On 13 March 2025, at 10:00 AM, representatives of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat, led by Director of Police Services, Police Senior Superintendent Huntal Tambunan, under the supervision of Executive Director Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan, met with the Inspector-General of Police (Legal) of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) at Level 30, Tower 1, Bukit Aman, Royal Malaysia Police Headquarters.
Accompanying the Director of Police Services were Superintendent of Police Siva Perghasum Shanmugam, Head of Administrative and Technical Staff (HATS); Deputy Superintendent of Police Hamid Abdul Hashim, Police Service Officer I; and Deputy Superintendent of Police Suresh Subramaniam, Planning and Program Officer I. Representing the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) were ACP Nor Azarina Mokhtar, ACP USKPN (Legal); DSP Ragavan Sivaraman, DSP USKPN (Legal); DSP Muhammad Sabri Mohd Raziff, DSP USKPN (Legal); ASP Harjinder Singh Manjit Singh, ASP USKPN (Legal); and Inspector Eric Lim Chee Chuang, Inspector USKPN (Legal). Also in attendance was ACP Loh Pey Pey, ACP International Relations, from the Secretariat Office of the Inspector-General of Police.
The meeting was convened in response to a letter from Executive Director Vinluan to the Inspector-General of Police of the Royal Malaysia Police, referenced AS/23/2, dated March 2025, with the subject: “Endorsement of the Concept Paper on the Legal Registration of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat under Malaysian Law.” The Concept Paper outlines the necessity of obtaining formal legal recognition for the ASEANAPOL Secretariat under Malaysian law to strengthen its operational legitimacy, enhance international collaborations, and secure necessary personnel protections.
As the host country, the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) was requested to facilitate this process with the support of ASEANAPOL Member States. The proposal also called on the RMP to engage in legal consultations, policy drafting, and negotiations to formalize the ASEANAPOL Secretariat’s legal status, ensuring its continued role in regional crime prevention while operating in Malaysia.
Before discussions commenced, Director of Police Services Huntal Tambunan introduced the ASEANAPOL Secretariat delegation and provided an overview of its pivotal role in coordinating, facilitating cooperation, and enhancing regional efforts against transnational crime. During the discussion, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat representatives underscored the objectives of the legal registration, emphasizing the need to secure official recognition of the Secretariat’s legal personality under Malaysian law, strengthen its operational legitimacy and international collaboration as the representative body of the ten ASEANAPOL Member Countries, and request the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) to engage with the Malaysian Government to grant the Secretariat and its personnel specific immunities, diplomatic privileges, and legal protections.
In response, ACP Nor Azarina Mokhtar informed the ASEANAPOL Secretariat that the Inspector-General of Police (Legal) Secretariat had requested additional documentation to conduct a comprehensive legal review. The requested documents included, but were not limited to, the ASEANAPOL Terms of Reference, agreements by all Heads of State regarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Establishment of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat in Kuala Lumpur, minutes of the 10th, 26th, and 27th ASEANAPOL Joint Communiqués, a copy of the Malaysian Cabinet's approval for the establishment of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat in Malaysia, a copy of the ASEANAPOL Agreement recognizing the Secretariat as an ASEAN Secretariat Dialogue Partner, and other relevant documentation.
These documents are essential for the Legal Secretariat to analyze the legal framework and provide accurate guidance on the registration process for the ASEANAPOL Secretariat under Malaysian law. The meeting concluded with an agreement to facilitate the exchange of the required documents to advance the legal recognition process.
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