As scam centres proliferate, expert urges ASEAN to form joint cyber task force
Yordan Gunawan, an international law expert from Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY), has proposed that ASEAN form a joint cyber task force to tackle cross-border online scam centre networks.
Speaking in Yogyakarta on Thursday, Yordan said a task force in the form of an “ASEAN Joint Cyber Task Force” could serve as an operational coordination mechanism between law enforcement agencies with an integrated cyber intelligence exchange system.
“At the ASEAN level, an ASEAN Joint Cyber Task Force needs to be established. This special task force can function as a rapid operational coordination mechanism with an integrated cyber intelligence exchange system between countries,” he said.
The statement was made in response to the establishment of an Indonesia Desk at the Cambodian National Police Headquarters, agreed upon by the Indonesian and Cambodian governments at the end of July 2026 to accelerate the handling of online fraud cases involving Indonesian citizens and strengthen victim protection.
According to him, Indonesia-Cambodia bilateral cooperation can be strengthened through a “Police-to-Police” (P2P) mechanism so that officers can exchange information and cyber intelligence quickly, including forming a “Joint Investigation Team” (JIT) to handle crime networks jointly.
In addition to police cooperation, he said, a “Mutual Legal Assistance” (MLA) instrument remains necessary in the formal investigation process as a legal basis for requesting the disclosure of banking information, asset freezing, server security, and obtaining digital evidence in another country’s jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, an extradition mechanism is needed so that perpetrators can be handed over to the authorised country to face legal proceedings.
Yordan assessed that the biggest challenges in handling scam centres are the speed of fund transfers, changes in digital infrastructure, and the loss of electronic evidence.
He therefore encouraged strengthening real-time data exchange and establishing a 24/7 Point of Contact between law enforcement agencies in the ASEAN region.
Yordan said a regional task force would not eliminate the legal authority of each country because every law enforcement action would still be carried out in accordance with national law and the principle of state sovereignty.
In addition, he proposed the drafting of a cross-border digital evidence protocol as a common standard for the collection, securing, transfer, and seizure of electronic evidence.
“A common standard is important so that digital evidence collected in one country maintains its integrity and can be legally accounted for when used in the jurisdiction of another ASEAN country,” he said.
According to Yordan, cross-border cooperation also needs to involve the private sector that manages fund flows, communications, and digital infrastructure.
The establishment of the Indonesia Desk in Cambodia involved a number of institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs, the Attorney General’s Office, the National Police, the Financial Services Authority (OJK), and PPATK.
Yordan assessed that the bilateral step could serve as a foundation for a more integrated regional mechanism because scam centre crimes cannot be handled solely through a case-by-case approach.
“Accelerating coordination is key so that law enforcement does not lag behind scam centre modus operandi, which can move funds, delete evidence, and change digital infrastructure in a short time. Cross-border crime requires an equally rapid cross-border response,” Yordan said.