‘Better teamwork beats terror’
Najib: Summit calls for cooperation to be taken to the next level
SYDNEY: The AseanAustralia Special Summit has proposed that counter terrorism cooperation with Australia be taken to the next level, says Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The Prime Minister said with the terror threat able to cross borders, certain information which might not be important to one country could be useful and even vital to another.
“Just like solving a jigsaw puzzle, it is possible that the important piece of information is found in another country,” he told Malaysian journalists as he wrapped up his visit to attend the twoday summit here.
He said topics related to the terror threat and violent terrorism were among the main topics at the special summit.
Najib said restrictions on terrorist funds must also be stepped up so that such groups would be starved of finance.
The PM said in countering terrorism, it was important to ensure that terror groups like the Islamic State would not get new recruits.
“Right now, they still manage to influence certain individuals, and that means the tap is still flowing in terms of new recruits.
“I have informed the summit that our deradicalisation programme has succeeded in achieving a rehabilitation rate of 97%,” he revealed.
Najib said the special summit also accepted the Sydney Declaration, which also covered economic cooperation.
“We welcome Australia’s role in helping Asean achieve its Economic Community target by 2025 and the multiplelevel Strategic Plan, in which Australia is to provide funding, apart from Asean Connectivity,” he said.
At the Leaders’ Retreat, Najib said they also discussed strategic issues, such as the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula and the Rohingya issue in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
“I was asked to lead the discussion on nuclear issues in North Korea and the possible scenario, as well as the latest development relating to the planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jongun.
“Our stand is consistent and we want North Korea to stop its nuclear and ballistic missiles programme, and we also want the Korean Peninsular denuclearised, hopefully through peaceful negotiation,” he said.
On the success achieved at the summit, Najib said Australia recognised Asean as an important organisation which had succeeded in promoting regional peace and stability. — Bernama
SYDNEY: Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has immunity from prosecution, Australia’s attorney-general said after a legal bid was launched to hold her responsible for “crimes against humanity”.
A group of five Australian lawyers have filed a private application in the Melbourne Magistrates Court seeking to prosecute her over the treatment of the Muslim-minority Rohingya.
It coincides with the Nobel laureate attending a special summit of South-East Asian leaders in Sydney.
Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine state for Bangladesh since authorities launched a brutal crackdown six months ago that the UN has called “ethnic cleansing”.
Myanmar has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting it was responding to attacks by Rohingya militants in late August.
Attorney General Christian Porter said Suu Kyi cannot be prosecuted in Australia, nor arrested or detained.
“Aung San Suu Kyi has complete immunity,” he said in a statement.
“This includes from being served with court documents because under customary international law, heads of state, heads of government and ministers of foreign affairs are immune from foreign criminal proceedings and are inviolable.”
Suu Kyi has come under intense global criticism for her public silence on the atrocities in Myanmar, which include claims of rape, murder and arson.
The private prosecution alleges she committed crimes against humanity by the deportation and forcible transfer of the Rohingya people.
One of the lawyers involved, Alison Battison, told the Sydney Morning Herald that Porter’s decision was appealable.
“The Attorney General is yet to respond to us, but when he does, we’ll address that then,” she said.
“We wouldn’t have done it if we didn’t think we had a chance ... it’s a textbook example of crimes against humanity.”
Suu Kyi has not commented publicly since arriving in Australia on Saturday for the regional summit, but is scheduled to take questions at a media event on Tuesday.