The 39th ASEANAPOL Database System Technical Committee (ADSTC) Meeting was held on February 25 and 26, 2025, in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. The ASEANAPOL Secretariat was represented by Police Senior Superintendent Huntal Tambunan, Director for Police Services, and Deputy Superintendent of Police Abdul Hamid Hashim, Police Service Officer 1, under the supervision of Executive Director Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan. The meeting was attended by representatives from eight ASEANAPOL member countries, including the Cambodia National Police, Indonesia National Police, Laos Police Force, Royal Malaysia Police, Myanmar Police Force, Philippine National Police, Royal Thai Police, and OIPA Vietnam. However, the Singapore Police Force and the Royal Brunei Police Force were unable to send their representatives. The meeting was chaired by Police Brigadier General Kyaw Zaya, Head of the Division Against Transnational Crime, while Police Senior Superintendent Huntal Tambunan served as the Deputy Chairperson.
The meeting was formally opened by Major General Tin Ko Ko, Deputy Chief of the Myanmar Police, who emphasized the importance of strengthening the e-ADS platform as a critical tool for information exchange and regional law enforcement cooperation. During the opening ceremony, Executive Director Vinluan’s speech was delivered by Police Senior Superintendent Tambunan on his behalf. In his remarks, Executive Director Vinluan provided an overview of the e-ADS platform’s history, tracing its evolution from its initial conception in 1991 at the 11th ASEANAPOL Conference to its official launch in 2006 under the leadership of the Singapore Police Force. He highlighted key milestones, including the transition of e-ADS management to the ASEANAPOL Secretariat in 2019, and its integration into INTERPOL’s I-24/7 platform, ensuring higher security, efficiency, and accessibility for ASEANAPOL member countries.
While acknowledging technical challenges such as connectivity issues and lack of access, he emphasized the collective responsibility of ASEANAPOL members to strengthen and optimize e-ADS for effective transnational crime prevention. He further proposed key priorities, including the development of a Quick Look Dashboard for real-time crime statistics, integration of alert notices, creation of a centralized platform for “Top 20 Most Wanted Persons”, and enhancing record and entry management for the 10 core transnational crimes.
The meeting’s discussions revolved around ensuring e-ADS remains a relevant and indispensable tool for ASEAN law enforcement agencies. The participants explored enhancing data-sharing mechanisms, establishing secure access controls, and improving interoperability with national law enforcement databases. The ASEANAPOL Secretariat reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with INTERPOL to develop a dedicated I-24/7 Virtual Private Network (VPN) and cloud-hosted servers, ensuring secure and seamless notification systems for operational modules. This initiative aligns with ASEANAPOL’s broader efforts to enhance intelligence-sharing capabilities and transnational crime prevention strategies.
The 39th ADSTC Meeting concluded with a strong commitment from ASEANAPOL Member Countries to further develop and integrate e-ADS into regional policing efforts. Delegates pledged to increase their engagement with the system, while the ASEANAPOL Secretariat vowed to address technical challenges and provide necessary training to maximize its utilization. Executive Director Vinluan reaffirmed that ASEANAPOL’s efforts in strengthening e-ADS were not merely about technology, but about safeguarding the future of the region. He called upon all members to take ownership of the system, ensuring that it remains a pillar of regional law enforcement cooperation in securing ASEAN for generations to come.
"Together We Keep This Region Safe"