This effort, would involve a standard operating procedure (SOP) being drafted by the three countries.

“A trilateral meeting between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines to draw up an SOP is important because cross-border kidnapping cases at sea do not just involve Malaysians.

“For example, Indonesia has had 14 of its citizens kidnapped since 2014. This is an issue that needs a collective agreement from three countries on further action,” he said during the question and answer session in Parliament today.

Reezal Merican was responding to Sipitang MP Sapawi Ahmad Wasali, who asked the government to state the progress on current peace efforts by the country in southern Philippines.

“Tomorrow is the first technical meeting to establish the SOP to ensure cooperation between the three countries in terms of patrolling, and exchange of intelligence in order to prevent future incidents,” Reezal said.