Challenges in counter terrorism and counter violent extremism in Malaysia

Abstract

Changing context and laws have created new challenges for Malaysia’s counter-terrorism approach, which continues to emphasize law enforcement and intelligence gathering in its approach to a threat which now largely relates to religious violent extremism. The questions now are: how real is the threat and how are the authorities dealing with the evolving threat scenario? The ethnographic and anthropological angle remains germane, with current establishments in their methods and strategies tasked to address with countering both terrorism and violent extremism. This chapter provides insights into the common drivers of violent extremism and their challenges, requirements for capacity building, and possible solutions and best practices to counter terrorism and violent extremism. Ultimately, an approach is broached that addresses counter-terrorism from an alternative perspective beyond the ideological.