Security laws vital against terror threats

THE current pattern of terrorist activities in Malaysia is startling. According to IGP

Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun, 45 foreign terrorist fighters (FTF) linked to the terror group Isis have been detained in Malaysia since the beginning of this year.

The influx of FTFs from various regions including Europe, the United States, Middle East, South Asia, East Asia and South-East Asia is a matter of concern.

In my opinion, Malaysia is becoming a conducive environment or incubator for terror groups like Isis, al-Qaeda, Abu Sayyaf, Fetullah Terrorist Organisation, Jammtul Mujahideen and Lashkar-E-Taiba to spread their ideology and to influence Malaysians to declare war against our nation. They also want to recruit the locals by declaring that the Malaysian democratic system is toghut (unIslamic).

There is also a significant rise in the number of women participating in terrorist activities, especially in financing matters. Among the more than 400 suspected terrorists arrested since February 2013, more than 40 were women, according to police reports.

Despite these current threats, human rights groups in Malaysia are urging the government to abolish security legislations like the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) and Prevention of Terrorism Act (Pota). When there is conflict between individual rights and the rights of the nation and its people, which is more important? Can we allow a person or a group to destroy this nation?

We are foolish if we believe that hardcore terrorists who do not accept our belief system will not harm us in future.

We must accept that these terrorists are a totally different breed of people. For them, their extremist ideology is their life and they are very difficult to reform.

Part 2 of the Federal Constitution grants Malaysians fundamental liberties like liberty of the person, protection against retrospective criminal laws and repeated trials, equality, and freedom of speech, assembly and association.

The question is whether these liberties can be used as a reason to undermine the peace and security of this nation.

I am a strong believer in the rule of law. The law must protect the people. The requirement of human rights is fundamental in any legal system.

But the rule of law is irrelevant to terrorists and their sympathisers. They have a different belief system which does not respect universal human rights.

Ironically, they expect the rule of law to protect them when they are caught.

Therefore, the government must consider carefully and think of the consequences of repealing Sosma, Pota and other security laws in this country.

These legislations are the key factors in managing the terrorist threats in Malaysia.The United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany and the US are improving or tightening up their existing security laws to deter terrorist attacks on their soil. But in Malaysia, we seem to be moving in the opposite direction.

It’s important to have legislations like Sosma and Pota, which give the authorities power to monitor and detain suspected terrorists and their sympathisers and thus prevent any attacks on our soil. They are also needed to prevent FTFs from spreading their ideology among the locals and sowing disharmony among Malaysians.

In a nutshell, the essential powers which are provided by security legislations like Sosma and Pota are vital for our intelligence and security forces to operate without fear or favour.

These agencies cannot and should not tolerate anyone who poses a threat to our national security.

The present government in their election manifesto promised to abolish these security laws. But that promise can be fulfilled by plugging the loopholes that allow these laws to be manipulated instead of repealing them.

Malaysia is in a new era where the people do not want to be under the suppression or oppression of anyone or any agencies. But the peace and security of this nation is still paramount. I am urging the Pakatan Harapan government to retain these security laws. Some improvements can be made, and these should be done after consultations with the relevant stakeholders.

I believe the law is not perfect but the people who are entrusted with enforcing these laws need to be transparent, accountable and have high integrity, and must not abuse their position and power.

R. PANEIR SELVAM Chairman Association of Legal and Policy Researcher Kuala Lumpur