KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has admitted that terrorism is now an unavoidable, serious threat in Malaysia and the rest of Southeast Asia.
The defence minister said the threat from militants, which not too long ago was unheard of in the region, was one of the main problems facing most of the nations in the world.
“Before, this was not an issue in the region... now terrorism is one of the biggest security threats facing every country, including Malaysia. The closest examples would be the threat of Islamic State in Marawi in the southern Philippines and the attacks in Jakarta,” he told reporters after a visit to the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2018 exhibition and conference and National Security (NATSEC) Asia exhibition at the Malaysian International Exhibition and Commerce Centre (MITEC).
Hishammuddin said the issue of terrorism was the main focus of DSA and NATSEC Asia.
“The war against extremism cannot be won alone... it requires cooperation between nations. It is only through cooperation that we will be able to stop any threat,” he said.
Hishammuddin said it was also important that any terror plan be nipped in the bud and stopped as early as possible before it could get out of hand.
“This is why I see DSA and NATSEC Asia as an ideal platform (for various countries and security and defence agencies) to discuss things and find a way to put a stop to terrorism. This exhibition and conference will allow the nations taking part to look at weapons and other equipment which they may need (to fight terrorism), besides being able to share expertise and viewpoints on defence,” he said.
Hishammuddin spent nearly two hours touring the exhibition and was presented a replica of a 13th Century Ottoman sword known as the “Yatagan Sword” by Turkey’s FNSS Defence System as a mark of appreciation for Malaysia having organised DSA and NATSEC Asia.