On June 13, 2024, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat (AS) conducted a courtesy visit to the Royal Malaysia Police’s Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (RMP CPCSD), represented by CP Datuk Wan Hassan bin Wan Ahmad, Director of CPCSD. This visit was part of a series of courtesy calls initiated by the ASEANAPOL Secretariat's Executive Director, David Martinez Vinluan, since his assumption of the post on January 1, 2024. The initiative for these courtesy calls was encouraged by RMP’s Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Razarudin bin Husain, who promoted the idea on January 10, 2024, during Executive Director Vinluan’s first courtesy call. The aim of these visits is to foster stronger relationships, enhance collaboration, and improve communication between the ASEANAPOL Secretariat and various departments within the Royal Malaysian Police.
The meeting began with the CPCSD presenting their role in safeguarding communities and preventing crime. They highlighted the critical contributions of other police departments, including the Criminal Investigation Department, Commercial Crime Investigation Department, and the Narcotics Investigation Department. CPCSD emphasized the importance of information sharing and joint meetings with the ASEANAPOL Secretariat to effectively combat transnational crimes.
Executive Director Vinluan expressed heartfelt appreciation to the CPCSD of the Royal Malaysian Police for their warm welcome, providing a comprehensive overview of the current ASEANAPOL structure and highlighting key components and its overarching mission. He identified several potential areas for collaboration, particularly in developing innovative and effective crime prevention strategies, emphasizing the critical necessity of strengthening cooperation between ASEANAPOL and CPCSD. Both parties acknowledged that such cooperation is vital for raising public awareness and effectively preventing crime, enhancing their efforts in combating various criminal activities, especially those that transcend national borders.
Vinluan underscored the pivotal role of Police Community Relations (PCR) in the fight against Transnational Organized Crime, describing PCR as "Primus Inter Pares," or "First among equals." He highlighted the importance of PCR in building and maintaining community trust and confidence in their police service, arguing that strong community relations are indispensable for effective policing. Through his remarks, Vinluan conveyed ASEANAPOL's commitment to fostering a collaborative environment to enhance regional security. The mutual agreement to prioritize cooperation and community engagement signifies a shared vision of a safer and more secure Southeast Asia.
The CPCSD was represented by CP Datuk Wan Hassan bin Wan Ahmad, Director of CPCSD; DCP Dato’ Kumaran a/l Karuppannan, Deputy Director of CPCSD (Strategic Planning); DCP Dato’ Azman bin Ayob, Deputy Director of CPCSD (Operations); SAC Alina binti Saad, Chief Assistant Director (Community Policing); SAC Noor Halim bin Nordin, Chief Assistant Director (Data Collection/Analysis); SAC Imran bin Abd Rahman, Chief Assistant Director (Land Operations); ACP Zairulnizam bin Mohd Zainuddin @ Hilmi, Assistant Principal Director (General Operations); ACP Dr. Parusuraman a/l Subramaniam, Assistant Principal Director (Resource Support and Coordination); and ACP Siva Pergahsum al Shanmugam, Assistant Principal Director (Data Collection). The ASEANAPOL Secretariat representatives included Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan, Executive Director; ACP Dr. Bakri bin Zainal Abidin, Director for Police Services; Police Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Ngoc, Director for Plans and Programmes; SUPT Azrul Hisham bin Mohd Shaffei, Head of Administrative and Technical Support; DSP Suresh Subramaniam, Plans and Programmes Officer 1; and DSP Chan Yew Hiok, Police Services Officer I.
The courtesy visit concluded with a commitment to explore further training opportunities and a customary exchange of gifts. This visit signifies a positive step towards a stronger partnership between ASEANAPOL and the RMP’s CPCSD in tackling regional transnational crime and raising public awareness.
“Together We Keep This Region Safe