consideration at the 47th ASEAN Summit this October: the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Combating Money Laundering (led by Malaysia), the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Enhanced Cooperation in Locating and Arresting Criminal Fugitives (proposed by Vietnam), and the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on the Use of Sports for Preventing Violent Extremism (proposed by Indonesia).
Beyond plenary sessions, the conference featured open dialogues with UNODC, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), and META. UNODC called for deeper engagement with ASEAN’s Lead Shepherd mechanism and greater investment in capacity-building with support from dialogue partners including China, Korea and Japan.
“We also stressed that legislative bodies must work closely with the executive to strengthen the region’s legal frameworks,” Saifuddin noted.
Malaysia also chaired the ASEAN Plus Three meeting with China, which endorsed the SOMTC+China Work Plan 2024–2028 aimed at enhancing information sharing and the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics and advanced monitoring systems.
In bilateral talks, Malaysia and South Korea agreed to explore a new memorandum of understanding on maritime cooperation and to share best practices in addressing drug abuse.
“All decisions and declarations made were based on consensus, in line with ASEAN’s principles of regional solidarity,” Saifuddin said.
“ASEAN remains a peaceful region compared to many parts of the world. We take pride in this, as it forms the bedrock of our strong economic growth.”
The three-day summit concluded with Malaysia officially handing over the AMMTC chairmanship to the Philippines, which will host the next meeting in 2026. - September 17, 2025
