DPM NAJIB WELCOMES GREATER ENGAGEMENT, DISCUSSES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001026

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2028
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV KJUS ID MY
SUBJECT: DPM NAJIB WELCOMES GREATER ENGAGEMENT, DISCUSSES
CT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES

KUALA LUMP 00001026 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: DCM ROBERT RAPSON, REASON 1.4 (B AND D).

Summary and Comment
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1. (C) Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, who
is expected to become Prime Minister in late March 2009, told
the Ambassador on November 11 that he anticipated a "very
constructive relationship" with the incoming U.S.
administration and welcomed greater engagement, which the
Ambassador encouraged. On security issues, Najib said
Malaysia should remain vigilant against terrorists and he
defended the continued use of the Internal Security Act
(ISA),but only for those posing serious threats. The
Ambassador emphasized the importance of Malaysia developing
law enforcement skills and capabilities to investigate and
prosecute terrorists, and sentence them to long jail terms.
The Ambassador identified the need to bring the
underdeveloped region between Malaysia, Indonesia, and the
Philippines into the global mainstream through efforts like
the Coral Triangle Initiative. Najib admitted Malaysia had
had little choice but to pay the ransom for the two ships and
their crews seized by pirates off the Somali coast in August.
The broad-ranging November 11 meeting also covered economic
priorities, export control issues and trafficking in persons
concerns, reported in septels.


2. (C) Comment: Najib devoted an hour to the conversation
despite a press of others waiting to see Malaysia's presumed
future Prime Minister. His tone was positive and his
comments reflected a clear view that there are opportunities
ahead for an energized relationship. Najib raised the ISA on
his own initiative, and appeared to want to distance himself
from the government's use of ISA in September to detain two
journalists and an opposition Member of Parliament, a move
which attracted substantial public criticism. End Summary
and Comment.

Najib Anticipates "Very Constructive Relationship"
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3. (C) The Ambassador met on November 11 with Deputy Prime
Minister Najib Tun Razak, who is anticipated to take over the
role of Prime Minister in late March 2009. Polcouns
accompanied Ambassador as notetaker. Malaysian Foreign
Ministry Deputy Secretary General II Kamal Yan bin Yahya, MFA
Senior Under Secretary for the Americas Zainuddin Yahya, and
Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Senior
Director for APEC Mr. Vasudevan joined DPM Najib. In the
context of reviewing priorities in our bilateral relations in
the lead up to the new U.S. administration, Najib stated, "we
look forward to a very constructive relationship" with the
incoming U.S. leadership. Malaysia would watch closely the
"style, substance and personalities" of those in senior U.S.
positions. "I welcome a conscious effort by the new
Administration to bring back a positive image of the U.S.,"
Najib said, and he recommended more U.S. emphasis on
engagement and "soft power" in the areas of "culture,
education, free trade and investment." When the U.S. engages
in such ways, "we will be as responsive as possible." Najib
also welcomed more visits by senior U.S. officials, in part
to help Malaysia counter problems with its own image, "which
is not as positive as it should be." The Ambassador
highlighted the increasing importance of Asia in U.S. policy
and encouraged Najib to consider early engagement
opportunities, including via ASEAN.

Malaysia To Remain Vigilant on CT
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4. (C) On issues of security, The Ambassador expressed U.S.
appreciation for ongoing counterterrorism and law enforcement
cooperation. Najib stated that, "we are fairly confident we
are on top of (the CT situation)." The DPM, however, pointed
to the continued existence of "regional hot spots," namely
Mindanao and southern Thailand, and continued Jemaah
Islamiyah activities, and said Malaysia had to remain
vigilant against the "possible emergence of new (terrorist)
cells." "We can't take this (situation) for granted," Najib
added.

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5. (C) Najib told the Ambassador that Malaysia continued to
need the Internal Security Act (ISA, which provides for
detention without trial),"even though there are civil
liberty concerns." In this light, "we as the government must
be more conscious of how we use ISA so that people are not
deprived of their civil liberties (unnecessarily)." Najib
stated that ISA should be reserved only for those who pose
"serious threats, like terrorists."


6. (C) The Ambassador noted that the U.S. and many other
countries struggle with the same questions of safeguarding
security while respecting due legal process and civil
liberties. The Ambassador said frankly that, in some cases,
we disagreed with Malaysia's standard practice of releasing
terrorist suspects from ISA detention after a period of
rehabilitation, as some still posed security risks and
deserved lengthy jail terms for plotting or abetting
terrorist activities. The Ambassador urged Malaysia to
further develop the capabilities of its police and
prosecutors in order to eventually be able to bring
terrorists to trial and sentence them to significant prison
terms (as provided for in Malaysia's penal code).


7. (C) Commenting on Indonesia's execution of three
terrorists behind the 2002 Bali bombings, DPM Najib said
there was a risk that the public display of emotion over the
executions could lead to retaliation by suicide bombers.
Indonesia deserved "support and recognition" for its CT
efforts, Najib noted, but there remained significant gaps in
Indonesia's capabilities relative to the country's sheer
size. The Ambassador highlighted the need to bring the
undeveloped area between Malaysia, Indonesia, the
Philippines, East Timor and Papua New Guinea into the
international mainstream, explaining the importance of new
programs like the Coral Triangle Initiative.


8. (C) Najib touched on maritime security, describing
littoral states' efforts in the Straits of Malacca as a
"success." The DPM acknowledged, "we got clobbered off the
Somali coast," when pirates seized two Malaysian vessels. In
this situation, and like other countries, "we had little
choice but to pay the ransom," Najib confided.
KEITH