INTERVENTION BY
DATO’ HJ. ABDUL HALIM HJ. ABDUL RAHMAN
DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL (SECURITY)
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS, MALAYSIA
FOR SESSION II - BUILDING EFFECTIVE AND RESILIENT MEMBER STATES’ INSTITUTIONS
IN THE EVOLVING GLOBAL TERRORISM LANDSCAPE
AT THE THIRD UNITED NATIONS HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF COUNTER-TERRORISM AGENCIES OF MEMBER STATES
19 JUNE 2023
Dear Co-Chairs, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I join others in congratulating the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) for successfully convening this Third United Nations High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States. Echoing the Conference’s overarching theme, “Addressing Terrorism through Reinvigorated Multilateralism and Institutional Cooperation”, Malaysia fully subscribes to the importance of building effective and resilient counter-terrorism institutions to face the evolving global terrorism landscape.
2. Malaysia, like many others, strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. These heinous acts have brought nothing but the loss of innocent lives and the utter destruction of the socio-economic fabric of the affected communities.
3. Malaysia believes that combating this borderless threat requires strengthened cooperation through regional and multilateral platforms, including by enhancing the exchange of information, sharing of expertise, and improving counter messaging mechanisms. As a State Party to 11 of the 19 counter-terrorism instruments, and a party to the 2007 ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism, Malaysia has strengthened its national legal framework as well as reinforced its bilateral and multilateral cooperation with international law enforcement authorities in investigations and prosecutions of terrorist suspects. Our policy makers and enforcement agencies are also paying close attention to the misuse of information and communication technologies, in particular the Internet and social media, by terrorist groups to incite, radicalise, recruit, commit and fund terrorist acts.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
4. Malaysia remains committed to tackling the threats of terrorism through ‘the whole-of-government’ and ‘whole-of-society’ approach. Our primary counter-terrorism efforts continue to be focused on preventive and prescriptive measures. Countering the narratives of terrorists and extremists, carrying out programmes aimed at deradicalization, rehabilitation and reintegration of former Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs), as well as advocating mainstream religious views, in particular among the youths and other vulnerable groups, are some of the measures undertaken in this regard.
5. This soft approach strategy encapsulates our Prime Minister’s vision of “Malaysia Madani” (Civil Malaysia) that underscores values and compassion in humanities such as fairness, respect, just and effective governance. It also forms the foundation of Malaysia’s soon to be launched National Action Plan to Prevent and Counter Violent Extremism (NAPPCVE).
I thank you.