SUBANG: The Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) National Academy is an excellent training ground that has led to improvements in law enforcement's fight against transnational crimes, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said.
He said the academy was also a good platform to advance investigation and administrative skills of police personnel.
"The increasingly complex nature of crimes has altered the landscape and made it necessary to collectively join our efforts in combatting it.
"It is crucial that there is coordination among all the different players in maintaining a global security architecture.
"In this aspect, the FBI National Academy Associates programme is without a doubt an important part in forging stronger regional cooperation in policing and promoting friendship among police officers of member countries," he said in his speech at the opening of 23rd FBI National Academy Associates Asia Pacific Retaining Conference today.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, United States ambassador to Malaysia Brian D. McFeeters, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor, FBI assistant director of International Operations Division Raymond P. Duda and FBINAA international president Tim Braniff.
Razarudin said the academy provided investigation training on terrorism, cyber crime, counter intelligence, civil rights, public corruption, weapons of mass destruction, transnational organised crime, violent crime and white collar crime.
Malaysia, he said, had been a member country of the FBINAA Asia Pacific Chapter and the Malaysian chapter had an alumni of police officers who completed the 11-week course in Quantico in the US.
To date, the FBINAA Malaysia has eight active police officers and 57 retired police officers as members.
Razarudin said the conference provided wide opportunities for police officers to enhance cooperation in future and to broaden its network.
"I hope the conference will serve as a platform for a more active cooperation and partnership aimed at sharing experiences and knowledge in crime eradication.
"May the key takeaways of this gathering of like-minded people with a shared interest in safeguarding safety and security be not only the friendship built but also the determination to work together in achieving our common goal.
"I am also positive that this continuing effort will foster close working relations and cooperation not only in combating transnational crime but in many other fields such as white-collar crime and cybercrime," said Razarudin.