By Howard Lee Chuan How, Member of Parliament Ipoh Timor, Perak, Malaysia
Malaysia has in recent months, witnessed a spike in extremist movements and violent crimes. Incidents unfolded in the last 48 hours such as the lone wolf attack on the Ulu Tiram police station and the capturing of two men with parangs at Istana Negara, highlight the urgent need to address the root causes of extremism and growing proliferation of xenophobic and supremacist thoughts and narratives in public discourse.
This is but a continuation from a long thread of incidences including an elected MP narrowly escaped death by arson, a senior academic escalates his anti multiculturalism spiel and gets massive media space, a matter of constitutional right settled by the highest courts of the land in vernacular schools gets its higher than perennial salience, the Bak Kat Teh issue and others; all happening in the last quarter of the year.
Incendiary Narratives Against “The Other”
Thegrowing prevalence of racially charged and ethno-religious supremacist narratives in our public discourse is increasingly disconcerting. Often masquerading as religious doctrine or cultural preservation, these incendiary narratives rife in WhatsApp groups and social media platforms widen existing divisions and mistrust among di erent racial and ethnic communities. These environments of amplied and in some cases fabricated hostility and exclusion serve as a greenhouses for radicalization and the spread of extremist ideologies.
Malaysia’s multiculturalism and multi-religious identity has always been the source national strength. However, the rise in racial and religious hate speech and related propaganda threatens its very foundation. Political operatives and organisations, and their proxies that exploit ethnic and religious identities for political means deepen these tensions,
creating social and political volatility conducive to extremism.
The Link Between Hate Speech and Extremist Violence
The connection between hate speech and extremist violence is well-documented. Hate speech dehumanises targeted
groups, justifying violence against them. It is also often an exploitation of ethnic and religious issues to create a narrative that equates the dominance of one group with national security and prosperity, and the fabricated loss of dominance being a threat. This dangerous and confrontational con ation breeds an exclusionary and hostile environment.
As a Democrat, the writer values freedom of expression as essential to our maturing democracy. However its abuse to
incite hateful violence transforms it into a national security threat. The recent incidents of violence are symptomatic of
the unchecked spread of hate speech. The rise of extremist groups like Jemaah Islamiyah and increased instances of
armed attacks signals an urgent need for robust measures to curb hate speech and extremist ideologies.
Malaysia can, and needs to draw on the experiences of other nations, particularly those with similar social demographics such as the Middle East and other Muslim-majority countries that have faced similar challenges. These
national experiences o er valuable insights in balancing freedom of expression with the need to maintain national
security and social cohesion.
Saudi Arabia’s De-radicalisation Program
Saudi Arabia has implemented several successful deradicalization programs, notably the Mohammed bin Nayef Center
for Counseling and Advice, which combines elements of security operations with social services. This program
includes religious counseling, psychological support, and vocational training to help reintegrate individuals into
society. Despite challenges, the program has produced a significant successes in reducing recidivism among former
radicalised individuals.
Additionally, the “Sakinah Campaign”, that operates as an independent, non-governmental organisation, supported by
the Saudi Ministry of Islamic A airs, which focuses on countering online radicalisation and recruitment through
engaging with individuals on extremist forums and social media. It combines mapping extremist narratives and
materials with direct online dialogues to debunk extremist ideologies and promote moderate interpretations of Islam.
Indonesia’s Counter-Radicalisation Efforts
Our neighbouring Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, has also put in place initiatives to combat
extremism. Special units to monitor and counter hate speech online has been establish by the government taking
cognisance of the role of the internet in radicalising individuals. The “Deradikalisasi” campaign, which involves
comprehensive rehabilitation programs , includes religious re-education, psychological counseling, and community
engagement to reintegrate former extremists into society. These e orts aim to address both the ideological and social
factors contributing to radicalisation.
Policy Recommendations for Malaysia
Drawing on these international examples, Malaysia must adopt a multifaceted approach to address the surge in
extremist movements and violent crimes. We must consider the following:
1. Legislation Against Hate Speech: There is an urgent need for legislation that specifically targets hate speech and
incitement to violence and not relying on existing sedition laws. These laws should focus on curbing speech that incites hatred and violence while protecting legitimate freedoms of expression and religious practice.
2. Comprehensive De-radicalisation Programs: the government should invest in programs that o er religious
counselling, psychological support, vocational training, and community reintegration. The strategic imperative should
be to rehabilitate individuals inuenced by or under the inuence of extremist ideologies and prevent recidivism.
3. Educational Initiatives: prevention is better than cure. Educational curricula should emphasise values of multiculturalism, tolerance, and mutual respect. By educating our youths about the dangers and impacts of hate speech and the importance of social cohesion, we can build a resilient Malaysian identity.
4. Community Engagement: Collaborating with religious leaders, scholars and NGOs to promote moderate, inclusive
and hormonious interpretations of any given religion is paramount. Community-based initiatives can help counteract
extremist narratives and foster social harmony.
5. Ramp up Domestic Research on Terrorism & Radicalisation : The Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT), under the purview of the Ministry of Foreign A airs has the capacity and institutional mandate to do all of the above; it just needs to be scaled up in depth and intensity. More funding and their increased integration into domestic counter terrorism e orts must be considered.
A National Security Imperative
Addressing the surge of extremist movements and violent crimes is not merely a matter of law enforcement; it is a
national security imperative that requires a concerted e ort from all sectors of society. By tackling the root causes of
extremism and propogating an inclusive and tolerant public discourse, Malaysia can cultivate a safer and more cohesive nation for all its citizens.
Ultimately, the age old adage of “stronger together” has never been more important, with these undercurrents of hate
spilling out to the fore. The very fabric of our peaceful and harmonious pluralistic nation is seeing the beginnings of an
existential attack. We must come together to do nothing less than nipping it in the bud.
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