Southeast Asian attorneys-general failed to agree on a Malaysian-drafted treaty to deepen anti-terror cooperation after talks in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah today, the official Bernama news agency reported.

Malaysian attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail said several countries indicated they were prepared to sign the treaty for mutual assistance in criminal matters but others wanted time to study it further.

Among concerns expressed were those related to the application, enforceability and relevance of the treaty to domestic laws, said Abdul Gani, who chaired the talks.