KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s determination to take stern action against extremists and agitators involved in recent violent incidents in the country reflects the government’s seriousness in curbing such crimes.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics Perdana Centre lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Mazlan Ali said extremists pose a threat due to their subversive ideologies that can endanger safety and disrupt public order.
“Even though these incidents are relatively isolated, they must be contained to prevent them from becoming widespread and normalised in society.
“When the government tightens security and ensures such activities are eradicated, our country will remain peaceful and the people will enjoy a more tranquil life in the future,” he said.
In a live address to the nation on Tuesday, Anwar said there have been attempts to disrupt peace in the country and its thriving economy and stressed that the government would take firm action against these groups.
Mazlan said the prime minister’s assurance that the situation would become calmer and more controlled boosts confidence that Malaysia is a safe country and indicates that recent incidents do not reflect the true state of Malaysia.
In fact, Malaysia has received global recognition by ranking 19th in the Global Peace Index with a score of 1.513 out of 163 countries.
Meanwhile, Senior Fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research Prof Dr Azmi Hassan said the firmness and swift action of the police in handling recent incidents also assures the public of the country’s safety.
He said that even though there were concerns regarding incidents such as those at the Ulu Tiram police station in Johor, the Istana Negara and the Dato Keramat police station in Penang, the government has clarified that there is no conspiracy linking these events.
“These three events are not connected to one another, so the government’s response is commendable. They have not only taken firm action but also provided clear explanations to the public,” he said.
Azmi added that the incidents have not affected foreign tourist arrivals or the national economy, as the government is seen to have the situation under control.
He noted that this is why foreign governments like Singapore and the US have not issued any travel warnings to their citizens, as they viewed the incidents in Malaysia as isolated and not part of a larger plot.
