Secretary-General of ASEAN Delivers Pre-Recorded Remarks at the ASEAN-Canada Symposium on Countering Scam Centres and Cyber-Enabled Crime

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, delivered pre-recorded video remarks at the ASEAN-Canada Symposium on Countering Scam Centres and Cyber-Enabled Crime, held in Singapore today, in conjunction with the Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) 2026. In his remarks, Dr. Kao highlighted the growing threat posed by scam centres and their links to organised criminal networks, trafficking in persons, forced criminality, cybercrime, as well as the movement and concealment of illicit proceeds. Dr. Kao underscored ASEAN's efforts to strengthen regional cooperation across the law enforcement, digital and telecommunications, as well as finance sectors, emphasising the importance of cross-sectoral coordination, public-private partnerships and a victim-centred approach. Dr. Kao further highlighted the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership (2026-2030) as a framework for translating shared priorities into practical cooperation.