Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KUALALUMPUR1111
2008-12-22 09:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:
MALAYSIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM
how-toVZCZCXRO2116 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHPB DE RUEHKL #1111/01 3570907 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 220907Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2157 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0093 RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHMFIUU/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC RHHMUNS/COMSOCPAC HONOLULU HI RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IA WASHINGTON DC RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001111
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DOJ/OPDAT FOR BERMAN
NSC FOR CHANDLER
STATE EAP/MTS, RSP;
STATE S/CT FOR SHORE, MAHANTY
NCTC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV MARR KCRM ASEC MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM
REF: A. 2007 KUALA LUMPUR 902
B. KUALA LUMPUR 1102
KUALA LUMP 00001111 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 001111
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DOJ/OPDAT FOR BERMAN
NSC FOR CHANDLER
STATE EAP/MTS, RSP;
STATE S/CT FOR SHORE, MAHANTY
NCTC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV MARR KCRM ASEC MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM
REF: A. 2007 KUALA LUMPUR 902
B. KUALA LUMPUR 1102
KUALA LUMP 00001111 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Following is the draft text of the 2008 Country
Report on Terrorism for Malaysia. Until the report is
finalized for submission to Congress, please treat as
Sensitive. Begin Text:
The police forces in Malaysia continued to conduct all
counterterrorist investigations and operations. Malaysian
police fall under the authority of the Home Ministry.
Malaysia's enactment of amendments to five different pieces
of legislation (the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Penal
Code, the Subordinate Courts Act, the Courts of Judicature
Act, and the Criminal Procedure Code) enabled Malaysia to
accede to the UN International Convention for the Suppression
of the Financing of Terrorism in 2007. To date, however,
Malaysia has not initiated prosecution of any terrorist
suspects using these amended laws, but instead has continued
to use the Internal Security Act (ISA) which allows for
detention without trial.
At year's end, 16 terrorist suspects linked to Jemaah
Islamiya and 13 linked to Darul Islam were held in ISA
detention, where they undergo a program of rehabilitation. On
average, the Malaysian government has held suspected
terrorists and suspected terrorist supporters in ISA
detention for two to six years. This year the Malaysian
government used the ISA to detain some persons for apparent
political reasons, rather than out of security concerns.
Subsequently, the Malaysian government has come under
increasing pressure to amend or abolish the ISA. Over the
past year, the government released 32 detainees, including 13
terrorist suspects linked to Jemaah Islamiya and six linked
to Darul Islam. Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, in
confirming the most recent release of the detainees, was
quoted in the press as stating that they were no "longer a
threat."
The Malaysian government engaged with its neighbors on issues
related to counterterrorism and transnational crime. It
continued to operate the Southeast Asian Regional Center for
Counterterrorism (SEARCCT). The Center has served to
facilitate the training of Malaysian front-line officials,
but has done less to identify forward-looking or regional
counterterrorism priorities. The organization is seeking a
new mission involving publishing, youth outreach and prison
rehabilitation.
Malaysian mediators continued to work in the southern
Philippines to help end the conflict between the Philippines
government and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF),although on November 30 Malaysia withdrew its
remaining participants from the International Monitoring Team
(IMT) that monitors the cease-fire between the government and
the MILF. Malaysia, along with Singapore and Indonesia,
invited Thailand to join the "Eyes in the Sky" program
designed to provide enhanced security to the Strait of
Malacca, the world's busiest shipping lane. Malaysia sent
several naval vessels to the Gulf of Aden following the
pirating of two Malaysian commercial vessels there. The
ships were released upon the payment of significant ransom
fees to the pirates.
Malaysia's central bank signed memoranda of understanding on
the sharing of financial intelligence with the Financial
Intelligence Units (FIUs) of Australia, Indonesia, Thailand,
the Philippines, China, the United Kingdom, United States,
Japan, Republic of Korea, Sweden, Chile, Sri Lanka, Brunei,
Peru, Bangladesh, Canada, and India. Malaysia is an active
member of the Asia/Pacific Group Donor & Provider Group for
Technical Assistance and has worked with the World Bank,
International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, United
Nation Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate,
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Australian FIU
KUALA LUMP 00001111 002.2 OF 002
(AUSTRAC) to provide technical assistance in various ASEAN
member countries. Malaysia is working with the United States
to help develop an effective FIU in Afghanistan.
End text.
2. (U) Embassy point of contact for this report is Regional
Strategic Initiative Coordinator Jason Donovan
(DonovanJ@state.gov or DonovanJA@state.sgov.gov).
KEITH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DOJ/OPDAT FOR BERMAN
NSC FOR CHANDLER
STATE EAP/MTS, RSP;
STATE S/CT FOR SHORE, MAHANTY
NCTC
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV MARR KCRM ASEC MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: 2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM
REF: A. 2007 KUALA LUMPUR 902
B. KUALA LUMPUR 1102
KUALA LUMP 00001111 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Following is the draft text of the 2008 Country
Report on Terrorism for Malaysia. Until the report is
finalized for submission to Congress, please treat as
Sensitive. Begin Text:
The police forces in Malaysia continued to conduct all
counterterrorist investigations and operations. Malaysian
police fall under the authority of the Home Ministry.
Malaysia's enactment of amendments to five different pieces
of legislation (the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the Penal
Code, the Subordinate Courts Act, the Courts of Judicature
Act, and the Criminal Procedure Code) enabled Malaysia to
accede to the UN International Convention for the Suppression
of the Financing of Terrorism in 2007. To date, however,
Malaysia has not initiated prosecution of any terrorist
suspects using these amended laws, but instead has continued
to use the Internal Security Act (ISA) which allows for
detention without trial.
At year's end, 16 terrorist suspects linked to Jemaah
Islamiya and 13 linked to Darul Islam were held in ISA
detention, where they undergo a program of rehabilitation. On
average, the Malaysian government has held suspected
terrorists and suspected terrorist supporters in ISA
detention for two to six years. This year the Malaysian
government used the ISA to detain some persons for apparent
political reasons, rather than out of security concerns.
Subsequently, the Malaysian government has come under
increasing pressure to amend or abolish the ISA. Over the
past year, the government released 32 detainees, including 13
terrorist suspects linked to Jemaah Islamiya and six linked
to Darul Islam. Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, in
confirming the most recent release of the detainees, was
quoted in the press as stating that they were no "longer a
threat."
The Malaysian government engaged with its neighbors on issues
related to counterterrorism and transnational crime. It
continued to operate the Southeast Asian Regional Center for
Counterterrorism (SEARCCT). The Center has served to
facilitate the training of Malaysian front-line officials,
but has done less to identify forward-looking or regional
counterterrorism priorities. The organization is seeking a
new mission involving publishing, youth outreach and prison
rehabilitation.
Malaysian mediators continued to work in the southern
Philippines to help end the conflict between the Philippines
government and the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF),although on November 30 Malaysia withdrew its
remaining participants from the International Monitoring Team
(IMT) that monitors the cease-fire between the government and
the MILF. Malaysia, along with Singapore and Indonesia,
invited Thailand to join the "Eyes in the Sky" program
designed to provide enhanced security to the Strait of
Malacca, the world's busiest shipping lane. Malaysia sent
several naval vessels to the Gulf of Aden following the
pirating of two Malaysian commercial vessels there. The
ships were released upon the payment of significant ransom
fees to the pirates.
Malaysia's central bank signed memoranda of understanding on
the sharing of financial intelligence with the Financial
Intelligence Units (FIUs) of Australia, Indonesia, Thailand,
the Philippines, China, the United Kingdom, United States,
Japan, Republic of Korea, Sweden, Chile, Sri Lanka, Brunei,
Peru, Bangladesh, Canada, and India. Malaysia is an active
member of the Asia/Pacific Group Donor & Provider Group for
Technical Assistance and has worked with the World Bank,
International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, United
Nation Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate,
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Australian FIU
KUALA LUMP 00001111 002.2 OF 002
(AUSTRAC) to provide technical assistance in various ASEAN
member countries. Malaysia is working with the United States
to help develop an effective FIU in Afghanistan.
End text.
2. (U) Embassy point of contact for this report is Regional
Strategic Initiative Coordinator Jason Donovan
(DonovanJ@state.gov or DonovanJA@state.sgov.gov).
KEITH