AKP Phnom Penh, January 20, 2026 -- Cambodia and Indonesia pledged on Monday to intensify joint operations against cross-border cyber-scam networks, signaling a more aggressive stance toward dismantling criminal infrastructure and repatriating victims.

The commitment followed a high-level meeting between H.E. Santepundit Chhay Sinarith, Cambodia’s Senior Minister for Special Missions and Head of the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), and outgoing Indonesian Ambassador to Cambodia, H.E. Santo Darmosumarto.

Senior Minister Sinarith emphasised the Royal Government’s priority to prosecute "ringleaders" and "cleanse" the Kingdom of fraudulent operations that have strained regional diplomatic ties.

"Cambodia is strengthening its resolve to neutralise these criminal networks," he said, noting that cooperation with Jakarta would focus on real-time intelligence sharing and law enforcement coordination.

In response, Ambassador Darmosumarto credited Cambodian authorities for recent interventions that led to the rescue of Indonesian nationals trafficked into scam compounds. He reaffirmed that Indonesia would maintain its strategic partnership with Phnom Penh to tackle the "evolving threat" of digital fraud even after his departure.

The discussions focused heavily on streamlining legal procedures to ensure victims are processed and returned home more rapidly, bypassing previously lengthy bureaucratic delays.

By K. Rithy Reak