Don't belittle information sharing on security, says DPM

All parties be they political leaders or the public have been reminded not to belittle Malaysia's sharing of information on security with other countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stressed that such sharing of information was important in light of terrorist threats which could materialise anytime.

"The question is not 'if' but 'when it's going to happen', don't think this is a political issue, don't think we (authorities) are just trying to intimidate.

"We give information so that we can be alert and take action, we don't want an attack such as at the entertainment centre in Puchong, Selangor on June 28," he told reporters after the Bagan Datoh UMNO delegates meeting at Wisma UMNO, Hutan Melintang here today.

The meeting attended by 477 delegates was officiated by UMNO vice president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who is also Defence Minister.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said the cooperation of political parties was crucial in the government's concerted effort to prevent activities by militants such as Daish, from snaking among the population.

"We should handle the Daish threat together, set aside political interest and together overcome the influence of Daish through social media," he said.

Asked on the six Indonesians who were arrested in Pulau Batam for planning an attack on Singapore, Ahmad Zahid said there were currently more than 300 followers of Abu Bakar Bashir on the island.

"He was sentenced to three years in prison and is now free, that's why they are in Batam, they want to make it a new Daish territory," he said.

The DPM said the authorities had placed various security assets and strength in high risk areas to ensure that such terrorist threat and influence would not enter Malaysia.

"We have identified 'black spots' (hotbeds where cells exist). Apart from that we will also be using the Regional Digital Counter-Messaging Communication Centre to monitor social media," he said.

In the media conference, Ahmad Zahid slammed Perak DAP chairman Ng Kor Ming who wanted to launch a campaign to collect 10,000 signatures to prevent the Kamunting Detention Centre in Taiping from being turned into a Daish detention centre.

"The Prisons Department has refurbished the detention centre to enable the process of de-radicalisation on the inmates to be conducted so that they could be accepted again by the people.

"We do not have the time and money to build a new centre, so we are using the Kamunting Camp. There is no compromise with the country's security, even though it is different, it should be well received," he said.

The DPM also assured residents in Taiping and its surrounding areas not to be worried about their security over the decision of the government.

Meanwhile, Hishammuddin agreed with Ahmad Zahid that political leaders have important roles to help curb the threats of Daish.

"The need is not only confronting our country, even major countries are also facing problems in combating Daish. So use the UMNO delegates' meeting as the platform to raise the awareness among the respective members," he said.

Earlier, in his speech Hishammuddin said Daish was not only a threat to security but also a threat to the country's democracy and sovereignty.

"Now, Malaysia which is an Islamic country is being threatened by Daish whose ideology, approach and actions are completely wrong in Islam.

"UMNO should also be the defender of Islam, by becoming a movement against evil elements trying to damage Islam and its good image," he said.