Malaysia’s Counter-Terrorism Policy: Shifting from the Executive-Based to the Criminal Justice Approach?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32890/uumjls2022.13.1.16Keywords:
Counter-Terrorism, criminal justice, terrorism, Malaysia, LawAbstract
Malaysia’s counter-terrorism strategy has its roots within the 12-year campaign against the communist insurgency between 1948 and 1960. During the emergency period, the government relied heavily on executive-based measures, which operated as a primary instrument to execute the “Winning Hearts and Minds” agenda. The state executive body and its agents had a wide range of powers at its disposal, including indefinite detention without trial and the restriction of residence against terrorist suspects. A similar approach was maintained through various legislations, even after the country gained independence in 1957. However, recent developments indicate a significant change in the attitude of the government. The criminal justice approach begins to gain greater prominence, this being evident from the growing number of prosecutions against terror suspects and the creation of new terrorism-related offences. This paper first examines whether the apparent change is genuine and sustainable in the long term. This concern is connected with the nature and limits
of the criminal law and justice system, along with other challenges derived from the existing structure, culture, and practices within the country. By adopting a socio-legal approach, this research also investigates the factors favouring and hindering the criminal justice approach empirically and theoretically as a primary legal response to countering terrorism in Malaysia. The ultimate aim is to contextualise an effective and fair legal response to terrorism that is able to operate within multifaceted counter-terrorism arrangements involving different stakeholders.
References
Bakashmar, M. R. (2008). Winning the battles, losing the war? An assessment of counter-terrorism in Malaysia. Terrorism and Political Violence, 20(4), 480–497. https://doi.org/10.1080/09546550802257200
Banks, C. (2010). Security and freedom after September 11: The institutional limits and ethical costs of terrorism prosecutions. Public Integrity, 13(1), 5–24.
Barisan Nasional. (2008). Malaysia 2008: Laporan kemajuan dan manifesto. Ibu Pejabat Barisan Nasional.
Brown, G. K. (2013). Malaysia in 2012: Promises of reform; promises met? Southeast Asian Affairs, 2013, 153–167. https://www. muse.jhu.edu/article/512113
Chew, A. (2018, November 21). ‘Easy for them to blend in ‘: Foreign terror suspects pose security challenges for Malaysian authorities. Channel News Asia. https://www.channelnewsasia. com/news/asia/malaysia-foreign-terror-suspects-al-qaeda-militants-10915678
Ciorciari, J. D. (2003). A half-way challenge to Malaysia’s Internal Security Act (Mohamad Ezam Bin Mohd Nor v Ketua Polis Negara). Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal, 3(2), 237–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729342.2003.11421432
Crelinsten, R. (2009). Counterterrorism. Polity Press.
Das, C. V. (1994). Emergency powers and parliamentary government in Malaysia: Constitutionalism in a new democracy [Unpublished PhD thesis]. Brunel University.
Davidson, J. (2018, January 9). CES 2018: Samsung vows to add artificial intelligence to everything it does. The Australian Financial Review. https://www.afr.com/technology/ces-2018-samsung-vows-to-add-artificial-intelligence-to-everything-it-does-20180109-h0fdtd
Democratic Action Party (DAP). (2008). Election manifesto: Malaysia can do better!
Dixon, P. (2009). ‘Hearts and minds’? British counter-insurgency from Malaya to Iraq. Journal of Strategic Studies, 32(3), 353–381. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402390902928172
Dworkin, R. (1998). Law’s empire. Hart Publishing.
Fritz, N., & Flaherty, M. (2002). Unjust order: Malaysia’s Internal Security Act. Fordham International Law Journal, 26(5), 1345–1437. https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/ilj/vol26/iss5/1
Galli, F., Mitsilegas, V., & Walker, C. (2016). Terrorism investigations and prosecutions in comparative law. The International Journal of Human Rights, 20(5), 593–600. https://doi.org/10.1080/136 42987.2016.1162407
Hack, K. (2009). The Malayan Emergency as counter-insurgency paradigm. Journal of Strategic Studies, 32(3), 383–414. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402390902928180 Hansard Dewan Ra’ayat Deb, 1185 (21 June 1960) [Electronic version]. Hansard Dewan Rakyat Deb, 193 (4 April 2017) [Electronic version]. Hansard Dewan Rakyat Deb, no 20, 64 (17 April 2012) [Electronic version].
Harding, A. (2012). The Constitution of Malaysia: A contextual analysis. Hart Publishing.
Harper, T. N. (1999). The end of empire and the making of Malaysia. Cambridge University Press.
Human Rights Watch. (2004). In the name of security: Counter-terrorism and human rights abuses under Malaysia’s Internal Security Act (Vol. 16, No. 7c). https://www.hrw. org/report/2004/05/24/name-security/counterterrorism-and-human-rights-abuses-under-malaysias-internal
Jackson, R. (1991). The Malayan emergency and Indonesian confrontation: The commonwealth’s wars, 1948–1966. Routledge.
Khoo, Y. H. (2016). Malaysia’s 13th General Elections and the rise of electoral reform movement. Asian Politics & Policy, 8(3), 418–435. https://doi.org/10.1111/aspp.12273
Knapik, M. (2006). The qualitative research interview: Participants’ responsive participation in knowledge making. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 5(3), 77–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690600500308
Lee, R. (1997). Socio-legal research – What’s the use? In P. A. Thomas (Ed.), Social legal studies (pp. 76–98). Aldershot.
Malaysian Judiciary. (2017). Yearbook 2016. Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad.
Malik, M. (2014). Islamic movement and human rights: Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia’s involvement in the “Abolish Internal Security Act Movement,” 2000–2012. Intellectual Discourse, 22(2), 139–165. https://journals.iium.edu.my/intdiscourse/ index.php/id/article/view/609 Maria Chin Abdullah v. Supt Tham Lai Kuan & Others, 1 LNS 1653 (2016).
Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia. (2018a). Statistics of arrests related to Daesh under Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (POCA). https://www.data.gov.my/data/ms_MY/dataset/statistik-tangkapan-elemen-daesh-di-bawah-prevention-of-crime-act-1959-poca
Ministry of Home Affairs Malaysia. (2018b). Statistics of arrests related to Daesh under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA). https://www.data.gov.my/data/ms_MY/ dataset/statistik-tangkapan-elemen-daesh-di-bawah-security-offences-special-measures-act-2012-sosma Mohamad Nasuha bin Abdul Razak v. Public Prosecutor, MLJU 27 (2019).
Mohd. Sani, M. A. (2013). Balancing freedom of speech and national security in Malaysia. Asian Politics & Policy, 5(4), 585–607. https://doi.org/10.1111/aspp.12065
Munro-Kua, A. (1996). Authoritarian populism in Malaysia: Autocrats vs the people. St Martin’s Press.
Naz, S., & Bari, M. E. (2018). The enactment of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2015 in pursuance of the Constitution of Malaysia: Reincarnation of the notorious Internal Security Act, 1960? Suffolk Transnational Law Review, 41(1), 1–50.
O’Shannassy, M. (2013). More talk than walk? UMNO, ‘new politics’ and legitimation in contemporary Malaysia. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 43(3), 428–451. https://doi.org/10.1080 /00472336.2013.783966
Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS). (2008). Manifesto of the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS): A trustworthy, just & clean government, a nation of care & opportunity.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat. (2008). Manifesto Keadilan Rakyat 2008: Harapan baru untuk Malaysia.
Prime Minister’s Department. (2014). Kertas putih: Ke arah menangani ancaman Kumpulan Islamic State.
Public Prosecutor v. Azizi Abdullah, 1 LNS 562 (2017).
Public Prosecutor v. Khairuddin Abu Hassan & Anor, 4 CLJ 71 (2017). Public Prosecutor v. Mohd Amin Mohd Razali & Ors, 5 CLJ 281 (Malaysia) (2002). Public Prosecutor v. Muhammad Hakimin Azman, 1 LNS 1017 (2017). Public Prosecutor v. Muhammad Sani Mahdi Sahar, 1 LNS 1150 (2016).
Quinney, L., & Dwyer, T., & Chapman, Y. (2016). Who, where, and how of interviewing peers: Implications for a phenomenological study. SAGE Open, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244016659688
Razak, A., Rehman, J., & Skoczylis, J. (2015). ‘Prevent’ policies and laws: A comparative survey of the UK, Malaysia, and Pakistan. In G. Lennon & C. Walker (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Law and Terrorism (pp. 380–396). Routledge.
Siti Noor Aishah Atam v. Public Prosecutor, 5 CLJ 44 (2018).
Slater, D. (2003). Iron cage in an iron fist: Authoritarian institutions and the personalization of power in Malaysia. Comparative Politics, 36(1), 81–101. https://doi.org/10.2307/4150161
Spiegel, M. (2012, June 14). ‘Smoke and mirrors: Malaysia’s “new” Internal Security Act’. Asia Pacific Bulletin, 167, 1–2. https://www.eastwestcenter.org/publications/smoke-and-mirrors-malaysias-new-internal-security-act
Stubbs, R. (1989). Hearts and minds in guerrilla warfare: The Malayan Emergency 1948–1960. Oxford University Press.
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM). (2012). Malaysia human rights report 2012: Civil and political rights. SUARAM.
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM). (2017). Human rights report overview 2016: Civil and political rights. Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). (2009). Handbook on criminal justice responses to terrorism. Criminal justice handbook series. United Nations Publication.
Utusan Online. (2016, October 25). ISA effective tool to combat terrorism: PM. http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info. asp?y=2001&dt=1025&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=Front_ Page&pg=fp_05.htm
Walker, C. (2011). Terrorism and the law. Oxford University Press.
Walker, C., & Mat Rus, M. (2018). Legislating for national security. In N. Chua Abdullah (Ed.), Developments in Malaysian law (pp. 1–25). Sweet & Maxwell.
Whiting, A. (2013). Emerging from emergency rule? Malaysian law ‘reform’ 2011–2013. Australian Journal of Asian Law, 14(2), Article 9, 1–55. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2396928
Zakaria, A. (2017). Chief Justice’s speech for the opening of the legal year 2017. http://www.kehakiman.gov.my/sites/default/files/ oly-2017-7.pdf
Zurairi, A. R. (2013, July 7). Zahid Hamidi: EO replacement may still allow for detention without trial. The Malay Mail. https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2013/07/07/zahid-hamidi-eo-replacement-may-still-allow-for-detention-without-trial/491821
Published
Issue
Section
How to Cite
Research impact
Harvested 2026-09-06Counts differ between services because each indexes a different body of literature. None of them is the whole picture.
