Teaming up to fight scams


Photo: Bernama

LANGKAWI: Asean’s 10 member states will join forces with China to combat transnational crime, including online scam syndicates that have victimised thousands in the region, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

“China has nothing to do with online crime or scams, but it is a country partner that is working together with Asean to resolve issues on scammers and transborder crimes.

“We will work closely with China,” he told a press conference at the conclusion of the Asean Foreign Ministers’ (AMM) Retreat here yesterday.

Media reports quoted China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi as calling on Asean countries to crack down on online gambling and telecommunications fraud, saying that scam syndicates in the region have harmed citizens of China and other countries.

Wang said China is willing to strengthen cooperation with the regional grouping in law enforcement and security to address the issue.

The Myanmar civil war, sparked by a coup d’etat by a military junta in February 2021, created lawless border regions that have allowed criminal syndicates to set up “scam parks”, where foreign nationals are trafficked into the country and forced to participate in online scams.

Over the years, Malaysia has rescued scores of youngsters who were enslaved by foreign scam syndicates after being lured to other South-East Asian countries.

Victims said they were promised high-paying jobs and accommodation benefits, only to be forced to live in compounds and carry out online scams for these syndicates.

In October last year, it was reported that 707 Malaysians were rescued from overseas job scam syndicates.

In 2023, the United Nations said at least 120,000 people could be trapped in scam compounds in Myanmar.

Meanwhile, Mohamad said Asean foreign ministers had welcomed the progress made in the negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, emphasising the importance of sustaining momentum to expedite the process.

He said the ministers underscored the need to conclude an effective and substantive COC at the earliest opportunity, in line with the United Nations Conven-tion on the Law of the Sea 1982.

“We maintain that the South China Sea must remain peaceful and stable,” he said.

On whether the COC could be adopted by the time Malaysia’s chairmanship of Asean ends this year, Mohamad said: “We are in the process of negotiations with regard to the COC.

“We are trying our very best to ensure negotiations on the COC are on our schedule, and will proceed according to schedule,” he said.

He also said that Asean foreign ministers welcomed the latest ceasefire plan in Gaza, adding that it provided an opportunity to de-escalate tensions and prioritise the protection of innocent lives.

He said the foreign ministers felt that the situation in Gaza remains “deeply concerning”.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire which includes the release of dozens of hostages held in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

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