Hanoi, 1 October 2026 – Brunei has called for practical steps to speed cooperation against criminal fugitives across Southeast Asia, arguing that offenders are increasingly mobile and able to exploit digital tools. Its minister in the Prime Minister’s Office for security and law, Haji Sufian Haji Sabtu, led a delegation to an ASEAN law-enforcement conference in Hanoi on 30 September. The proposal is about making existing cross-border processes work faster; it is not an announcement that a new extradition treaty has entered into force.
The meeting followed an ASEAN leaders’ declaration adopted in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025 on locating and arresting fugitives. Delegations from member states and the ASEAN Secretariat considered a joint action plan and a conference statement. Brunei’s minister proposed nationally designated contact officers reachable at any time, broader access to relevant databases at border control points and common templates for urgent requests. Each measure is intended to shorten the delay between identifying a suspect and coordinating action across jurisdictions.
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