KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — The threat of violence in Southeast Asia remains a concern but such threats are moderately low, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid, who chaired a high-level committee meeting on terrorism control today, however said Malaysia remains a popular transit destination for operatives of foreign terrorist fighters to launch attacks at other destinations.
“The influx of foreigners from Central Asia, South Asia and Africa also contributes to the spread of terrorism in Malaysia,” he said in a statement.
Zahid, also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the government would monitor risks posed by terrorist groups like Daesh and Jemaah Islamiyah, as well as cooperate with other countries.
Such initiatives are aimed at identifying people suspected to be involved in terrorist activities, be it Malaysians or from other countries.
Speaking of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, Zahid said 565 people have been detained under the act, 368 of them locals.
“Meanwhile, 559 individuals were detained between 2013 and 2020, and the rest after the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said, adding that statistics clearly showed a dip in the intensity of violence in the country.
Zahid said the government would consistently carry out deradicalisation and rehabilitation programmes for those involved in terrorist activities.
In the Global Terrorism Index, Malaysia has shown improved performance, as the country’s ranking in the 2022 Global Terrorism Index, featuring 163 countries, improved from the previous year, dropping by seven notches to 75th spot, as authorities tightened their grip on domestic terror-related activities.
Among Asean countries, Malaysia was in fifth spot.
— Bernama
