Malaysia offers to share militant deradicalisation program

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia yesterday offered to share its experience of implementing the militant deradicalisation programme with other countries, particularly those facing conflicts associated with terrorism.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this would be executed in collaboration with the Rabitah Al-Alami Al-Islami (World Muslim League), a nongovernmental organisation based in Saudi Arabia.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Home Minister, said Malaysia emphasised the fight against terrorism, militancy and extremism not only through policing and military methods but also by addressing the hearts and minds of the militants because the issue was related to misinterpretation of ideology and beliefs.

"We undertake engagement to share our experience in deradicalisation that has achieved a high rate of success, at 97.5 per cent,” he said at a press conference after the closing of the Putrajaya International Security Dialogue (PISD) 2018 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, here.

The two-day high-profile discourse on international security issues, themed 'Wisdom and Moderation in Combating Terrorism', was organised by the Home Ministry in collaboration with Rabitah Al-Alami Al-Islami. It was attended by more than 1,000 people from 14 countries, including non-Islamic nations.

Asked about Najib's call to Muslim scholars to craft a roadmap for teaching the Islamic theology of moderation in law and practice to combat terrorism, Ahmad Zahid said the Home Ministry did not intend to work in a silo to address the issue.

Ahmad Zahid said the Islamic Consultative Council, of which he was the chairman, always worked with Islamic scholars and intellectuals in various fields to ensure that ideology and thought veering towards extremism were realigned to the Quran and Hadith.

"All religions have their extremist groups and all religions must work to contain these groups,” he said. - Bernama