[COLUMNIST] Closing the gaps: Comprehensive P/CVE toolbox

MANY Malaysians likely still underestimate the threat of violent extremism and terrorism (VE&T), viewing it as an issue that only appears in distant headlines. Yet the seeds of radicalisation can sprout anywhere—in classrooms, on social media, or within communities. As global power dynamics shift and tensions rise, we must choose: ignore the risk or build resilience now before it escalates.

In its earlier analytical report, “Global P/CVE Trends: A Roadmap for Malaysia’s Resilience”, EMIR Research underscores the importance of a comprehensive, future-proof and forward-looking approach to preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE). By tapping into proven methods from nations that have long grappled with severe violent extremism and terrorism (VE&T), Malaysia too can strengthen its readiness in a world marked by significant power shifts and increasing geopolitical uncertainty.

By systematically examining P/CVE frameworks from leading nations, EMIR Research found ten broad global trends that can be readily applied across diverse national contexts (Figure 1). Recognizing that many documents analyzed were shaped by extensive consultations, grassroots insights, and global best practices, these ten trends inherently embed a wide range of perspectives, ensuring their relevance and adaptability.

Consequently, an effective P/CVE framework must align with these universal trends while also reflecting each nation’s unique social, political, and economic realities. By “zooming out” to see the global picture and then “zooming in” on local contexts, policymakers can craft strategies that are both globally informed and locally grounded.

Beyond these overarching trends, EMIR Research identified common core pillars or distinct strategic focus areas within leading P/CVE efforts. Despite some overlap in different countries, these key focus areas are still distinctly present and integral to global P/CVE efforts (Figure 2).

In other words, analysis shows that leading P/CVE nations have developed end-to-end strategies for VE&T, spanning radicalization through violent extremism to terrorism: prevention, detection, preparedness, recovery, and adaptation. Recognizing VE&T as a complex, evolving threat, these frameworks use multi-tiered interventions aligned with each stage of radicalization. By targeting multiple entry points, they progressively bolster public security while minimizing social harm at every stage (Figure 3).

The first two pillars, Prevention and Detection, are critical during the earliest phases—when individuals are just being exposed to radical ideas and may start exploring extremist beliefs. At this juncture, a whole-of-society approach is key.

As individuals move toward indoctrination and violent extremism, the focus shifts to Preparedness, Recovery, and Adaptation. Here, security professionals, mental health experts, and policy specialists take the lead.

It is useful to map the ten global P/CVE trends identified by EMIR Research across five pillars—Prevention, Detection, Preparedness, Recovery, and Adaptation (Figure 3). Each cell provides a brief explanation of how a given trend supports or intersects with its respective pillar. This matrix serves as a practical toolbox for policymakers and practitioners, offering a clear overview of how global trends can enhance or inform key pillars of a comprehensive P/CVE strategy. By integrating proven global practices with local needs, stakeholders can develop a more robust and context-sensitive response to VE&T.

In comparing the pillars of Malaysia’s Action Plan on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (MyPCVE) with global best practices, it becomes clear that while MyPCVE covers Prevention, Enforcement, Rehabilitation, and Reinforcement, it does not fully encapsulate every dimension of the more comprehensive, globally informed five-pillar framework of Prevention, Detection, Preparedness, Recovery, and Adaptation.

MyPCVE’s Prevention pillar aligns well with global best practices, emphasizing community awareness, “smart” information sharing, and grassroots collaboration, making it strong in curbing early-stage radicalization. However, the Detection element appears mostly in Enforcement, risking a conflation of proactive threat identification—through explicit and extensive focus on intelligence, data analytics, and early threat assessment—with purely legal or punitive measures. As Malaysia serves as a “transit point” for foreign extremist groups and a strategic hub in Southeast Asia, the absence of a fully articulated “Detection” strategy makes coordinated, rapid responses more challenging, especially given MyPCVE's expressed concerns over current “poor inter-agency coordination”.

Moving to Preparedness, MyPCVE’s current approach integrates some capacity-building measures under Enforcement and Reinforcement. While this partly addresses capability development and safeguards, it lacks a distinct focus on operational readiness for actual attacks or heightened threats—specific and explicit references to key elements of global best practice, such as multi-agency drills, scenario planning, and emergency services coordination. In global P/CVE efforts, Preparedness ensures agencies, communities, public places and critical infrastructure can manage crises (e.g., extremist attacks), minimizing damage and ensuring continuity. As MyPCVE correctly identifies “geopolitical threats” and “funding access for extremist groups” as major Malaysia’s risks, both of which indicate the high potential for sudden, coordinated violence, limited clarity on Preparedness protocols and strategic emergency responses, could leave agencies scrambling in crises, weakening resilience and public confidence.

MyPCVE’s Rehabilitation pillar does well in addressing detainee deradicalization and reintegration. However, it offers limited guidance on broader Recovery needs, which should be a standalone priority. Specifically, it lacks focus on how communities heal post-incident through victim support, psychosocial help, and large-scale reconstruction efforts. In global settings, this is critical: failure to promptly and effectively address trauma and community grievances can worsen mistrust, fueling a new cycle of radicalization.

Finally, MyPCVE’s Reinforcement pillar emphasizes national identity, family, moral values, and educational efforts—excellent ingredients for resilience. Yet in global frameworks, this would be paired with Adaptation—a critical system-wide commitment (refer to Figure 3 again) to continuous research, policy refinement, and inter-agency/inter-stakeholders feedback loops. Violent extremism mutates rapidly; without an iterative approach and ongoing evidence-based updates, even a well-intentioned plan risks obsolescence.

In short, MyPCVE’s current pillars, while valuable, require more robust detection protocols, crisis preparedness mechanisms, post-incident recovery pathways, and a culture of constant adaptation.

Ultimately, MyPCVE has the foundational elements to safeguard Malaysians, but without plugging the gaps in Detection, Preparedness, Recovery, and Adaptation, we risk playing catch-up with the very extremists we aim to stop. As new threats emerge from every corner of our hyperconnected world, half measures won’t suffice. A truly comprehensive strategy demands continuous, bold refinement—so that Malaysia, through MyPCVE, can stay one step ahead of violent extremism rather than forever racing to catch up.

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Dr Rais Hussin is the Founder of EMIR Research, a think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.

** The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.

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