ASEAN War on Online Scams and Gambling High on the 2025 Agenda, Will Partner with China

Thailand is taking unprecedented action against transnational cybercrime syndicates by cutting electricity, internet, and fuel supplies to key crime hubs in Myanmar, starting today.
Two Indonesian men, who previously fell victims of human trafficking syndicates and were forced to work as scammers in Cambodia, posing at a window in Jakarta. Thousands of Indonesians have been enticed abroad in recent years to other Southeast Asian countries for better paying jobs, only to end up in the hands of transnational scam operators. (Photo by Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP)

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is prioritizing the fight against online scams in 2025, with Malaysia taking the lead as the rotating chair. A significant part of this effort involves close collaboration with China, which has pledged to strengthen its partnership with ASEAN to tackle transnational crime in Southeast Asia.

Speaking after the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM) on Sunday, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan underscored the urgency of tackling online scams and cybercrime, situating it as a core issue in ASEAN’s broader initiatives against transnational crime.

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by Edwin Shri Bimo

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