ASEAN Ministerial Emergency Meeting Thursday On Cross-Border Crimes

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Bernama) -- An Asean ministerial level meeting on cross-border crimes, here, Thursday will discuss the movements of illegals in the region. Home Ministry's International Relations and NSO MAPO division secretary Muhd Khair Razman Mohd Annuar said the one-day meeting, among others, would become a platform for ASEAN nations to discuss and arrive at a consensus in seeking a solution to the issue which was becoming increasingly serious. The meeting would be chaired by Malaysia's Home Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and would involve his counterparts from ASEAN nations, he told Bernama here, Tuesday night. He said ASEAN secretary-general Le Luong Minh and representatives from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes, International Organisation for Migration and the United States State Department would also be present. "The convening of the meeting is important following the influx of illegals to South East Asia which impact on ASEAN member countries," he said. Muhd Khair Razman said the meeting was also held based on the recommendation made at the meeting of foreign ministers of Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia in Putrajaya on May 20. Among the issues reported on the human trafficking syndicate in the region was 250,000 Bangladeshis being held hostage since eight years ago with syndicates collecting millions of baht from the activity. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi illegals had landed illegally in Langkawi (Malaysia's northern state of Kedah) in May, while 139 graves were found at 28 transit camps which were built by the human trafficking syndicates along the Malaysia-Thailand border at Wang Kelian, Perlis. -- BERNAMA