STATEMENT BY
H.E. SYED MOHAMAD HASRIN AIDID
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
AT THE HIGH-LEVEL OPEN DEBATE OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL
“ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF LINKAGES BETWEEN TERRORISM AND ORGANIZED CRIME”
NEW YORK, 6 AUGUST 2020
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Madame President,
Thank you for organizing this important Open Debate. My delegation wishes every success to Indonesia on assuming the Presidency of the Council for this month.
Madame President,
2. The nexus between organized crime and terrorism has existed for a long time – tied by a relationship of convenience and opportunity rather than a shared ideology. Combating both would require us to unravel and sever their ties while addressing their root causes. Hence, a coordinated response by the international community is imperative if we ever hope to effectively address the drivers that perpetuate these twin threats to international peace and security. In this regard, I wish to make three (3) points on the subject before us.
3. First is that tackling terrorism demands the “whole-of-nation” approach. National policies and legal frameworks that could lead to an effective enforcement of law and prosecution of cases involving both criminal and terrorist groups must be established and strengthened, in compliance with obligations under international law. Barriers to information-sharing must be pulled down, and targeted capacity-building should be encouraged and supported. In this regard, Malaysia has taken the necessary steps to strengthen our national legal frameworks and mobilize the relevant authorities to intensify enforcement efforts.
4. Second is the importance of regional and international cooperation. Terrorists and criminals both operate in the shadows, use violence to achieve their means, and exploit the gaps in our criminal justice systems as well as our borders. Effective cooperation at regional and international level is, therefore, key to combatting these threats. From 24 February to 20 March 2020, the INTERPOL-led operation ‘Maharlika III’, which saw the combined forces of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, managed to arrest more than 180 individuals for various offences, including one suspected member of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group. The operation also seized firearms, illegally assembled explosives made of ammonium nitrate, and other illicit goods and substances worth more than one million euros. The arrest and seizure suggested that trans-border criminal activities have been used to fund terrorist activities. The successful operation, held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, was only made possible through an effective regional and international cooperation.
5. Third, and as I have alluded to earlier, is to address the root causes that breed terrorism and underpin organized crime. Malaysia fully believes that the root causes must be identified and removed if we ever hope to triumph in our struggle against these threats. Our position on the root causes of terrorism is clear: prolonged and grievous injustice, gross violations of human rights, foreign occupation, systematic discrimination and oppression of peoples anywhere, regardless of their color and creed, provide a fertile ground for terrorists to exploit and threaten international peace and security. Meanwhile, poverty, insecurity, corruption, and underdevelopment are some of the factors that have been identified as drivers for organized crime to take root and flourish.
Madame President,
6. Terrorism and organized crime undermine the rule of law and human rights as the foundation of peaceful, inclusive- and prosperous societies. Malaysia strongly and unequivocally condemns all acts, methods and practices of terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations. We remain committed to enhancing cooperation and strategies to prevent terrorists from benefitting from transnational organized crime.
Thank you.