(AseanAll) — On March 3, 2025, Dr. Santo Darmosumarto, Ambassador of Indonesia to Cambodia, met with Lt. Gen. Chuon Narin, Deputy Chief of the Cambodian National Police and Chief of Phnom Penh Police, and had a productive discussion on cooperatively addressing transnational crime.
The meeting served as an important follow-up to Ambassador Santo’s discussions with General Sar Thet, Commissioner General of the Cambodian National Police on 23 January 2025.
Ambassador Santo expressed his appreciation for the support of the Cambodian Police in ensuring the safety and well-being of Indonesians living in the country. He highlighted, “One of the main mandates of my assignment here is to facilitate and protect Indonesian citizens. This goal would be impossible to achieve without the strong cooperation of the Cambodian Police, especially the Phnom Penh Police”.
With more than 130,000 Indonesians currently living in Cambodia, the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh has seen a rise in cases related to consular issues, reaching over 3,000 reports. A significant amount of these cases involve Indonesians involved in illegal or criminal activities, both as victims as well as perpetrators.
Lt. Gen. Chuon Narin conveyed the Cambodian government's commitment to ensuring the safety of all foreign citizens residing in Cambodia. He added that the government has stepped up efforts to combat transnational crimes such as online scamming. The recent establishment of an Online Scam Eradication Commission, which is chaired directly by Prime Minister Hun Manet, is part of such efforts.
Ambassador Santo welcomed this initiative, noting that such steps are essential in safeguarding the interests of foreign nationals in Cambodia, including Indonesians. At the same time, recognizing that transnational crime can never be addressed by a country on its own, Ambassador Santo conveyed the commitment of the Indonesian Government in working together with Cambodia on this issue.
The meeting builds on the close cooperation and coordination that have evolved between the Embassy of Indonesia in Phnom Penh and the Phnom Penh Police. In a bigger picture, such achievements bode well in common efforts to strengthen bilateral ties as well as promote stability and security in the region.
