The Cabinet today gave the nod for an Anti-Crime Cooperation Bill that will give the government more bite in its fight against organised and serious crimes that include terrorist acts, money-laundering and drug-trafficking.

Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Dr Rais Yatim said the draft law would be the much-needed collaborative instrument to enable cross-border investigations and gathering of evidence for criminals to be charged in Malaysia.

Once the law is passed, we will use existing diplomatic channels to forge a closer co-operation with other countries which are also battling organised crime.

The Attorney-Generals Chambers will work out the mechanism [to fit] around Wisma Putras diplomatic network, he said.

The bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament by this year.

Asked if recent allegations that Malaysia was a hotbed for terrorist activities following the Sept 11 terror attacks prompted the bill, Rais said the idea had been on the drawing board for some time.

Domestic law

It augurs well for the country in view of recent developments because it is a domestic law which is necessary to ease problems faced by local authorities in gathering evidence for prosecution, he said.

International media, based on a Federal Bureau of Investigation report, alleged that Malaysia was a primary operational launchpad for the Sept 11 attacks.

On March 7, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad called for lesser degree of banking secrecy that would allow governments the same access to foreign bank accounts of suspected corrupt politicians or officers as that of suspected terrorists.

Speaking at the Asia Economic Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Mahathir said the secrecy aspect of banking laws should be reviewed to prevent corrupt money from being deposited illegally in certain countries.

Meanwhile, US FBI director Robert S Mueller who is on an Asia-Pacific tour arrives today to meet senior Malaysian government officials to discuss law enforcement issues of mutual interest.

His Asia-Pacific tour also includes stops in Australia, Indonesia and Philippines.