On October 2, 2024, in Kuala Lumpur, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat, led by Executive Director Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan, welcomed a delegation from the Embassy of Turkey. Headed by His Excellency Emir Salim Yüksel, Ambassador of Turkey, the delegation included Ms. Zeynep Yazan, Third Secretary of the Embassy, and Superintendent of Police Ahmet Günay. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen the cooperation framework between ASEANAPOL and the Turkish Embassy, reinforcing an already solid partnership.
ASEANAPOL’s team consisted of senior officials, including Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr. Bakri Zainal Abidin, Director for Police Services, and Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Ngoc, Director for Plans and Programmes. Other key members present were Superintendent Azrul Hisham Mohd Shaffei, Head of Administrative and Technical Staff, and DSPs Suresh Subramaniam and Abdul Hamid Abdul Hashim, who represented Plans and Programmes and Police Services respectively. The discussions focused on ongoing and future collaboration efforts, with an emphasis on enhancing cooperation between ASEANAPOL and the Turkish National Police.
During the meeting, Executive Director Vinluan expressed his appreciation for the enduring partnership with the Turkish National Police, which has been a key dialogue partner since 2015. He highlighted the importance of this collaboration in addressing common transnational challenges, such as human trafficking and cybercrime. Vinluan also provided an overview of ASEANAPOL’s current operations, stressing the value of capacity-building programs that have significantly bolstered the operational readiness of police forces across ASEAN.
Ambassador Yüksel responded by commending ASEANAPOL’s efforts in strengthening regional security and reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to supporting these initiatives. He emphasized the critical need for international collaboration in tackling the complexities of modern transnational crimes, such as drug trafficking and cybercrime. Ambassador Yüksel also expressed Turkey’s willingness to continue working with ASEANAPOL on common objectives and future initiatives aimed at maintaining regional peace and security.
Both parties explored potential areas for future collaboration, identifying joint training programs, intelligence sharing, and technology-driven solutions as key priorities. Discussions focused on how advancements in areas like artificial intelligence and data analytics could be leveraged to improve crime prevention and law enforcement capabilities across the region. These initiatives would enhance both regional cooperation and the ability of law enforcement agencies to tackle emerging threats.
At the conclusion of the visit, Executive Director Vinluan and Ambassador Yüksel expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of their discussions. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to the motto, “Together We Keep This Region Safe,” and agreed to maintain open communication for monitoring progress on the agreed initiatives. The visit not only reinforced the existing partnership between ASEANAPOL and the Turkish Embassy but also laid the groundwork for stronger collaboration to address future security challenges in the region.
"Together We Keep This Region Safe"