DPM lauds counter-terrorism centre operations
PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday gave the thumbs-up to the Regional Digital CounterMessaging Communications Centre (CMC) hosted by Malaysia that went into full operation last month.
He said he was happy with the centre, which has established coordination with the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism, an agency under the Foreign Ministry.
“We will also work with the King Salman Centre for International Peace, meaning we do not operate in a silo.
“All information will be channelled to Aseanapol and Interpol so that the list of suspects available or any data obtained can be used to give alerts at the international level,” he said at a thanksgiving event for the People’s Volunteer Corps yesterday.
Ahmad Zahid said CMC had adequate expertise and the information obtained was monitored to ensure that there were no elements of terrorism, extremism or militancy in the country.
He said although the centre was not fully operational before, it had been successful in facilitating the arrests of several individuals linked to terrorism, extremism and militant activities.
“The arrests were (facilitated by) CMC before it went fully operational,” he said.
Malaysia was chosen by the United States to host the centre to check on Islamic State ideology and propaganda on the Internet, and is also the CMC reference centre for other Asean countries, Australia and New Zealand.
Besides Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates was also selected to as a host country. – Bernama