Legal bond: Malaysian Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee exchange souvenirs after signing the bilateral agreement and protocol on criminal enforcement.

Hong Kong and Malaysia have signed a mutual legal assistance pact in criminal matters and the Protocol Supplementary to the Agreement for the Surrender of Fugitive Offenders signed in 1995.

The assistance agreement is the 21st bilateral pact of its kind signed by Hong Kong. It mainly covers:

* 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;

* arranging the temporary transfer of people in custody to give evidence or assistance related to criminal matters;

* providing information, documents, articles and records;

* identifying, tracing, restraining, seizing, recovering, forfeiting and confiscating proceeds and instrumentalities of criminal activities;

* lending of exhibits;

* examining objects and sites; and,

* other assistance consistent with the objects of the MLA Agreement and not inconsistent with the law of the requested party.

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

It makes both signatories bound to explain for not acting  in response to a request for provisional arrest; and also improve other operational aspects of the existing agreement.

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.