Nur Jazlan: 19 terror plots crippled

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysian police and other security agencies disrupted 19 terror plots in the country between 2013 and 2017, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said.

In the same period, he said, 369 suspected Daesh militants, including 87 foreigners, were arrested.

Nur Jazlan said the grenade attack at the Movida bar in Puchong in June 2016 was considered the first Daesh-linked attack in Malaysia, which was an apt reminder of the reality of modern terrorism.

“Thankfully, it did not result in any deaths, and the perpetrators were arrested and sentenced to jail.

“Conflicts that are happening thousands of miles away can have very real repercussions on our security,” he said when delivering the Malaysian country statement at the Putrajaya International Security Dialogue 2018 here yesterday.

Nur Jazlan said the time had come for the international community to review the current approach to combating terrorism.

“Instead of being reactive, it would be much wiser to take proactive steps in ensuring that the seeds of extremism are stamped out,” he said, adding that Malaysia had mooted the idea of offering a moderate religious interpretation particularly in dealing with Daesh.

“The heavy-handed approach, which may seem effective in the short term, does not address the core issues of terrorism, which is just as much as a war against criminals and terrorists as it is for the hearts and minds, a battle of competing ideologies,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mehmet Mehdi Eker, representative of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his country statement, said terrorism could only be addressed through effective international cooperation.

He said Turkey believed in forming a collective approach to global security threats, and contributed to international efforts in the fight against terrorism.

“Only joint action and solidarity can lead to a more secure and peaceful world,” he said.

Mehmet also expressed his country’s gratitude to Malaysia for the cooperation in curbing Fethullah Terrorist Organisation activities in Malaysia.

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 (World Muslim League), a non-governmental organisation based in Saudi Arabia. — Bernama