Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan (Source: VNA)Singapore (VNA) – Southeast Asian nations need to intensify theirfight against religious militancy taking root in the region, includingMyanmar’s Rakhine State, said Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnanon December 5.
He made thestatement at the 15th ASEAN lecture on “ASEAN: Next 50” at the ISEASYusof Ishak Institute.
Balakrishnanstated that the weakening of the Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East and therecent occupation of the Philippine town of Marawi by IS-supporting gunmen haverenewed concern that the region can become a magnet for militants.
According tohim, several fighters returned to Marawi and several other areas in the regioncan become potential hotbeds for terrorists.
Singaporeeven has an anxiety that Rakhine state may become another sanctuary, anotherhotbed for extremism, he added.
Over thepast year, the Philippines faced the region’s most serious militant violence,which began when hundreds of gunmen, including some from elsewhere in theregion, occupied Marawi.
Indonesiaand Malaysia say thousands of their citizens sympathise with IS and hundredsare believed to have travelled to Syria to join the group.
Indonesianauthorities last year disrupted a plot by militants to launch an attack inSingapore.
Singaporewill be chair of the 10-member ASEAN in 2018.-VNA
VNA
