Muhyiddin: Govt not blind to terrorist elements using Malaysia as transit point

Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

SERDANG: Malaysian authorities are aware that terrorist groups are using the country as a transit point and have taken efforts to ensure that these elements are not left unchecked, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Home Minister added that they had known about this for a few years and that the police's Counter Terrorism Unit has been vigilant and investigating terrorism-linked activities and arresting those involved to be charged in court.

"These groups involved are mainly Islamic terrorist groups and we have gotten cooperation from many other agencies and countries to handle the issue," said Muhyiddin.

He said they were actively securing the borders around Sabah.

"We are aware of the cases such as the kidnappings there.

"One of the main challenges in Sabah is its vast borders which are over 1,000km long – and the fact that some islands of our neighbours, like the Philippines, are close by.

"Groups sometimes hide on these Islands and that is why we formed the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) and established the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (Esszone)," said Muhyiddin.

Speaking to media after attending the Home Ministry Family Day Celebrations at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park here on Sunday (Nov 3), he added that the government is forced to use laws such as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act to deal with them.

According to the US State Department's Country Reports on Terrorism 2018, Malaysia was not attacked by terrorist groups such as IS and al-Qaeda but was instead used by these organisations as a source and transit point.

It said Malaysia was a transit point for suspected IS supporters deported from Turkey and individuals planning to travel to the southern Philippines to support IS-affiliated groups.

"Malaysia monitored, arrested, deported, and tried suspected supporters of terrorist groups, and also cooperated with the United States and others to increase border security capacity at airports and in the Sulu Sea, to counter terrorist messaging on social media, and to improve terrorist prosecutions," stated the report.