Kalla said more organized information cooperation and coordination between neighboring countries would be needed to deal with cyber crimes, terrorism, human trafficking and drug smuggling.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesias vice president Jusuf Kalla has expressed the need for ASEAN member countries to cooperate to maintain security ahead of the implementation of ASEAN Economic Community later this year.

"Cooperation is needed to settle criminal cases that happen between ASEAN member countries or with other countries with regard to technological progress and current development," he said in his speech at the opening of a conference of police forces of ASEAN member countries here on Tuesday.

Kalla said more organized information cooperation and coordination between neighboring countries would be needed to deal with cyber crimes, terrorism, human trafficking and drug smuggling.

He said through the conference the police forces needed to discuss efforts to increase cooperation to protect and serve people in their respective countries.

"Based on our experience we know many criminal or terrorism activities have involved other countries," he said.

He said many cyber crimes committed by foreigners had been carried out in Indonesia.

Kalla said more detailed information exchange would also be needed to prevent terrorism crimes from happening in the region.

"Indonesia has learned how conflict in one part of the country has easily been supplied with logistics from other regions or countries. Suspects meanwhile have often easily fled to neighboring countries when they are hunted due to a lack of information we have," he said.

The vice president said because of the width of the ASEAN region to be covered by the police forces in the region more complete and wider coordination would be needed.

He added that a crime also has the potential to trigger other crimes.

As an example he referred to illegal fishing that may also cause environmental destruction and human exploitation.

"In view of that we countries in ASEAN must help each other in increasing the security and assuring the stability in each member country," he said.

The conference of ASEANAPOL chiefs is scheduled to last until August 7, 2015.

Police chiefs and high-ranking police officers from countries such as Brunei Darussalam, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Timor Leste, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, China, South Korea, Russia and Interpol were present at the meeting.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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