Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar
KUCHING: More muscle and bite in the form of a more efficient, well-supported and well-funded police force is necessary to combat the growing spectre of terrorism on Malaysian soil.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dato Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said it is timely for the Special Branch anti-terrorism unit to be beefed up and expanded while its intelligence wing should be enhanced with enough funds and capabilities.
“We have the laws and all we need is a (more) efficient, well-supported and (well-)funded police force,” he said yesterday while responding to claims that the militant group Islamic State (IS) would increase attacks on Malaysia and Indonesia following the recent hand grenade attack on an entertainment outlet in Puchong, Selangor, which injured at least eight.
The Santubong Member of Parliament said the public need not to be over-alarmed by the recent incident.
However, the war against terrorism is everyone’s concern and responsibility and should cut across ministries, government agencies and the corporate sector, the former Deputy Home Minister emphasised. He proposed that a group comprising of various experts and professionals to be set up to review current methods and procedures aimed at countering radicalisation and terrorist propaganda.
“The government has to relook at its methods and procedures on dissemination of information, explanation and arguments on radicalisation and corruption of people’s minds by the terrorism concept, particularly by the IS. The group should not only be made up of qualified religious representatives only but should also be comprised of various other categories of professionals including educationists.”
“Bring in all ministries, government agencies, and corporate sectors together. We are at war with ideas; police and military alone are not enough. It must include everyone. Security is not the concern of police and military alone but we the people as well,” he said.
He also proposed that real-time intelligence data and information exchanges between regional and international enforcement and intelligence agencies be stepped up.
“Our intelligence data and sharing link-up with the FBI, Scotland Yard, and Interpol ought to be considered. Online and real-time exchanges of information (should) be made possible. The government should not count ringgit and sen when it comes to security,” he said.
Wan Junaidi pointed out that it was time for the joint Police and Immigration Advanced Passengers Screening System for all formal entry points to Malaysia, which has been mooted, to be finally installed and enforced.
He also called for common border checkpoints to further develop joint monitoring and enforcement by neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed that IS was behind the Puchong attack, Bernama reported yesterday.
Two suspects aged 19 and 52 were arrested over the incident. Khalid said the suspects had taken instructions from Muhammad Wanndy Mohammad Jedi a member of the Daesh Malaysia terrorist group in Syria.