First Asean digital unit to begin in May
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KUALA LUMPUR - Come May 1, Malaysia will launch Asean’s first-ever digital messaging centre to combat violent extremist views spread in cyberspace, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“We are adopting the template used by the United States and the United Arab Emirates to establish the centre here. “The government has allocated an initial sum of 200 million ringgit for this purpose,” he told reporters after closing the International Conference on De-radicalisation and Countering Violent Extremism here yesterday.
Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is Home Minister, said discussions were being held among three government agencies to manage the centre once it was operational.
“This centre will be a point of reference and synchronisation of efforts in countering terrorism effectively.
“It will be fully operated by the police and other enforcement agencies, including the Immigration Department.
“Malaysia was chosen to establish the centre due to our commitment to combat terrorism through introducing new laws as well as providing avenues for rehabilitation and re-radicalisation of militants,” Dr Ahmad Zahid said.
He also said the centre would not only be used by Malaysia, but by Asean countries along with Australia and New Zealand.
He also called on the international community to stand united against terror by sharing useful experiences and methods in combating terrorism.
In his closing speech to the delegates earlier, Dr Ahmad Zahid said it was imperative for all nations to employ more effective strategies and commit more resources to counter radical narratives, including on digital platforms.
The two-day conference saw experts from Asean countries and their strategic partners such as the United States, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia sharing their experiences on de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programmes.
