Malaysian police is conducting counter-terror drill in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: AFP/VNA)Hanoi (VNA) –Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has said intelligence reportsindicated that foreign Islamic State (IS) fighters fleeing the Middle East areplanning to shift their bases to Southeast Asia.
Speaking at a meeting of the ruling UnitedMalays National Organisation (UMNO) party on July 10, the Defence Ministerdeclared IS is the enemy of the government.
He stressed that what happed in Middle East hasa direct impact on Malaysia, adding that the region will be the IS’ focus andevery member state of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) willhave to look at this seriously.
Given the urgency of the matter, the ministersaid he will be visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) andBahrain this week to get latest intelligence reports on the militants and theirwhereabouts.
He also affirmed that Malaysia will fight theIS’ threats and will continue working closely with ASEAN countries to preventIS militants from entering and controlling the region.
Malaysian military and security forces will takemeasures to ensure the IS will not be able to enter the country.
Recently, the Southeast Asian region has been onalert after pro-IS gunmen attacked Marawi city on Mindanao island,southern the Philippines, on May 25. Since then, nearly 400 people were killedwhile over 200,000 residents have fled their home.
The Marawi siege has raised concern that the militants are trying to build astronghold in Mindanao, threatening the region’s security.-VNA
Speaking at a meeting of the ruling UnitedMalays National Organisation (UMNO) party on July 10, the Defence Ministerdeclared IS is the enemy of the government.
He stressed that what happed in Middle East hasa direct impact on Malaysia, adding that the region will be the IS’ focus andevery member state of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) willhave to look at this seriously.
Given the urgency of the matter, the ministersaid he will be visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) andBahrain this week to get latest intelligence reports on the militants and theirwhereabouts.
He also affirmed that Malaysia will fight theIS’ threats and will continue working closely with ASEAN countries to preventIS militants from entering and controlling the region.
Malaysian military and security forces will takemeasures to ensure the IS will not be able to enter the country.
Recently, the Southeast Asian region has been onalert after pro-IS gunmen attacked Marawi city on Mindanao island,southern the Philippines, on May 25. Since then, nearly 400 people were killedwhile over 200,000 residents have fled their home.
The Marawi siege has raised concern that the militants are trying to build astronghold in Mindanao, threatening the region’s security.-VNA
VNA
