Legal Affairs: MoLA Union Minister attended “AMAG-MLAT”

Union Minister for Legal Affairs and Union Attorney General Dr. Thida Oo attended the First Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers/Attorneys General of the Central Authorities on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (“AMAG-MLAT”) on 22 November 2023, in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.The meeting was presided by the Attorney General of Brunei H.E Dato Seri Paduka Ahmad Isa and gave an opening remark.

At the meeting, the Union Minister Union Attorney General Dr. Thida Oo said that it’s congratulated to Brunei for hosting the first meeting of the ASEAN Ministers/Attorneys General of the Central Authorities on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (“AMAG-MLAT”) after revising it into this at the Sixth Meeting of the Attorneys-General/Ministers of Justice and Minister of Law on the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters “MLAT” convened in 2019 in Yogyakarta of Indonesia, Today’s world, the drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking in person and the terrorist attacks appear to be Transnational Organized Crimes.

Such crimes are not only damaging the rule of law of a country but also threatening the international and regional security and stability. The Transnational Organized Crimes are needed to combat for the improvement of law enforcement in the society.

Myanmar has participated in the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crimes in 2004 and the ASEAN’s Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters in 2009 as member country. Moreover, the Mutual Legal Assistance in the criminal matters is being implementing with Thailand and Viet Nam signing bilateral MoU. Domestically, the mutual assistance in criminal matters law and by-law was drafted in line with the international norms and enacted etc.

During the meeting, the Union Minister Union Attorney General Dr. ThidaOo held a separate meeting with the Deputy Attorney General of Thailand H.E Mr Jumpon Phansumrit and cordially exchanged views on the matters of boosting mutual legal assistance and cooperation between the Ministry of Legal Affairs and the Office of Attorney General of Thailand, under the program of Golden Triangle Law Officers Network among Myanmar-Thailand- Lao, ongoing implementations and rotating host of annual meetings, to establish ASEAN Law Officers’ Network for the effective cooperation among the offices of Attorney General of ASEAN.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers, Attorney Generals from the ASEAN Central Authorities on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and the officials concerned from the Legal Affairs Division of ASEAN General Secretariat.