A woman stands next to a logo of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur on July 9. —AFP/VNA Photo

MELAKA — ASEAN has agreed to prioritise cybercrime as its main regional security concern, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He said this marks a shift away from sea piracy and international economic crime, as these are now seen as lower threats.

Saifuddin said that said member countries reached this consensus at the 19th ASEAN Ministers’ Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) and Related Meetings held here, adding that online scams have become the region’s most pressing challenge.

“Piracy and international economic crime, while still present, no longer pose the same degree of threat. In future meetings, these issues will not be prioritised,” said Saifuddin.

“Instead, ASEAN will broaden its scope on cybercrime, especially scams that are growing in scale and sophistication,” he said during the closing of the meeting on Thursday.

Saifuddin said the ministers also unanimously adopted the ASEAN Plan of Action (ADOP) for 2026–2035, a decade-long roadmap to strengthen collective responses to transnational crime.

Malaysia, Saifuddin added, had taken the lead by proposing a new Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) working group on money laundering.

The initiative, developed with Bank Negara Malaysia, the police, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), will convene its first meeting in 2026.

He also revealed that the three-day session endorsed the Melaka Declaration on Combating Transnational Crime, which will serve as the umbrella framework for the action plan, along with the ASEAN Declaration on Countering People Smuggling in Southeast Asia and the ASEAN Declaration on Combating Cybercrime and Online Scam.

In addition, Saifuddin said three leaders’ declarations would be presented at the upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit in October.

Among the proposals, Malaysia will spearhead regional efforts against money laundering, Việt Nam has initiated enhanced cooperation in locating and arresting criminal fugitives

Indonesia has called for the use of sports to build resilience among youth and prevent violent extremism.

“ASEAN recognises that perpetrators of transnational crime often move across borders.

Vietnam’s proposal on joint efforts to locate, arrest and deport fugitives reflects our shared determination.

Indonesia’s initiative highlights how non-traditional approaches like sports can be leveraged to combat extremism,” he said.

Saifuddin stressed that these decisions underscore the bloc’s flexibility in adapting to evolving threats.

“ASEAN countries believe there are valid grounds to place piracy further down the list and give greater focus to online scams,” he added. — The Star/ANN