Malaysia, U.S. ink treaty to boost fight against crime, terrorism

Asian Political News, July 31, 2006

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 Kyodo

The United States and Malaysia sealed a treaty Friday aimed at facilitating cross-border evidence collection in an effort to boost the fight against transnational crimes and terrorism.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar inked what is officially known as the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters.

The signing was held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum, the biggest security meeting in the Pacific Rim.

According to a statement issued by the Malaysian Attorney General's Chambers, the treaty entails ''putting in place a formal bilateral mechanism for the gathering of relevant evidence in each other's countries for the purpose of criminal investigations and criminal proceedings.''

The types of assistance include making arrangements for persons to give evidence, executing searches and seizures, and locating and identifying persons or items.

''International cooperation in criminal matters is required because today's crimes and criminals respect no national boundaries or the sovereignty of countries and increasingly involve organized criminal groups,'' the chambers said in the statement.

''Transnational organized crimes such as drug trafficking, smuggling of migrants, trafficking in persons and terrorism are also of increasing concern in the Asia Pacific region,'' it added.

This treaty complements the Treaty on Extradition that both countries signed in 1995.

Besides the United States, Malaysia also has similar treaty with Australia.