ALOR STAR: The National Security Council (NSC) is introducing an approach that includes the concept of comprehensive security to further improve security in the country.
NSC director-general Datuk Rodzi Md Saad said this was a new approach that allowed the responsibility of maintaining national security to be shared by the entire government machinery, as well as all levels of society, proactively.
"We are using the comprehensive security approach because we see that security cannot be achieved with just police and the armed forces. It is actually very broad. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, it threatened our security, but it had nothing to do with the military or sovereignty. That is a health threat.
"Similarly, if we look at the issues of chicken and cooking oil supply, these are food security issues. The people are stressed and anxious because they are worried about the insufficient supply of chicken."
Rodzi said this after the National Security Policy Literacy Programme 2021-2025: Security Mindset Formation Discourse here today.
He said implementation of the comprehensive security concept was in the initial stage, which involves information sharing sessions with government agencies in states.
"We must explain to everyone. We begin with government agencies first. This is a field programme to explain (the concept) to government agencies at the state level, then we go to universities, then we talk to community leaders, youths and non-governmental organisations. We will do it comprehensively."
Rodzi said the concept would be fully implemented by ministries next year, monitored by the NSC through a committee to monitor changes in community behaviour.
"We have a philosophy and a core. So the ministries will work on their cores. For the Agriculture (and Food Industries) Ministry, its core is human safety because it deals with food security.
"So, the Agriculture Ministry will report back to us the programmes it has implemented, then we will study them and give feedback to the ministry if there is a need for adjustments. Same for other ministries." – Bernama