Israel's threat: Corruption Compromises National Security

If there is a threat from Israel, it’s unlikely we’ll see men in suits making low altitude dives straight into the homes of high-profile targets. At least not until things escalate to an all-out war. For now, clandestine operations, if any, would be subtle; via cyber-attacks and real-world operations by proxy. It is times like these that we are reminded of our internal weaknesses, such as the perceived widespread and deep corruption, which can leave us very vulnerable to external threats.

If there are claims of deep cartel infiltration in law enforcement agencies, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched to think that Mossad (Israeli intelligence agency) agents can easily plant their moles. Afterall, if “cash is king”, anyone can be bought. Dirty money is dirty money and it matters not where it comes from; be it from corrupt politicians, syndicates, or perhaps even foreign intelligence agencies.

Nationalism and other values fade in the face of overwhelming temptation. Treason becomes trivial in the absence of morality.

There are many examples where national security could be breached not by failure of security infrastructure or assets, but through the systematic breakdown of personal integrity. For example, it’s been reported that a former head of military intelligence was involved in accepting bribes. This shows integrity issues can affect the highest position in a very critical arm of our defence force. We can only wonder what (and who) else could be up for “sale”, if the threshold for treason is only a matter of price.

As for the police force, rumours of alleged “penetration” of Israeli operatives isn’t new. Back in 2008, it’s was reported that the Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim alleged that the upgrading works of the police force’s reporting and communications system involved two former Israeli intelligence personnel as sub-contractors.

Anwar reportedly brought up the national security issue during the Supplementary Bill debate on April 6, 2010. Notwithstanding the fact that House members are immune from any civil or criminal proceedings for anything done or said before the House, Anwar reportedly claimed that the two Israelis were “sitting 24 hours a day” in Bukit Aman police headquarters server room. Given reports of corruption and dirty cops allegedly involved in cartels and syndicates, there is no doubt this is an allegation that is worth looking into.

It is also common knowledge that intelligence agencies deploy “sleeper agents” abroad as part of a long-term intelligence operation. These agents not only blend into the society, but may even grow to hold influential positions. Take the historical case of the infamous Mossad spy, Eli Cohen, who penetrated to highest level of Syrian military in the 1960s. Cohen built a close relationship with the Syrian political and military elite, ultimately gaining the trust of the then Defence Minister to become its chief adviser.

For many years, while mingling with the elites that had seen him as one of their own, Cohen continued to provide strategic information to his handlers. Though Syrian counter intelligence eventually discovered Cohen as the mole, the impact of the damage done was irreversible. The security breach allegedly became one of the main contributors in helping Israel win the Six-Day War of 1967.

Additionally, sleeper agents can be “woken up” to conduct extrajudicial killings. We can take an example locally, whereby in 2018, Palestinian engineering academic Fadi Al-Batsh was assassinated in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, by two unidentified individuals on his way to the mosque. It was reported that the Malaysian government was looking into the possibility of “foreign agents” involved in the killing. The family of Fadi Al-Batsh suspected the Mossad to be behind the assassination, which the Israel government unsurprisingly denied. What happened to the investigation? Who are these operatives killing openly on Malaysia’s soil?

We can also point to the 2017 assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s half-brother at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Though it was reported that the U.S. government “strongly believes” that North Korean agents were responsible, the act was allegedly done by a Vietnamese and an Indonesian national. Their defence lawyers maintained that they were merely pawns tricked into doing the deed. This is an example of operating by proxy.

Ability of criminals to seemingly escape our borders is another sign of security breach rooted in corruption. The four North Korean men charged in the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam was reported to have left Malaysia. But, given that the escape happened just hours after the assassination, we can point to reasons that may be unrelated to corruption.

The same cannot be said with the alleged Macau scam ringleader, Nicky Liow, who was rumoured to have ties with international organised crime syndicates. Despite his name being put on the wanted list and with all border checkpoints tightened, Liow somehow managed to escape an entire operation launched to catch him.

Malaysians came to realise that Liow’s feat isn’t surprising, given the revelation by former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador regarding 34 enforcement personnel, mostly from the police force, suspected of having links with the organised crime syndicate,

Separate reports mentioned the arrest of 68 members linked to Liow, including two individuals with the title Datuk Seri and six Datuk. As titles are often associated with money, influence and power, we can only wonder how high up this goes. Not to mention the baffling Macau scam shenanigans at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office, where it was reported that Macau scam suspects were somehow able to escape MACC premises.

Obviously, these can only be done because of the vast resources available at the disposal by syndicates. Having insiders on the take (who would also stand to lose if the paymaster is caught) ensures this to be a self-protecting ecosystem.

Intelligence agencies, backed up by powerful nations, have resources that can eclipse even that of syndicates, and wield powers that dwarf cartels. Operatives can even engage the underworld as their proxies. How can such as ecosystem ensure Malaysia’s national security?

Also, “attacks” may take shape beyond straightforward killings. The 1 Malaysia Development Board (1MDB) case is an example of an “assassination” at the corporate and political level, with national implications. It showed the weaponisation of corruption, fraud, conspiracy, and breach of trust as diseases that can be exploited in the highest echelons of a company and leadership of the country.

The mega financial fraud costing billions in Malaysia’s sovereign fund, has shown how sophisticated, long-term operations made possible via subtle and persistent efforts (and extravagant sums of money) can buy trust, undermine integrity and therefore, expose a gaping hole in national security.

We cannot allow corruption to shape Malaysia as a “Boleh-land” cowboy town, where organised crime, assassinations, and criminal escape become common activities. This is a reminder why a war on corruption down to its roots isn’t merely a moral struggle, but a serious national security issue.

Though some speculate that the alleged threat from Israel is partly a smokescreen for something bigger happening elsewhere in the world, it is also clearly a warning to deter countries from supporting the Palestinian cause. Regardless, none of these threats should deter Malaysia from doing the right thing internally and externally.

Money talks, cash is king and many nations, including Malaysia, relies heavily on trade with the US (a staunch supporter of Israel). So, can leaders and the people of such countries overcome this worldly trial and stand up for what’s right? Indeed, this is a tall order for most.

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Ameen Kamal is the Head of Science & Technology at EMIR Research, an independent 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.