The International Division is the co-ordinator of all issues relating to the ministrys international affairs. Following the merger of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Internal Security in 2009, this Division is placed directly under the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Amongst international issues presently under the ministrys purview are:

• Immigration
• Foreign Workers
• Registration and Citizenship
• Registration of Societies
• Human Rights Issues
• Civil Defence
• Transnational crime

1. Terrorism
2. People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons
3. Drug Trafficking
4. Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing
5. Sea Piracy
6. Cyber Crime
7. Economic Crime
8. Small Arms and Light Weapons

• Freedom of Press

The Division is the front-liner for the Ministry on international issues, particularly concerning multilateral and bilateral relations as well as the focal point for ASEAN on issues relating to safety and security. It acts as the co-ordinator between the Ministry and other government or international agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Security Council, foreign diplomatic missions in Malaysia as well as international organisations or bodies.

The division comprises of three (3) units, namely:

ASEAN

• The Ministry of Home Affairs is the focal point for the Senior OfficialsÔÇÖ Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) held on annual basis and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime(AMMTC) which meets every two years. Under the ASEAN Action Plan to Address Transnational Crime Issues, Malaysia is the lead shepherd for sea piracy and money laundering, two (2) out of the eight (8) transnational crime components listed under the ASEAN Action Plan.

 

• The human rights issues, which have strongly gain international attention at multilateral foras, have also attracted interest at the ASEAN level. The unit acts as the focal point with ASEAN Secretariat as well with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in addressing concerns about human rights related issues such as transnational crime, migration and gender equality.

MULTILATERAL

• The Ministry of Home Affairs has been an active participant in international foras through its involvement with the United Nations (UN). The Ministry has established cooperation with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) as well as with other multilateral mechanisms including the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC), Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), International Organisation on Migration (IOM) and the Global Forum on Migration Development (GFMD)

BILATERAL

The bilateral co-operation between the Ministry with regional and international counterparts are crucial to further strengthen the efforts to combat transnational crime. Such relations are significant in managing issues relating to transnational crime, national security and policing, extradition, immigration affairs, migration and foreign workers. This unit acts as the focal point for bilateral co-operation between the Ministry and other countries irrespective of region. It is also the focal point for agencies under the Ministry such as the Royal Malaysian Police, Immigration Department, Prisons Department, National Anti-Drug Agency, Civil Defence Department and the PeopleÔÇÖs Volunteer Corps with their respective counterparts globally.