[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 46 (Monday, November 20, 2006)]
[Pages 2052-2053]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Senate Transmitting the Malaysia-United States Treaty on 
Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters

November 14, 2006

To the Senate of the United States:

    With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith the Treaty between the United States 
of America and Malaysia on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, 
signed on July 28, 2006, at Kuala Lumpur. I transmit also, for the 
information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State with 
respect to the Treaty.
    The Treaty is one of a series of modern mutual legal assistance 
treaties being negotiated by the United States in order to counter 
criminal activities more effectively.

[[Page 2053]]

The Treaty should enhance our ability to investigate and prosecute a 
wide variety of crimes. The Treaty is self-executing.
    The Treaty provides for a broad range of cooperation in criminal 
matters. Under the Treaty, the Parties agree to assist each other by, 
among other things: providing evidence (such as testimony, documents, 
items, or things) obtained voluntarily or, where necessary, by 
compulsion; arranging for persons, including persons in custody, to 
travel to the other country to provide evidence; serving documents; 
executing searches and seizures; locating and identifying persons, 
items, or places; examining objects and sites; freezing and forfeiting 
assets or property; and identifying or tracing proceeds of crime.
    I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration 
to the Treaty, and give its advice and consent to ratification.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 November 14, 2006.