PETALING JAYA: The setting up of an Australian Customs and Border Protection Service post in Malaysia as an effort to combat people smuggling in the region is not something new.

Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam said that besides Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom have similiar posts in Kuala Lumpur.

These posts, he said, were based at the embassies of the countries concerned and they worked closely with  Malaysia's Immigration, police and Customs departments as well as the Home Ministry.

"For example, there will be cooperation in information sharing and intelligence on human trafficking."

Mahmood said a foreign country could be worried about people being smuggled in from Malaysia or about such cases happening among transit passengers.

"We work together with these countries. If they have information on people being smuggled here or leaving this country for theirs, they will be in touch with our immigration personnel at airports and work together to curb the problem," Mahmood said.

"Such cooperation with foreign countries will help strengthen relations with Malaysia."

On the laws used in such cases, Mahmood said the respective laws of each country would apply at locations where any act of human trafficking was committed.

The Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur officially launched its Customs and Border Protection Service post last Friday to help strengthen cooperation on security in the Southeast Asian region.

A High Commission spokesman had said that the officers at the post would work closely with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Royal Malaysian Customs and the police in their mutual efforts to maintain the integrity and security of Malaysia's borders.

The primary aim of the Australian move is to counter people smuggling by sea and other common border security interests, such as counter-terrorism.