‘Visa waiver programme is why Malaysia dubbed terror transit point’
Malaysia being categorised as a transit point for terror groups was due to its visa waiver programme to foreign nationals, particularly those from the Middle East and some African nations.
Federal police Special Branch CounterTerrorism Division (E8) principal assistant director Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said foreign nationals do not have to obtain a visa to enter Malaysia.
“Hence, this made Malaysia their first choice (as a transit point for foreign terrorists).”
The Country Reports on Terrorism released by the United States on Nov 1 last year reported that terror groups had made Malaysia their “transit point”.
“This is nothing new. In fact, such reports (suggesting that Malaysia was a transit point for terror groups) had been around since the 1980s.
“As stated by Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, we acknowledge the matter. And the police did not rest on our laurels. We have initiated the necessary actions.
“Since 2013, we have arrested 38 foreign terrorists. Some of them have been prosecuted in the country and some have been sent back,” he said after the International Conference on Financial Crime and Terrorism Financing here yesterday.
Since 2013, he said, police had prevented 25 attempts by terror groups that wanted to launch an attack.
“A total of 14 attempts were still in phase one, which is the process of discussion. The remaining attempts had entered the second phase, where the groups had begun sourcing weapons supply.”
He said police were working closely with Bank Negara Malaysia, banks and the private sector to combat terror financing and money laundering activities.
The close cooperation, he said, had helped the police to open 22 investigation papers (IPs) since 2016.
“From the total IPs opened, 19 suspects have been prosecuted and convicted in court. Suspects involving three investigation papers are still being tried in court,” he said.
On a separate matter, Ayob said Malaysia was a sovereign nation and the country had its own legislation when it came to dealing with terror groups such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
He said this sovereignty included its right to draw up its own list of terror groups. He was responding to reports claiming there were nations which had delisted the LTTE as a terror group.
“Malaysia is a sovereign country. Whatever we do, we adhere and follow stringent standard operating procedure. The country has its own laws and we have our own list (of terror groups). We cannot follow other countries.
“For example, we cannot use the list by the US as our reference. If the US wants to de-list LTTE, then it is up to them. There are other countries which include LTTE in their list.”