Inp.polri.go.id - Labuan Bajo. The Head of Public Relations Division of the Indonesian National Police (INP) Inspector General Sandi Nugroho, has underscored the promising groundwork laid by the agreements forged during the 17th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC). These accords, he stated, lay the foundation for cohesive action, particularly among ASEAN member states, to tackle and eradicate transnational crime. Aligned with the theme 'ASEAN Matters: Epicenter of Growth,' he stated in a written statement on Thursday (8/24/23), "We hope that this edition of AMMTC contributes to the stability of public order and peace within the ASEAN region." A noteworthy outcome of the AMMTC was the generation of 16 collaborative documents and four declarations, among which three were spearheaded by the Indonesian government. "As part of the 17th AMMTC, we have assembled 16 documents consisting of 4 declarations, with 3 originating from Indonesia and 1 from Cambodia. These encompass 1 working program related to human trafficking, 5 joint statements, and 6 technical guidelines," he detailed. Emphasizing the essence of the AMMTC's agreements, he highlighted their purpose of fostering heightened collaboration for a more efficient and adaptable approach to trans-border crime prevention, stating, "Our resounding message from this meeting is that wrongdoers can no longer evade accountability for their crimes." The first declaration, known as the Labuan Bajo Declaration, revolves around strengthening law enforcement mechanisms to combat transnational crime. He elaborated on the eight-point Labuan Bajo Declaration, emphasizing its focus on reinforcing law enforcement cooperation for more effective transnational crime control. This declaration forms the bedrock for tangible endeavors in cross-border law enforcement initiatives, encompassing facets like police-to-police cooperation, handover protocols, collaborative investigations, and mutual legal assistance. The declaration also spotlights swift and secure information exchange, requisitioning of items linked to transnational crime, and facilitation of expert and personnel exchange for cross-border cooperation. The second declaration, termed the ASEAN Declaration, focuses on safeguarding witnesses and victims of transnational crime. Universally endorsed, the declaration commits to victim protection encompassing physical security, care, psychological support, and social rehabilitation to restore victims' rights. The third declaration, called as the ASEAN Declaration on the Development of Regional Capacity for Early Warning and Early Response, targets the mitigation of radicalization and extremism-based violence. Indonesia played a pivotal role in driving this declaration, he said. Lastly, Cambodia spearheaded a declaration, known as the ASEAN Declaration on the Eradication of Firearms Trafficking, underscores ASEAN's resolve to combat the trafficking of illegal firearms through comprehensive cooperation, encompassing campaigns against firearms smuggling, information exchange, and assorted associated endeavors. The event also marked the signing of 6 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with ASEAN countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. These MoUs span transnational crime prevention, eradication, and capacity development. "We also held bilateral meetings with Malaysia and Japan, as well as special meetings with Singapore, Laos, China, and Vietnam, focusing on law enforcement cooperation, capacity development, technological exchange, and other activities aimed at enhancing security stability within the region," he concluded. (ay/pr/nm)