Many Asean citizens have lost freedom, dignity and savings to cybercrime, says Mohamad
In his keynote address at the 29th Asean Political-Security Community (APSC) Council Meeting today, Mohamad said the region was at a critical juncture, facing complex geopolitical competition, economic uncertainty and increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats that demanded cohesive and proactive responses.
"We face an increasingly complex regional and global landscape, shaped by heightened geopolitical competition, economic uncertainty and transnational challenges that expose the fragility of the present world order.
"Closer to home, our region is facing increasing security threats, with the rise of cybercrimes such as online and job scams.
"Countless Asean citizens have fallen prey to these deceptive schemes and been trafficked to work as forced labour in scam centres.
"They lost their freedom, their dignity and their life savings, these widespread illegal online operations also hurt the economies of Asean member states," he said.
He added that while Asean had made notable strides in tackling cybercrime in recent years, he cautioned that criminal syndicates continued to adapt and relocate operations across the region, underscoring the need for more comprehensive action.
"It is, therefore, vital that Asean enhances regional cooperation, legal harmonisation and information-sharing mechanisms among its member states," he said.
He also said since the last APSC Council Meeting in Vientiane in October 2024, the economic bloc had witnessed tangible progress in the work of its sectoral bodies under the APSC pillar, contributing meaningfully to community-building and regional integration.
He added that the council would review the implementation progress of the APSC Blueprint 2025 and preparations for its End-Term Review today.
"The lessons learned from the review will be useful as we move forward to implement the APSC Strategic Plan 2045 that our leaders are scheduled to adopt tomorrow, as part of the Asean Community Vision 2045," he said.
Looking ahead, Mohamad said the Strategic Plan 2045 would serve as a vital compass for Asean's political-security cooperation over the next two decades, anchored in peace, resilience and people-centred growth.
He also urged Asean sectoral bodies to draw on the strategic plan to bolster the bloc's collective ability to tackle security and transnational threats.
"In this context, Asean must identify partners that could support our efforts towards this end.
"It is also imperative that we ensure that our institutions remain fit for purpose, forward-looking and inclusive.
"Towards this end, as Asean chair, Malaysia has identified priorities to further consolidate Asean collaboration in areas such as dialogue and strategic trust, transnational crime, defence and legal cooperation.
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