Strengthening Malaysia-China security cooperation

China's super-fast advanced scanner, that can identify illicit items inside a moving vessel in an instant, will make its debut at Malaysia's entry checkpoints soon.

The intelligent machine was developed by the Public Security Ministry of China and it is used at the country's airports and ports.

"China has agreed in principle on the matter," said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who was on a three-day working visit to China which ended yesterday.

He said acquisition of the highly sophisticated scanners was part of the Home Ministry's initiatives to upgrade the nation's scanning capability to combat international transborder crime more effectively.

Other than scanners, China also agreed to provide some equipment to Malaysia's Counter- Messaging Centre, which is mainly focused on tracking online terrorism messages.

Security cooperation in combating terrorism and transborder crime has been Ahmad Zahid's main concern, which does not limit to China but also extends to the international community, particularly Interpol.

During his visit to China, the deputy prime minister had also attended the opening ceremony of the 86th Interpol General Assembly and met several of China's leaders.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, had expressed that the policing function of Interpol should be enhanced through information sharing among its 158 member states, providing continuous training for 12 million policemen worldwide and keeping abreast with technology in order to make the world a safer place.

Among the leaders Ahmad Zahid met with were Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, Communist Party of China, Meng Jianzhu and China Public Security Minister, Guo Sheng Kun.

He also took the opportunity to express Malaysia's concern to the superpower country over the need for international humanitarian assistance for the ethnic Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh from the oppressive treatment of the Myanmar government in Rakhine state.

-- BERNAMA