Malaysia: Malaysia and the Philippines continue to strengthen security cooperation, particularly in intelligence sharing and efforts to curb cross-border crime, which is among the priorities on the ASEAN agenda. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the matter was among those discussed at the ninth Malaysia-Philippines Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), here today, including maritime security cooperation in the waters between the east coast of Sabah and the Philippines.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamad emphasized the importance of these discussions, stating, "This is among the key issues on the ASEAN agenda, because if cross-border crime is not curbed, it will cause problems for ASEAN countries." He highlighted the focus on security cooperation particularly in the waters between eastern Sabah and the Philippines, as well as the trilateral cooperation between Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia through the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA) to maintain security in the area.

Mohamad noted the increased confidence of foreign tourists from Europe and the United States in visiting the east coast of Sabah, attributing it to the absence of kidnap-for-ransom cases since early 2020. He also expressed Malaysia's hope that the Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea could be finalized this year, under the chairmanship of the Philippines in ASEAN.

Meanwhile, Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, who co-chaired the meeting with Mohamad, acknowledged the growing ties between the armed forces of both nations and the ongoing efforts to foster camaraderie among their soldiers, navy, and air force personnel. She highlighted the TCA's significant contribution to security and stability in the common area of operations of the three countries - Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia, as it marks its 10th anniversary this year.

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to advancing law enforcement cooperation through targeted capacity building, technical development, technology transfer, and expanded intelligence exchanges. They also recognized the importance of proposed agreements on combating transnational crimes, particularly in combating illicit traffic and abuse of illegal drugs.