Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia finalising SOP on TCA - Johari

The governments of Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are still in the negotiation stage to finalise the standard operating procedure (SOP) under the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA). framework.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Baharum said the matter had still to be negotiated by the three countries concerned involving, among others, the prosecution process if there were terrorist groups detained, the SOP on patrols and so on.

The TCA is a framework shared by the three countries concerned in stating their commitment and cooperation concerning issues such as maritime, security and boundaries in the Sulu Sea.

"There are several matters that need to be negotiated...so far there is no answer how prosecution is done because no arrests have been made (on kidnappers) who were caught (under the TCA operation). So far, there has been no arrest whether in our territory or the Philippines or Indonesia," he said.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Ng Chiang Chin at the Senate sitting today which among others touched on the prosecution process to be followed if there were any kidnapping or crime occurring in the TCA patrol area.

-- BERNAMA