The government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Malaysia government signed on Tuesday a mutual legal assistance pact in criminal matters.

The Protocol Supplementary to the Agreement for the Surrender of Fugitive Offenders (SFO) signed in 1995 was signed at the same time.

Hong Kong Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee, on behalf of the HKSAR government, signed the agreement with Attorney General of Malaysia Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

The assistance agreement is the 21st bilateral pact of its kind signed by Hong Kong. It mainly includes items of locating and identifying witnesses and suspects, serving judicial documents, obtaining statements and evidence, executing requests for search and seizure, facilitating the attendance of people to give evidence or assistance in relation to criminal matters.

The protocol supplements existing SFO agreements with Malaysia, by expanding the scope of extraditable offenses.

It makes both signatories bound to explain for not acting in response to a request for provisional arrest.

The Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance and the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance will provide the necessary legislative framework for the implementation of the agreement and protocol.

Editor: Yan