SINGAPORE: In an ambitious new agreement, Singapore and Vietnam are looking to work together to battle transnational crime in the region. Among those areas the two countries hope to battle are detecting and combating criminal acts such as terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, human trafficking and cybercrime. Singapore-based social worker Jumana Yussif, a former UN official, told Bikyamasr.com that “human trafficking and drugs are the two major issues that the region must begin to work together on in order to end these horrific acts of criminal activity.” Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs and Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security agree with Yussif and are to ink a new cooperation agreement to deal with battling transnational crimes. “The Cooperation Arrangement in Preventing and Combating Transnational Crimes will be inked during Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean's visit to Vietnam from August 27 to 29,” said Singapore's Home Ministry. In the statement released on Sunday, the Home Ministry said the “cooperation agreement has provided a useful platform for Singaporean and Vietnamese law enforcement agencies to cooperate.” It is an addendum to a previous 2006 deal that is to expire in December and will see an increase in police presence dealing in unison with each country to battle criminal activity. “It's definitely a boost and a better step in the right direction and hopefully it will see the end of the booming drug and human trade in Southeast Asia,” added Yussif.
