Malaysia's war against terrorism: responses and challenges

Abstract

The history of terrorism in Malaysia can be traced back to the Cold War. In that period the country was able to overcome the terrorist attacks led by the Communist Party of Malaya, however, in the 1980s the emergence of extremist groups devoted to the imposition of an Islamic State and Islamic law are a significant example of the arousal of another form of terrorism linked to the Al-Qaeda network. The 9/11 event was therefore, a turning point in Malaysia's approach to terrorism, especially because as a moderate Islamic country Malaysia strives for keeping extremism under control. When the US geared towards establishing closer ties with Southeast Asian countries in order to address Al-Qaeda's illicit activities, Malaysia had to construct, for the first time, a new strategy in accordance with the international security context. But, Malaysia cannot rest only on the US priorities; it must take also into consideration its domestic interests and priorities to plan a strategy to counter terrorism.