On January 15, 2025, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat hosted an important meeting at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, welcoming representatives from Thermo Fisher Scientific: Mr. Ed McConnell, Business Development Manager, and Mr. Jack Lim, Business Development Specialist. The session focused on advancements in DNA profiling technology, particularly a rapid DNA profiling solution capable of generating DNA profiles within 90 minutes at crime scenes or disaster sites.
The Secretariat’s Executive Director, Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan, warmly welcomed the Thermo Fisher team and praised their informative presentation. He expressed his gratitude for their valuable contributions during the previous ASEANAPOL Contact Persons Meeting (ACPM) and the ASEANAPOL Forensic Science Network Meeting (APFSNM). Encouraging their continued participation, he invited Thermo Fisher Scientific to be part of the upcoming ACPM and APFSNM meetings. Police Colonel Vinluan also emphasized the company’s excellent reputation and its potential to provide critical information to police officers operating in areas affected by man-made or natural disasters. He further expressed interest in exploring collaborations to strengthen police investigations, particularly in disaster victim identification (DVI) preparedness and modernizing forensic DNA profiling capabilities. Joining him in the meeting were Pol. Snr. Supt. Huntal Tambunan, Director for Police Services, and DSP Suresh Subramaniam, Plans and Programmes Officer I.
The discussion concluded with both parties agreeing in principle to collaborate on expertise sharing, capacity-building training, and the rapid deployment of DNA profiling technology to support urgent disaster response across ASEANAPOL member countries.
This meeting marked a significant milestone in enhancing forensic science capabilities within the ASEANAPOL region. The potential partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific represents a major opportunity to modernize police operations and improve regional security by leveraging cutting-edge technology in law enforcement and disaster response. ASEANAPOL’s proactive adoption of innovative solutions demonstrates its unwavering commitment to promoting safety and justice throughout the region.
