KUALA LUMPUR: The United States government has offered to extend forensics assistance to the Malaysian police in investigating recently uncovered mass graves in Perlis.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the offer was made during his meeting with the US' Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson in New York on Thursday.
"During the meeting, we discussed issues on bilateral cooperation related to security, Malaysia's progress in meeting statutory requirement for US Visa Waiver Programme, cross-border cooperation in criminal investigations, and human trafficking.
"We also talked about steps that Malaysia had taken to handle the problem of Islamic State foreign fighters through the tabling of Prevention of Terrorism Act, as well as Special Measures Against Terrorism in Foreign Countries 2015.
"During this discussion, the US has stated their readiness to provide assistance to our police in forensics investigation into the migrants' mass graves in Perlis," he said in a statement received earlier today.
Zahid is in New York for a six-day official visit that started on Tuesday, during which he will be attending the United Nations Security Council on Foreign Terrorist Fighters session scheduled later today.
Meanwhile, the US Coast Guard (USCG) has also offered to conduct joint-exercises with the Malaysian police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency on combating human trafficking activities at sea.
Zahid said the offer was extended to him during his visit to USCG, an agency under the US' Department of Homeland Security with massive experience in combating human trafficking and smuggling activities.