Security Assessment of Malaysia 2022

Overview?

Malaysia's security focus has progressed beyond the issues of defending sovereignty & national boundaries. There are emerging security risks that could threaten the survival of the country. The current security landscape has become increasingly complex with threats from both state & non-state actors which will impact the security & sovereignty of the country. The issue of international terrorism is an ongoing global threat that has a direct impact on the security of the country. Extremist & terrorist elements that have infiltrated the country as well as the involvement of Malaysian citizens in terrorist activities both within & outside the country can spark chaos which threaten the peace of the country. Malaysia’s geographical location sharing vast land borders with Indonesia & Thailand & positioned along the Straits of Malacca & the South China Sea, makes it vulnerable to transnational crimes such as smuggling of people, wildlife, jungle products, drugs, arms as well as human trafficking, piracy, organized crime, cybercrime, money laundering & economic crimes.

In Feb 2013, 235 armed men from the Sulu archipelago in the southern Philippines arrived in Sabah by motorboats & occupied a town in Lahad Datu, catching both the Malaysian & Philippine governments by surprise. This invasion was the most serious security crisis faced by Malaysia in years which led to a siege between the invaders & Malaysian armed forces (MAF) sent to root them out. In response to the Feb 2013 incursion & to better secure the area, the Malaysian government created the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE) to cover 10 districts on the eastern seaboard of Sabah. To enforce ESSZONE, the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) comprising the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP), the Malaysian Coast Guard, Malaysian Armed Forces & the immigration department was established.

Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZONE)

ESSCOM maintains 2 forward operating bases to boost its security capabilities & has plans to set up another in Semporna in 2024. In November 2020, ESSCOM proposed installing a high-resolution camera in the area to boost security control & surveillance capabilities on top of the existing ‘Target Hardening’ close-range radar systems that have already been installed in strategic locations. In line with efforts to boost capabilities in the region, the MAF & police have proposed establishing an extra armed forces brigade in Kalabakan with 2 General Operations Force battalions in Kunak & Kudat. The Malaysian Navy has also deployed Special Forces in the region, upgraded its fleet of small crafts & established 2 offshore vessels near the Sulu-Celebes Sea as operational hubs. The MAF will also be receiving 6 new light-attack MD 530 G helicopters this year that will be stationed in Sabah to enhance air surveillance capabilities.

ESSCOM security officers on maritime patrol

ESSCOM security officers on guard duty

However, it is shown that domestic sources of threat are still perceived to pose the main security challenges to Malaysia.

In 2018, a survey conducted by the Malaysia-based Merdeka Centre found that 5.2% of the respondents supported the Islamic State (IS), while 18.1% supported Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

In the 2017 siege of Marawi, 30 Malaysian fighters were involved in the fighting. In 2016, Malaysian police had flagged a worrying trend of young families leaving to join IS because they believe Malaysia was not Islamic enough. Federal CT chief, Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay told the Malaysian Insider news website that 10 families - many of them parents in their late 20s, had left Malaysia for Syria. They want to migrate so they & their children can live under an Islamic nation led by a caliph. This was new because IS sympathizers used to be predominantly single men or women leaving to join the terrorists on their own.

In Oct 2021, Ikram bin Mohd Ibrahim, Malaysia’s permanent representative to the UN said Malaysia shared the concern that the COVID-19 pandemic may exacerbate an already complex, evolving & increasingly localized terrorism threat. Measures imposed to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic such as the movement control orders may have negatively impacted the operational activities of terrorists but have also inadvertently exposed the general public to the danger of online radicalization & recruitment.

Malaysia has a population of about 33 million, of which, 60% are Sunni Muslims. There are approximately 200-250 IS fighters from Malaysia in the Middle East. Indonesia has a Muslim population of 275 million but there are less than 400 IS fighters. This is an indication of the scale of the problem Malaysia faces.

Malaysia’s threat landscape has subtly transformed. Key developments are the efforts of pro-IS cells to exploit local issues like racial & religious tensions to launch attacks. Given the complexities of the country’s ethnic & religio-political landscape, Malaysia’s social fabric is increasingly vulnerable & susceptible to racial & religious tensions. Local pro-IS supporters continue to rigorously spread its narrative & recruit members online.

In Sept 2019, Amalina Abdul Nasir, Research Analyst at the International Centre for Political Violence & Terrorism Research (ICPVTR), a special unit within the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), reported that IS was determined to stay relevant & visible in Malaysia by exploiting local issues to advance its extremist ideology. The authorities conducted an operation in the Klang Valley & managed to shut down a pro-IS cell which comprised of a Malaysian, 2 Rohingya Muslims & an Indonesian. They had planned a wave of large-scale terror attacks & assassinations to “avenge” the death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim. The cell had also planned to kill high-profile personalities who they believed had insulted Islam or not shown sufficient support for the faith.

Islamic Factionalism & Extremist Preaching

The religious department of the Democratic Action Party-led Penang state government sponsored lectures by Mufti Menk. Malaysian politicians are willing to court these controversial figures to burnish their religious credentials in an attempt to win the middle-class Malaysian Muslim voters.

Salafism is often associated with the ideology of Al-Qaeda (AQ) & Islamic State (IS) despite the adherents of the sect condemning such association. Zakir Naik (one of the most popular televangelist in the Muslim World), Anjem Choudary (one of the UK's most notorious radical Islamist preachers) & Mufti Ismail Menk all belong to the Salafi sect.

The political hijacking of religious discourses in Malaysia is a 5-decade old phenomenon. Initially meant to cement the socio-political standing of the Malays, references to Sunni Islam eventually became the very foundation of the Malay identity. The Islamisation race between Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) & United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) grew increasingly conservative & exclusivist along the years. The never ending debates over hudud & the authenticity of Malaysia as an Islamic state naturalised religion into a political obligation. The growing visibility of Islamic symbols in the Malaysian public sphere & rapid proliferation of information via written press, television & the internet fragmented the previously un-contested religious authority of the religious scholars. Under these circumstances, the preaching of exclusionary preachers (who were also celebrated as important Muslim figures) resonated with the popular religious discourses prevalent in Malaysia.

Mufti Ismail Menk, Zakir Naik & Sheikh Imran Hosein have never overtly supported terrorism nor encouraged Muslims to embark on violent actions. However, they have made remarks that could be misconstrued as justifying terrorism. Zakir Naik once said, “If Osama bin Laden is fighting enemies of Islam, I am for him. I don’t know him personally. If he is terrorising America, the biggest terrorist, I am with him. Every Muslim should be a terrorist. The thing is that if he is terrorising a terrorist, he is following Islam”. Two terrorists apprehended after the July 2016 Holey Artisan cafe terror attack in Dhaka which killed 22 people reportedly told Bangladeshi investigators?said that Naik was a significant influence on them. Naik is currently wanted by Indian authorities on charges of terror financing,?hate speech, inciting communal hatred & money laundering. He has nearly 17.5 million followers on Facebook & is unwelcome in several countries for his views particularly after his declared support for AQ & Osama bin Laden. His opinions on 9/11 have been denounced by the US & he has been denied entry into the?UK & Canada?for speaking engagements. Nonetheless, Naik is seen as an important religious preacher to the conservative Malay electorate – which comprises a large portion of the country's Muslim vote-base. During the 2014 general election both, former prime minister Najib Razak & his successor, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad had used Naik's popularity to bolster their support base among the Malays. Naik delivered a speech on Islamophobia on 9 August 2019 at the?Sultan Mohammad IV Stadium in Kota Bharu Kelantan which was attended by more than 100,000 people. In Oct 2019, Home Affairs Minister Muhyiddin Yassin confirmed in parliament that Naik was granted Malaysian permanent residency by Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohannad.

Mufti Menk was lauded as an important religious dignitary who had infamously denounced a Muslim wishing a non-Muslim friend “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Deepavali/Diwali” as “the highest form of blasphemy”. The religious department of the Democratic Action Party-led Penang state government sponsored lectures by Mufti Menk. Malaysian politicians are willing to court these controversial figures to burnish their religious credentials in an attempt to win the middle-class Malaysian Muslim voters

One aspect that unites these preachers is their attitude towards other religious tradition & sects in Islam.

Prime Minister Najib Razak (left) has met Mufti Menk & lauded him as an important religious leader.?

In 2013, Malaysia gave Zakir Naik the Maal Hijrah award, the country’s highest accolade accorded to a Muslim for his service to Islam. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has also met with both Mufti Menk & Zakir Naik.

The politicization of Islam.?

Malaysian politicians do not differ much in their economic ideology as politics is driven by race & religion.?After Tun Hussein Onn, the 3rd Prime Minister, politicians created this situation to remain in power. Malaysian political groups radicalized their audience & created more far-right extremists which can only spell trouble for a multi-religious & multi-racial country.

Polarization over race, religion & reform have afflicted Malaysia for decades & shaped its electoral politics. Since attaining independence in 1957, Malaysia’s ethnic Malay majority has enjoyed a constitutionally protected special status. The damaging effects of polarization were evident most recently in Feb 2020, when sharp, identity-driven divisions contributed to the collapse of the most inclusive, secular Pakatan Harapan (PH) government in the country’s history. Although polarization is largely confined to the elites, it is increasingly permeating Malaysian society, endangering inter-ethnic harmony & eroding social cohesion.

Counterterrorism officials have said that the biggest terror threat in Malaysia can be categorized under religious & ethnically motivated violent extremism which eventually sparks ethno-nationalistic divisions that could lead to violent incidents.

Malaysia’s current ruling coalition, Perikatan Nasional (PN) is exceptional in its ethnic homogeneity. Cobbled together in Feb/Mar 2020, the coalition is dominated by Malay Muslim parties, including UMNO, PAS & the majority of MPs from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu). Malay rights & Islamism defined the PN agenda. Central to PN’s identity-building effort are aggressive statements & actions to assert Malay-Muslim centrality. This includes policies to support Malay-Muslim icons to appeal to segments of UMNO’s base, such as farmers & civil servants, as well as other economic initiatives that favor Malays & other Bumiputera.

In Aug 2015, Brookings scholar Joseph Liow laid out the reasons for the rise of IS in Malaysia - the politicization of Islam by the state.?For UMNO & PAS, political Islam as their weapon of choice. Its use is a calculated move by a group of committed Islamists hidden in the highest level of the Malaysian state & bureaucracy?to create a Malay-Islamic state, not a mere theocratic state. This ideology is unique & separate from the caliphate project pursued by the Islamic State (IS).

Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) is a federal-level agency seen as the face of bureaucratic Islam & not often seen in a complimentary light by adherents of a more inclusive Islam.?Support for IS & intolerant Islam is growing in Malaysia due to the deliberate policies of JAKIM & BTN (Biro Tatanegara) or National Civics Bureau, whose worldviews are increasingly becoming even more influential than those promulgated by elected political leaders. Malaysian opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) adviser Lim Kit Siang said that BTN must be abolished because it propagates the politics of fear, hate, lies, race & religion which is detrimental to national interest & harmony. This situation can only get worse until top UMNO leaders rein in JAKIM & similar bodies as they encourage racial & religious polarization.

The US Embassy’s?Malaysia 2015 International Religious Freedom Report also reported that JAKIM propagated anti-Christian & anti-Shia messages through Friday sermons. Additionally, it implemented & regulated sharia law while government officials, such as the Minister of Education, made “anti-Semitic & in some cases, anti-Christian statements

BTN started as a bureau dedicated to promoting civic consciousness in a plural society but degenerated over time into a propaganda outfit. Participants in BTM programs are indoctrinated with propaganda about Ketuanan Melayu (Malay Supremacy) & “external threats". A participant claimed he was taught that the Chinese were "the Jews of Asia" & formed part of a conspiracy to topple the government. This is the culmination of years of indoctrination of racism, bigotry, intolerance & extremism.

In 2021, Dr. Zachary Abuza, Adjunct?Research Professor, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army?War College noted that there were a host of organizations in Indonesia & Malaysia which engaged in provocative & highly divisive practices. He was quoted as saying, terrorist groups are effective at exploiting existing societal & sectarian divisions. These schisms were often created by politicians, government policies & laws. He expressed concern that any successful mass casualty attack in Malaysia, which would be designed to provoke ethnic tensions, might spark an over-the-top response.

In 2020, Dr Ahmad El-Muhammady, a lecturer at International Islamic University Malaysia & adviser to the Malaysian police on their rehabilitation program for terror detainees, said Malaysia?is grappling with radicalization in the political arena raising the spectre of violent civil unrest. He believes that Malaysia is heading for a repeat of the May 13, 1969 racial riots because the current political discourse is not managed well. Escalation will continue & it will reach a point where people will take certain actions that will lead to violence & civil strife. He identified the largest threat to peaceful coexistence to be a combination of both?terrorist radicalization & political radicalization – defined as the inability to accept one another, or to live together as communities joined by mutual respect.

In 2007, Dr Kua Kia Soong revealed in his book titled, “May 13, Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969” that declassified British embassy dispatches suggested that the May 13 riots where hundreds of ethnic Chinese were killed, were organized by Malay political leaders & were not a spontaneous reaction to provocation, as conventional wisdom claims. History seems very likely to repeat itself.

Dr Ahmad went on to explain that the country’s political radicalization was attracting a large number of people. Everybody is having an extreme perception &/or opinion of things, with the “us versus them” narrative together with the desire to be supreme among parties & individuals spreading across the country. Previously, Malaysia’s diversity was a source of strength. Now these differences are used as a source of conflict. Malaysia will pay the price for the deepening of polarization.

The Terrorist Threat

Terrorist attacks often result in a great loss of lives & damage to critical infrastructure besides jeopardizing national security. In other words, there is too much at stake in terrorism cases & the police cannot afford to act after an attack has occurred. There were no terrorist attacks in Malaysia in 2019, 2020 & 2021 although the country remained a hub for kidnap-for-ransom activities perpetrated by terrorist networks.?Given that the threat of violent extremism in SE Asia has not abated, the Malaysian government & its security agencies cannot afford to leave gaps that may be exploited by opportunistic militant groups.

Terrorist groups have demonstrated the capability & intent to carry out attacks in locations where Westerners congregate & these groups do not distinguish between civilian & official targets. Terrorist attacks in public areas such as tourist sites, hotels & upscale shopping venues pose the greatest concern as these often generate horrendous casualties.

In Sept 2021,?Mohamed Faizal, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said PAS’s open support for the Taliban would not have gone unnoticed by the Islamic State in Khorasan (IS-K) who are responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan & Pakistan, massacring civilians in mosques, shrines, public squares & even hospitals. This has exposed Malaysia to IS as the terror group is a sworn enemy of the Taliban.?

On Jan 25, 2016, federal CT chief Datuk Ayob Khan told The Star daily that the Katibah Nusantara group (Malaysian-Indonesian wing of IS) viewed Malaysia as secular, making the government & its people its targets. He mentioned the police recently arrested a 28-year-old man at an LRT station who was suspected of having travelled from Terengganu to stage a suicide attack at a karaoke outlet or a pub in Kuala Lumpur. Furthermore, 2 Malaysian suicide bombers blew themselves up separately in Iraq & Syria earlier this month, killing more than 30 people.

A Pew Research Centre study in 2015 on the attitude of Muslims towards IS revealed that 11% of Malaysians supported the Muslim militant group that claimed responsibility for the Jan 14 bombings in Jakarta that killed 4 civilians & 4 terrorists.

Insider Threats

A major factor which compromises the security in Malaysia & facilitates the movement of militants is corruption & radicalization among security officials. With such civil servants, Malaysia's civil service needs no enemy.

In 2016, an immigration scandal captured global media attention after 37?immigration officers?were found guilty of interfering with the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs), which is linked to Interpol’s I-Checkit system, enabling authorities to verify within seconds if a passport had been reported lost or stolen. This system was deliberately switched off in 2 major international airports in KL, which allowed passports to be stamped manually, resulting in travellers evading security & passport authenticity screenings & avoided having their names checked against international terror databases. Malaysia has 10 ports of entry connected to INTERPOL’s Stolen & Lost Travel Documents database (SLTD) & other authorized law enforcement databases, which have greatly enhanced passenger-screening measures of incoming & transiting international travellers.?Unfortunately, this problem of corruption in the Malaysian Immigration Department cannot be eradicated. The 2018 Auditor-General’s report uncovered over 32,424 “fraudulent work permit approvals for foreign workers” made through the system.?This persistent issue is alarming because some of the companies involved were blacklisted.

14 Malaysian Immigration Officers among 23 remanded for border stamp forgery

The Malaysian government also admitted that a ‘bypass function’ in the Immigration Department’s system for passport issuance is still being exploited by corrupt officials & syndicates to issue Malaysian passports for sale. This led to the Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission (MACC) to conduct a nationwide operation in 2020 codenamed Ops Selat which saw 39 immigration officers in Johor & other states being arrested for?corruption, money laundering & receiving bribes?to certify the entry & exit of foreigners.

In July 2020. Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan announced at a press conference that Immigration officers weren't the only uniformed personnel arrested for helping international syndicates smuggle people from China, Vietnam, Bangladesh & Indonesia into Malaysia through KLIA & KLIA2 in return for cash, luxury cars, jewellery & land. 14 policemen & 5 army officers were also involved.

Members of law enforcement & government have also been discovered to have had links with terror groups In April 2015, Malaysian Deputy Defence Minister, Datuk Haji Abdul Rahim Bakri, told parliament that as many as 70 Malaysian military personnel were found to have ties to IS. In July 2016, IGP, Tan Sri Abu Bakar said 2 low-ranking policemen were among 15 ISIS-linked people arrested. One was suspected of planning a terrorist attack & seeking funds for local ISIS cells.?These insider threats exhibit the vulnerability of Malaysian security.

Internal threats have hampered the overall effectiveness of Malaysia’s border security.?The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) reinstated a heightened alert status for the East Sabah area, increased maritime patrols & extended curfew to safeguard against kidnappings. Malaysian authorities reported that between 2018 & 2020, 40 foiled kidnapping attempts in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone. On 17 May 2021, 5 members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) were?shot by police.

Malaysian Defence Forces on patrol in ESSCOM

The illegal maritime activities in the Tri-Border Area (TBA) between Malaysia, Philippines & Indonesia also must not be underestimated. Malaysia needs to put aside its territorial tensions with its neighbors over Sabah & the Ambalat block in the Celebes Sea where overlapping claims to sovereign rights in this oil & gas rich region intensified when a naval stand-off in 2005 threatened to escalate the dispute into a military conflict, to enhance trilateral security coordination & cooperation.

Area of dispute - The Ambalat & East Ambalat Block, each of them covering area 10,750 sq km & 4,739 sq km respectively are economically strategic as they contain an estimated 421.61 million barrels of oil & 3.3 trillion cu feet of natural gas.

An Interpol-led operation codenamed Maharlika III which was carried out in the TBA region in Feb-Mar 2020 resulted in the arrest of more than 180 individuals for various offences, including an ASG member. ?

ESSCOM security forces on patrol

Counterterrorism Unit of the Malaysian Special Branch

?The Malaysian Special Branch’s Counterterrorism Unit (E8) is the lead counterterrorism (CT) agency. In Jan 2021, CT Chief, DCP Normah Isyak, declared that COVID-19 movement restrictions had flattened the curve of terrorism in Malaysia as there were only 7 arrests in 2020 compared to 72 in 2019 &119 in 2018. She rightfully attributed this steep decline in arrests to border closures & restricted in-country movements during the COVID-19 pandemic which severely curtailed transit of terrorist networks.

Current Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division (E8) Principal Assistant Director, DCP?Normah Ishak

However, militant groups are leveraging the inequalities exacerbated by Covid-19?to spread extremist ideologies & gain recruits. Such groups use online propaganda to reach people who are spending more time online.?Terrorist groups are exploiting more people through online platforms & new technologies like bitcoin & cryptocurrency.

According to the SE Asian Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT), IS’s radicalization & recruitment in Malaysia has been facilitated via social media platforms, particularly Facebook. According to recent reporting, 75% of all IS supporters in Malaysia were radicalized online.

In Sept 2020, a Malaysian was sentenced for?spreading extremist propaganda which included videos that urged Malaysians to ‘wage war against the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) & the Malaysian government’. This illustrated that IS continued to radicalize individuals & attract lone-wolf attackers through its?online content.

In 2019, Malaysian CT police noted a new trend of women being used as suicide bombers in SE Asia. This came after the arrest of a Malaysian housewife who plotted an IS suicide bombing during the 2018 Malaysian general election. While her operation was foiled, she communicated with over 600 people on social media prior to her arrest.

In 2019, Datuk Ayob Khan disclosed that financial transactions involving huge sum of money have been carried out in Malaysia in a bid to activate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorist group in the country. Police also announced that they found that the LTTE had branches in every state. LTTE is just one of the 5 terrorist groups in Malaysia. The other 4 being IS, ASG, AQ & JI.

In July 2018, Malaysia issued a conditional return offer to about 102 Malaysians who had left the country to join IS in Syria. This offer involved compliance with security checks, investigations, psychological examinations and counselling sessions with religious clerics to evaluate their level of radicalization & psychological make-up.

Malaysia is working with other countries to facilitate repatriations & estimates that 56 terrorist fighters & their families remain in the Middle East. In 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs reported the return of 12 adults & 4 children to Malaysia from Syria & Iraq. The Malaysian government has allowed its citizens to return, provided they comply with checks, enforcement & undergo a month-long government-run rehabilitation program. Experts have questioned the efficacy of this program because high-profile militants such as Yazid Sufaat (former Malaysian Army Captain & US-trained biochemist, who once attempted to produce Antrax for AQ & reported to be directly involved in the Sept 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Centre) & Rafi Udin (nom de guerre Abu Awn al-Malisi), a US designated Global Terrorist, showed no signs of rehabilitation & remain engaged in recidivist behavior although they had participated in it. The threat posed by returnees to Malaysia is not limited to domestic returning fighters & those from the regional countries. It is further compounded by displaced global Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF) who are desperately trying to relocate.

In Aug 2016, Malaysian police had warned that IS was getting more aggressive in distributing its propaganda. IS had translated articles from "Dabig," its online magazine?into Malay & posted them to the website, Isdarat Daulah Islamiyah. The terrorist group has also created Malay-language videos, brochures & tutorials. IS targeted Malaysians through propaganda videos that call for “lone wolf” attacks & encourage Malaysian sympathizers to join with IS supporters in the Philippines.

While religious ideology is an important component for Malaysians supporting IS’s operations, potential members appear to include highly educated secular-oriented individuals, but also unemployed members of society, drug addicts & thrill seekers.

In May 2015, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi informed parliament that Malaysian police are stepping up efforts to monitor social media sites for possible terrorist activities as an estimated 75% of new IS supporters are recruited online. He added that it was necessary for the police to maintain strict monitoring of online activities as a large proportion of social media users are below 40 years old & fit into the target group of IS recruiters.

Visa-waiver program

Malaysia has inadvertently turned out to be an attractive destination because of its visa-waiver program which allows foreigners to enter the country easily. It has been one of the main reasons for the country being regarded as a safe haven, transit point & logistics hub by terrorist groups.?

Free from visa requirements, foreigners can conveniently move in & out of the country without suspicion or raising alarms. Malaysia was visited on multiple occasions between 1995 & 2002 by several of the masterminds & perpetrators of the Sept 11, 2001 attacks. The “9/11 Commission Report by The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States,” highlighted that

• The mastermind of the attacks, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad had travelled to Malaysia several times.?
• In 1999, 4 of the 9/11 attackers - Walid bin Attash (nom de guerre Khallad), Abu Bara al-Yemeni, Nawaf al-Hazmi & Khalid al-Mihdhar had been sent to KL to learn about security & immigration systems at airports before heading for the US.

Khallad opined that “Malaysia was an ideal destination because its government did not require citizens of Saudi Arabia or other Gulf states to have a visa.” Malaysia’s security has always been reputed to be lax within jihadist circles.

Despite ample documentation that Malaysia’s openness has been exploited by AQ in the planning of one of the most lethal attacks in history, little improvements have been made to Malaysia’s security. From 2013 to 2019, 38 foreign terrorist fighters were arrested after exploiting Malaysia’s visa-waiver policy & used the country as a transit point. In Mar 2019, Malaysian CT police arrested 9 suspects linked to an African-based terror group, including 5 alleged members of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood who planned to launch large-scale attacks in several countries.?The cell provided logistical support & facilitated the movement of a number of members of the North African-based terror group, Ansar al-Sharia. Members of Ansar al-Sharia carrying fake passports had made Malaysia a transit point before entering a 3rd country to launch attacks.

In 2019, the Malaysian police made vital arrests to foil planned attacks by individuals, both local & foreigners residing in Malaysia, some of whom have pledged loyalty to IS. The individuals caught were affiliated with the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), ASG, Maute Group, Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) & the Muslim Brotherhood Al Ikhwanul Muslimin. residing in the country, for suspected links with IS.

In Oct 2019, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tan Sri Mohammad Fuzi Harun, said investigators had determined that the foreign suspects arrested in Feb were trying to make Malaysia a safe haven transit point & logistics base. They had allegedly entered the country using legitimate & fake documents. In some cases, they married locals to obtain spouse visas & exploited education facilities or conducted businesses.

Returning fighters will inspire a new wave of young & impressionable recruits and provide the foundation for a new network of terror cells.?Successful returnees will be battle hardened with military training & deep knowledge of IS’ tactical operations. CT police will face challenges in locating these cells.?

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS)

Where terrorist groups operate, we can expect to see Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Therefore, countries with active terrorist or violent extremist groups will be at higher risk than those without. There have been many instances of IEDs being used in Malaysia. IEDs are relatively easy to make because the ingredients & instructions to make one are readily available. In Feb 2016, robbers in Alor Setar, Kedah, managed to?crack open some ATM machines with pipe bombs. In July 2014, robbers failed?to blast open an ATM in Bukit Beruntung, Selangor.

Malaysian police with seized IEDs (pipe bombs) and a handgun

Malaysian militants have improved their operational tactics & strategies. Arrested militants have shown the ability to deploy chemicals in the process of constructing explosives. In May 2019, Malaysian police arrested 2 IS-affiliated militants, Muhammad Syazani Mahzan & Muhammad Nuurul Aiman Azizan, in Kedah. Both men are suspected of producing & testing high-quality home-made explosive known as Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP) near their homes in Kuala Muda before carrying out terrorist attacks throughout Malaysia. The duo received enough training to be able to produce the explosive confidently & accurately, without it detonating prematurely. Both men were reported to have undergone bomb-making training by Indonesian IS-linked militant group, JAD, in Yogyakarta in 2018. This is the first time Malaysian militants have assembled TATP which is commonly used because of 3 reasons:

• TATP can be made with easily obtained materials, such as hydrogen peroxide & acetone, which can be bought from any hardware store or supermarket.?
• TATP is able to create a more powerful explosion than such military grade explosives as TNT resulting in more casualties.
• TATP can avoid X-ray detection since chemicals used can be found in household items such as hair bleach & nail polish remover.

In SE Asia, TATP was used during the 2018 Surabaya Church bombings. It was also used in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, the 2015 Paris bombings & the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.?

Islamic State’s first terror attack in Malaysia

In Jan 2016, the police announced that IS released a video warning of an imminent attack against Malaysia. Posted by the Katibah Nusantara group, the video, titled - Mesej Awam Kepada Malaysia (Public Message for Malaysia), directly challenged the CT Division for hindering the group‘s recruitment strategy. It warned that continued CT operations will only result in an increased IS threat to the country. IS released another video in June where a former JI detainee, Mohd Rafi Udin, made an explicit threat to the Special Branch & Malaysia. IS made good on its threat as evidenced by the Puchong attack & the 14 terrorist plots thwarted.

Movida Kitchen, Bar & Club Lounge in Puchong after the grenade attack

On June 28, 2016, IS members were directed by Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi (nom de guerre Abu Hamzah Al Fateh) to attack the Movida Kitchen, Bar & Club Lounge in Puchong which injured 8 people. The Sin Chew Daily?posted a screenshot of a Facebook post under the account Abu Hamzah Al-Fateh, who wrote that 2 members of "junud khilafah wilayah milazia" had targeted a nightclub full of "heathens" who had not respected the Muslim holy month of?Ramadan?with "immoral acts". Abu Hamzah urged other Muslims to stay away from places like this to avoid becoming targets.?

Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi (nom de guerre Abu Hamzah Al Fateh) pictured with his family. He was killed in a drone strike in Syria on 29 April, 2017.

This claim of responsibility was supported by a statement from a known IS platform monitored by the International Centre for Political Violence & Terrorism Research in Singapore. On 4 July, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed that the attack was perpetrated by Malaysian ISIS members, making this grenade attack the first IS terror attack in Malaysia.

Malaysian Counter Terrorism Chief, DCP Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay (Bukit Aman’s Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division (E8) Chief from Aug 11, 2016 till Mar 5, 2020)

In an operation after the attack, police seized a ready-made IED & 8 more grenades meant for attacking high-ranking police personnel. According to a report by Channel News Asia in Aug 2016, 2 of the Puchong attackers had received instructions to attack senior Malaysian leaders including Prime Minister Najib Razak, police officers including the IGP, Tan Sri Khalid & Malaysian CT chief, Datuk Ayob Khan, including judges because these 3 groups were trying to block militant activity. Police also revealed that 2 cell members were waiting for fresh orders to attack a Johor entertainment outlet with an M67 fragmentation grenade (lethal radius of 5 meters?& can produce casualties up to 15 meters, dispersing fragments as far away as 230 meters) which was seized. The Straight Times reported that a 3rd man received orders to attack the police headquarters in KL & government complexes in Putrajaya.

Ease of obtaining firearms

Crimes involving the use of guns have significantly increased albeit strict firearms law imposed in Malaysia. Explosions & open shooting in public places, armed robberies & killings using firearms are taking place even though such incidences were uncommon in the past.

Malaysian police with seized weapons

In Jan 2021, 13 Indonesians & 6 Malaysians were arrested by police who were on duty as part of Ops Benteng at Taman Tampoi Utama, Johor Baru, for attempting to smuggle weapons into the country.

In 2017, it was reported by Shannon Teoh, Straits Times Malaysia Bureau Chief that an IS cell had been smuggling weapons into Malaysia from Thailand & building up a stockpile for at least a year to prepare for attacks in the country & abroad. This is believed to be the first time the authorities have uncovered weapon-smuggling by militants linked to IS. Security forces believe the cell had at least 5 semi-automatic pistols, a pump gun & an M4 carbine assault rifle.

Malaysian security forces on border patrol

Guns have also been known to be smuggled into Sabah & Sarawak from neighboring Indonesia. Porous border areas between the East Malaysian states & Kalimantan, Indonesia have seen increased use of firearms in robberies & murder cases as well as rise in drug abuse cases. In 2017, according to Andrew M. Carruthers, Visiting Fellow in the Indonesia Studies Program at ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, one of the world’s largest clandestine flows of people passes through the Indonesia-Malaysia migration corridor. Sabah’s porous borders enable undocumented Indonesian immigrants to continue engaging in their longstanding patterns of clandestine mobility.

Indonesian - Malaysian Border

In a 2017 interview with former IGP, Tan Sri Khalid, revealed that following extensive investigations by the Malaysian Police, most small arms & light weapons (SALWs) were mostly smuggled through the Malaysia-Thailand border. These SALWs are not meant for transit purposes but mostly destined for use in Peninsular Malaysia for various illegal purposes like smuggling & drug trafficking, secret societies & criminal gangs, gambling & vice activities, armed robberies & assassinations. This was subsequently confirmed by the Deputy Director (Intelligence Operation) CID, Bukit Aman & by the Kedah & Kelantan state police chiefs.

Thailand-Malaysian Border

Within SE Asia, firearm smuggling has emerged as a prized trade in cross-border crimes. According to Lumpe, Meek and Naylor (2000), firearm smuggling is believed to be the 2nd highest commodity smuggled after drugs.

In the July 29, 2016 edition of the Metro, DPM & Home Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, was quoted as having attributed the increase in serious crime cases in the country to firearms smuggling.

In Jan 2016, it was reported in the news that there were at least 11 shooting cases nationwide, with 8 people killed. The gangland-style assassinations targeted individuals, with several carried out in broad daylight. In 2013, there were at least 30 shootings in the span of 4 months.

Victim of gun violence

Malaysia's strict gun ownership laws make it difficult to obtain firearms legally but guns are often smuggled in from southern Thailand. Gun parts are hidden in lorries or cars, with smugglers travelling in small groups to avoid suspicion. Due to the large numbers crossing the border daily, vehicles could only be checked at random. Firearms are also transported &?smuggled into Malaysia?through either so-called rat trails along the Malaysian border or directly through customs & security checkpoints in areas with weak enforcement. Malaysian Border Security Agency director-general, Mohamad Ismail admitted to the Straits Times, "it's pretty rare as it's not easy to detect a person attempting to sneak in weapons, unless there's intelligence & security scanner machines are in place."

Malaysian security forces display weapons seized from smugglers from Thailand.

In Nov 2017, the Straits Times reported that Malaysian police had increased raids against local terror cells, but the inflow of arms could not been eradicated due to the many Malaysia-Thai cross-border smuggling routes. If the weapon is purchased at the border, the price is between RM2,000-RM3,000. However, this goes up to RM10,000-RM12,000 if the firearm is delivered to buyer's doorstep. At Sungai Golok at the Kelantan-Thai border, it was reported that a?handgun?can be purchased for RM60 & an semi-automatic rifle?for RM2,000.

Threat Landscape

In an April 2019 interview, Dr Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman said that recent trends indicated that Malaysian IS operatives are no longer interested in joining the fight overseas, but in bringing the struggle to Malaysia by establishing their own proactive & independent initiatives. According to Mohamed Nawab and Aida (2018), this has resulted in the formation of various terror cells like Kumpulan Tandzim Al-Qaeda Malaysia, Briged Al Jamaah, Kumpulan Fisabilillah, Kumpulan Daulah Islamiah Malizia, Al Qubro Generation & Kumpulan Gagak Hitam. ??

Malaysian police arresting terror suspects

In Jan 2018, the IGP, Tan Sri Fuzi Harun announced the arrest of a 23-year old Indonesian construction worker who was planning to launch attacks on Bukit Aman police HQ, Travers police station & army camps to seize firearms from their armories for attacks in Malaysia & Indonesia. Before his arrest, the suspect armed with a knife, went to Jalan Pudu hoping to kill Buddhist monks in retaliation to the massacre of the Muslim Rohingya community in Myanmar. The IGP revealed that the suspect had pledged allegiance to a senior IS leader over WhatsApp & had attempted to recruit other Indonesians to join the group.

On Dec 23, 2017, Tan Sri Fuzi, announced the arrest of a 25-year-old teacher at a private religious school near KL who had been released from prison 13 months earlier. Besides planning to launch attacks on entertainment centers in the Klang Valley, he planned to rob, kidnap or kill non-Muslims based on his understanding that non-Muslims are infidels & their blood is halal (permissible) to shed. He promoted IS’s Salafi Jihadi ideology on Facebook to attract new members & was in contact with former IS members & Kumpulan Militan Malaysia (KMM).

In Aug 2016, Tan Sri Khalid said police had arrested 3 suspects linked to IS, who were planning attacks in KL on Malaysia’s 59th Independence Day. One of the suspects had a K75 anti-personnel grenade & a pistol with 24 rounds of 9mm bullets.?Their targets included the famous Hindu temple in Batu Caves, various entertainment outlets & a police station.

Malaysian police arresting more terror suspects

Conclusion

It is undeniable that?the overwhelming majority of extremist & violent terrorist incidents occur in largely Muslim countries. Regular arrests of militants denote persisting intent to mount attacks in Malaysia by domestic & foreign militants. However, the disruption of these terror cells before they could stage attacks underlines the effectiveness of Malaysian CT efforts. Nonetheless, there is elevated risk of attacks by homegrown cells that evade detection using IEDs & small-arms targeting hospitality& Western establishments, marketplaces or malls & security forces, particularly in the Klang Valley.

Terrorism is viewed as an internal political matter that must be handled without interference from outsiders.

Overall Security Risk Rating - Medium

Terrorism Event Likelihood Rating - Likely (The threat's source is highly motivated & sufficiently capable & controls/mitigation may impede a successful exercise of the vulnerability.)

References

Andrew M. Carruthers. Clandestine Movement in the Indonesia-Malaysia Migration Corridor: Roots, Routes, and Realities. (Yusof-Isyak Institute Perspective Issue: 2017 No. 58)

Bakar, A. K. (2016). Inspector General Police. Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.

Hasan, H. (2018). Kelantan Chief Police. Police Contingent Headquarters, Kelantan.

Kasim, Z. A. (2018). Kedah Chief Police. Police Contingent Headquarters, Kedah.

Kua Kia Soong (2007). May 13, Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969. (Malaysia: Suaram)

Lumpe, L., Meek, S., & Naylor, R. Introduction to Gun-Running. (2000). In L. Lumpe (Ed.), Running Guns the Global Black Market in Small Arms (pp. 1-10). (United Kingdom: Zed Books Ltd).

Mohamed, H. (2016, 2018). Deputy Director Crime Investigation Department (Organized Crime). Pusat Latihan Polis (PULAPOL), Kuala Lumpur.

Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman, and Aida Arosoaie (2018) Jihad in the bastion of ‘moderation’: Understanding the threat of ISIS in Malaysia. Asian Security, 16(1): 1–14.

“Arrested Malaysian Militants Tested Bombs in Kedah,” Asia One, May 24, 2019, https://www.asiaone.com/malaysia/arresed-malaysian-militants-tested-bombs-kedah

Amy Chew, “Malaysia Offers Citizens Conditional Return as ISIL Crumbles,” Al Jazeera, March 12, 2019, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/03/malaysiaoffers-citizens-conditional-return-isil-crumbles-190312012544910.html.

“39 Malaysians Detained in Syria Want to Come Home,” New Straits Times, March 19, 2019, https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/05/48972 6/39-malaysians-detained-syria-want-come-home

Amalina Abdul Nasir. IS’ Determination to Stay Relevant and Visible in Malaysia (Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses , Vol. 11, No. 7 (September 2019), pp. 11- 15 Published by: International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research

“Islamic State: Defeating the Virtual Caliphate.” The Express Tribune, October 6, 2017

Polis Diraja Malaysia. Tangkapan Empat Individu Yang Disyaki Terlibat Dalam Kumpulan Pengganas. Siaran Media Polis Diraja Malaysia. 16 January 2016.

“Malaysia Terrorism Index – Forecast”,?Institute of Economics and Peace https://tradingeconomics.com/malaysia/terrorism-index/forecast

“Malaysia arrests two ISIS militants over planned attacks on police stations and Buddhist monks”, Straits Times, 22 January 2018,?https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-arrests-two-men-over-planned-attacks-on-police-stations-and-buddhist-monks.

“Malaysia arrests seven men with Islamic State links over attacks plot”,?Reuters, 24 March 2018, foiled https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-security/malaysia-arrests-seven-men-with-islamic-state-links-over-attack-plot-idUSKBN1H00GK?iI=0

Malaysian Police Arrest Seven Suspected ISIS Militants”,?The Straits Times, 20 July 2018,?https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysian-police-arrest-seven-suspected-isis-militants.

Naidu, “Terrorism biggest threat to Malaysia, says Defense Minister”,?Channel News Asia, 28 June 2018,?https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/terrorism-biggest-threat-to-malaysia-says-defense-minister-10480626.

Tanvi Gupta, Special Report: Islamic State Impact: Terrorism and Counter-terrorism in Malaysia. (Mantraya Special Report #15: 22 October 2018

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Endro Sunarso is an expert in Security Management, Physical Security & Counter Terrorism. He is regularly consulted on matters pertaining to transportation security, off-shore security, critical infrastructure protection, security & threat assessments, & blast mitigation.

Besides being a Certified Protection Professional (CPP?), a Certified Identity & Access Manager (CIAM?), a Project Management Professional (PMP?) & a Certified Scrum Master (CSM?), Endro is also a Fellow of the Security Institute (FSyl) & the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (F.ISRM).

Endro has spent about 2 decades in Corporate Security (executive protection, crisis management, critical infrastructure protection, governance, business continuity, loss mitigation, due diligence, counter corporate espionage, etc). He also has more than a decade of experience in Security & Blast Consultancy work, initially in the Gulf Region & later in South East Asia.