Posted on

Good governance, the end of rampant corruption and widespread socio-economic injustices like Najib’s twin mega scandals are the best antidotes to fight extremism and terrorism, including Islamic State (IS)

At the International Conference on Deradicalisation and Countering Violent Extremism (IDC) yesterday, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he made no apology for stopping at nothing to ensure the security and safety of Malaysians, referring in particular to the slew of draconian laws in the arsenal of the Malaysian government.

Najib’s statement to the IDC, aimed at discussing and boosting co-operation between security agencies from ASEAN and nine strategic partners including Australia, France, Italy, Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Britain and the United States, as well as discussing policies of the respective countries on deradicalisation and countering extremism, had failed to grasp the full spectrum of the threats, brutality and barbarity posed by movements like Islamic State (IS).

While far-reaching security laws are necessary, Najib and all world leaders must never lose sight of the fact that good governance, the end of rampant corruption and widespread socio-economic injustices like Najib’s twin mega scandals are the best antidotes to fight extremism and terrorism, including Islamic State (IS).

It is unfortunate that Najib had named the National Security Council (NSC) Bill as one of the necessary draconian laws to fight terrorism, as the threat of terrorism and in particular the Islamic State (IS) was never mentioned in Parliament, whether in Dewan Rakyat or Dewan Negara, as the raison d’etre why the NSC Bill was necessary. Continue reading “Good governance, the end of rampant corruption and widespread socio-economic injustices like Najib’s twin mega scandals are the best antidotes to fight extremism and terrorism, including Islamic State (IS)”

Posted on

Produce proof that Najib had returned US$620 million to Saudi royal family and what happened to the remainder of the US$41million in Najib’s RM2.6 billion donation scandal if Apandi wants his version to be believed

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak this evening welcomed the Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali’s exoneration of any wrongdoing by him in the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal, and said that “the cases have been closed” and that its time for Malaysia to “move on”.

Just as Najib had been proven wrong when he declared in his 2016 New Year Message that his world-class twin mega scandals, which caused Malaysia to be ranked third in the world’s “worst corruption scandals in 2015”, had been resolved and were no more issues in the country, the Prime Minister cannot be more wrong when he said that the cases of his world-class “twin mega scandals” had been closed and that the country could now “move on”.

I cannot think of another case in the nation’s history where the Attorney-General’s decision in a high-profile matter like Najib’s world-class twin mega scandals had been greeted with more skepticism, outrage and scorn, not only locally but in international circles, as the announcement by Apandi yesterday that no charges would be brought against the Prime Minister based on the investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in the RM2.6 billion political donation and RM42 million from SRC International transferred into Najib’s personal bank accounts.

It is no exaggeration to say that public esteem and credibility for the office of the Attorney-General had never fallen so low in the 58-year history of the nation as yesterday.

Apart from his dubious decision to exonerate Najib of any wrongdoing in the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal and the transfer of RM42 million from SRC International to his personal bank accounts, despite the possibility of the taint being caught in a embarrassing “conflict-of-interest” situation, Apandi’s announcement that Najib had returned US$620 million to the Saudi royal family who were the original donor raised national doubts about the AG’s credibility to new lows. Continue reading “Produce proof that Najib had returned US$620 million to Saudi royal family and what happened to the remainder of the US$41million in Najib’s RM2.6 billion donation scandal if Apandi wants his version to be believed”

Posted on

The case against the TPPA

– Liew Chin Tong
The Malaysian Insider
26 January 2016

I have written to the Dewan Rakyat secretary Datuk Roosme, with copies to Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin and DAP whip Loke Siew Fook, on my medical leave from the January 26 and 27 sitting.

I am still recovering from Bell’s palsy, a paralysis of the facial nerves.

If I were present, I would have voted against the TPPA, alongside with other DAP and Pakatan Harapan MPs.

I probably would ask for a chance to speak against the deal too.

Much as I regretted my absence at this critical vote, I am comforted by the fact that DAP does have very strong and well-informed speakers for the debate. Continue reading “The case against the TPPA”

Posted on

Is AG Apandi guilty of conflict of interest when he decided that Najib will not be charged for the RM2.6 billion “donation” and SRC scandals?

Is the Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali guilty of conflict of interest when he decided that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had committed no criminal offence in the RM2.6 billion “donation” and SRC scandals?

Apandi should have withdrawn from the decision-making process on what actions should be taken on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigation papers on Najib’s RM2.6 billion “donation” and SRC scandals, and left the decisions to be taken by the Solicitor-General.

It is open history that Apandi was appointed by Najib in the most extraordinary of circumstances, when the former Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail was suddenly and shockingly sacked on July 28 purportedly on “health” reasons, which even took Gani by total surprise.

Up to now, the real reason for Gani’s sacking as Attorney-General had not been given to the Malaysian public, as he appeared very healthy and is even now starting on a new career as a legal consultant after having retired from the public service three months after he was sacked as Attorney-General – three months before his compulsory retirement.

It has been speculated in the public domain that the reason for Gani’s sacking was because the Attorney-General’s Chambers under Gani was preparing to charge the Prime Minister for corruption in connection with Najib’s world-class twin mega scandals.

Up to now, there has been no satisfactory answer on this issue, whether involving Najib as Prime Minister, Apandi as the current Attorney-General or Gani as the sacked Attorney-General.

These extraordinary circumstances of Apandi’s appointment as Attorney-General by Najib in place of Gani are additional reasons why Apandi should have avoided any conflict of interest situation and withdrawn from any decision-making on MACC’s investigation papers relating to Najib in its investigations into the RM2.6 billion donation and SRC scandals.

Apandi’s announcement that there will no charges against Najib also runs contrary to what MACC officials had said on public record. Continue reading “Is AG Apandi guilty of conflict of interest when he decided that Najib will not be charged for the RM2.6 billion “donation” and SRC scandals?”

Posted on

The illiberal threat to Islam

Zairil Khir Johari
The Malaysian Insider
25 January 2016

Central to the idea of liberalism, be it political, economic or social in context, is human agency – the capacity for individual human beings, acting rationally, to make choices deemed to be in their best interest.

However, freedom of choice and conscience alone is insufficient if it is not complemented by the necessary space, both in the personal sphere and the public realm, to act upon those choices without discrimination or victimisation.

Conversely, illiberalism refers to the lack of such fundamental freedoms. An illiberal polity is, therefore, one where diversity is not tolerated, and where being different invites persecution, whether by society or the state.

It is one where conformity is not only approved of, but even coercively imposed. In Islamic terms, it is where ijtihad (independent reasoning) is suppressed and taqlid (to follow blindly) is expected.

In an illiberal state, speech and expression are censored and dissent is suppressed. In most cases, citizens are kept in check through the fear of an existential threat – often through the construction of an “other”. Continue reading “The illiberal threat to Islam”

Posted on

Was Hadi an agent, stooge or puppet of DAP in most of the seven years of Pakatan Rakyat from 2008 to 2015?

The demonisation of DAP as anti-Malay and anti-Islam, and the tactics of fear and hate to scare Malays into believing that they will lose political power if UMNO and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak are toppled from Federal power in the 14th General Election have been intensified recently.

I expect such politics of fear and hate to escalate in the coming weeks and months.

The reason is very simple and obvious – Najib and his UMNO propagandists believe and fear that UMNO and Barisan Nasional would be defeated in the next national general election.

A recent opinion poll had found that the popularity rating of Najib’s UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government had for the first time in UMNO history fallen below the 50% mark among Malay voters, plunging to as low as 30%.

What better way to save Najib and UMNO by the classic tactics of creating an imaginary enemy for the Malay community!

Hence the continued intensification and escalation of the campaign of fear and hate to scare Malay voters into believing that Malays will lose political power and Islam will come under grave threat if UMNO and Prime Minister Najib are defeated in the 14th General Election – never mind that rational Malays will find this proposition a most preposterous and outrageous one, as such a scenario will never come to pass in Malaysia.

There is no way that the Malays can lose political power in Malaysia and that the DAP or the Chinese will rule the country. Continue reading “Was Hadi an agent, stooge or puppet of DAP in most of the seven years of Pakatan Rakyat from 2008 to 2015?”

Posted on

My Tribute to Badri bin Muhammad, PhD

M. Bakri Musa
www.bakrimusa.com

Last and for a very special reason, I will cite another example of a free mind, Dr. Badri bin Muhammad. Badri was special to many, most immediately his wife and fellow Professor of Chemistry Karen Crouse, and their children Susanna, Adam, Diana, Nadira, and grandson Mitchell.

Once on meeting a group of Malaysian graduate students here in America, a few happened to have attended University Putra Malaysia. To my query whether they knew of Badri, one bright student beamed widely, “Yes, he was my wonderful chemistry professor!” and the others quickly joined in the praise. Very effusive and very heartfelt, those students were among Badri’s many legacies.

Badri died recently after a brief illness. He was special to me as we had been dear friends for a long time and shared so many bonds. Our wives knew each other well and so did our children who were of comparable ages. Continue reading “My Tribute to Badri bin Muhammad, PhD”

Posted on

The Najib government must demonstrate that it is capable of being sensitive about Malaysia as a multi-racial and multi-religious nation before it talks about widening the scope of BTN for youths and citizenry to become the “eyes and ears” of the state on security threats

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Azalina Othman said last night that the National Civics Bureau (BTN) needs to be revamped given the diverse nature of security threats and that the government needs its citizens to be better “eyes and ears” for the state and for young people to be more aware of such threats.

She said that the government wants the rakyat to be more aware of national security threats, especially youths who seem to be less sensitive of this.

The Najib government must demonstrate that it is capable of being sensitive about Malaysia as a multi-racial and multi-religious nation before it talks about widening the scope of BTN for the youths and citizenry to be “eyes and ears” of the state on security threats.

If the Najib government had been sensitive about Malaysia as a multi-racial and multi-religious nation, it would not have abandoned the 1Malaysia Policy to create a Malaysia where every Malaysian regards himself or herself as a Malaysian first and race, religion, region or socio-economic position second.

Nor would have the seven-year tragedy of Indira Gandhi happened, where a mother is forcibly separated from her 11-month old baby daughter for seven long years with no end in sight because the Cabinet has no political will to resolve the controversy over unilateral conversion of minors. Continue reading “The Najib government must demonstrate that it is capable of being sensitive about Malaysia as a multi-racial and multi-religious nation before it talks about widening the scope of BTN for youths and citizenry to become the “eyes and ears” of the state on security threats”

Posted on

Call on Najib to present White Paper on his twin world-class mega scandals before the Special Parliament on TPPA tomorrow

The Najib government has a totally perverted sense of national priorities when it holds a two-day Special Parliament for Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) but not for Najib’s world-class twin mega scandals or the recalibration of the 2016 Budget – with the coming of the “perfect storm” with the convergence of a multitude of economic, political, good governance and nation-building crisis in Malaysia.

Another perverted sense of national priorities of the Najib government is my six-month suspension from Parliament for basically demanding that the Prime Minister should not avoid the question “Mana RM2.6 billion?”, with the string of broken promises about accountability and good governance on the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal, like the undertaking that all the questions about the RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal would be answered on the last day of the 25-day budget meeting on Dec. 3 last year, the Prime Minister’s public stance that his twin mega scandals had been resolved and are no more issues in the country and the latest signal from the Public Accounts Committee Chairman, Datuk Hasan Arifin, that there is no light at the end of the tunnel as far as the PAC investigations into the RM55 billion 1MDB scandal is concerned.

It is sad that Parliament has again proven its utter irrelevance and impotence with regard to demanding full and satisfactory accountability from Najib for his twin mega scandals – which had infamously given Malaysia the third place in the world’s “worst corruption scandals in 2015”.

Would the second Prime Minister Tun Razak ever imagined that his legacy will be corrupted by his son as the sixth Prime Minister in causing the nation to be placed third in the world’s “worst corruption scandals in 2015”? Continue reading “Call on Najib to present White Paper on his twin world-class mega scandals before the Special Parliament on TPPA tomorrow”

Posted on

Abolish the BTN in the 2016 Budget calibration on Thursday, initiating a study whether BTN can be redeemed and totally revamped to promote national unity instead of fostering racism, disunity, intolerance and extremism in Malaysia

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should abolish the Biro TataNegara (BTN) in the 2016 Budget calibration on Thursday, initiating a study whether BTN can be redeemed and totally revamped to promote national unity instead of fostering racism, disunity, bigotry, intolerance and extremism in the last three decades.

On Thursday, the newly-appointed BTN director-general Ibrahim Saad said that BTN would undergo a rebranding exercise that aims to dispel perceptions it is racist and see its module updated to suit current needs.

The problem with BTN is not about rebranding or that it suffered from “perceptions” that it is racist, but whether the BTN could be redeemed and totally revamped from its ration d’etre for the past few decades – negative, divisive and anti-national role in indoctrinating and inciting racism, disunity, bigotry and intolerance instead of fostering patriotism, unity, inter-racial and inter-religious understanding and goodwill.

Even for former top Malay civil servants in G25 have condemned BTN of being “ultra Malay-racist”.

This was why former diplomat and spokesperson of G25 Datuk Farida Ariffin have joined the growing chorus demanding that the Najib government should dissolve the “anti-national” BTN. Continue reading “Abolish the BTN in the 2016 Budget calibration on Thursday, initiating a study whether BTN can be redeemed and totally revamped to promote national unity instead of fostering racism, disunity, intolerance and extremism in Malaysia”

Posted on

New Deal for Malaysia

– Liew Chin Tong
The Malaysian Insider
24 January 2016

With mega crises on all fronts, (Datuk Seri) Najib (Razak) and Umno look doomed. But they might just survive politically by creating a “Low Yat incident” every other week.

The game plan is simple: pit underprivileged kids of one race against another, then they will be so busy fighting each other that they will forget who keeps them poor to begin with. The accusation of “poor Malay cheated by Chinese handphone taukeh” is untrue. Why would a “rich” young Chinese work for a handphone shop for meagre pay?

Can we, DAP, see the shared fate of the bottom 60% of the economy – youngsters who are Malay as well as Chinese and other races? Can we articulate their wishes and aspirations in a single breath?

The even more crucial question is this: do we even actually know them? Do we actually know who the Malays are? What the Malays are? Where the Malays are?

It is sad to note that some of us see the Malays as one single entity with a set of stereotypes. For example, we didn’t even realise that we are being racial when we see most Malays as policemen, enforcement officers, Mat Rempit, etc.

The same is true for others who only see Chinese as rich people and business owners who always cheat Malays. After 50 years, the narrative has stayed the same. This is sad. Continue reading “New Deal for Malaysia”

Posted on

‘The Economist’: While Indonesia fights Islamic State, Malaysia politicises Islam

Malay Mail Online
January 24, 2016

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 ― Indonesian social movements are attempting to counter jihadist influence, but the Malaysian government has completely politicised Islam until there is little space for more peaceful interpretations, The Economist said.

In an analysis of the Jakarta bombings published yesterday, the London-based weekly publication noted that supporting or joining the Islamic State (IS) is not illegal in Indonesia, though the Indonesian government is considering preventive detention laws to curb terrorism.

“The country’s two biggest Muslim social movements — Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama — have been trying to counter jihadist propaganda.

“In Malaysia, however, the government itself has thoroughly politicised Islam, leaving little room for dissent from its harshest rules. A study last year found more than 70 per cent of Malaysia’s ethnic-Malay, Muslim, majority support hudud laws such as stoning for adultery. Another found that 11 per cent of Malays viewed IS favourably,” said The Economist in an article titled “After Jakarta.” Continue reading “‘The Economist’: While Indonesia fights Islamic State, Malaysia politicises Islam”

Posted on

Hasan Arifin should resign as PAC Chairman if he is not prepared to be a second “Nur Jazlan” who will delve into the bottom of Najib’s twin mega scandals without fear or favour

The Hasan Arifin Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is a far cry and a pale shadow of the Nur Jazlan PAC.

Nur Jazlan Mohamad as Chairman of the PAC created parliamentary history in raising credibility and public respect for PAC to such a high pedestal that it became the only hope for Malaysians that there would be an independent, professional and non-holds barred investigation into Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s twin mega scandals – the RM55 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal.

In Nur Jazlan’s own words, for the first time, Malaysians harboured high hopes that there was still someone in UMNO who wanted to do the right thing.

All these hopes were dashed when Najib purged his government at the end of July last year, sacking the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Senior Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail, followed by a campaign of fear and intimidation at high levels of government with the arrest or immediate transfer of recalcitrant officers in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Bank Negara, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Police and the dissolution of the high-powered multi-agency “Four Tan Sri’s” Special Task Force on 1MDB.

PAC, which was launching into a full-scale probe into 1MDB led by PAC Chairman Nur Jazlan, was sabotaged and derailed for four months from continuing with 1MDB investigations with Najib’s power-play of appointing Nur Jazlan as Deputy Home Minister as well as the promotion of three other Barisan Nasional members of PAC into executive branch of government. Continue reading “Hasan Arifin should resign as PAC Chairman if he is not prepared to be a second “Nur Jazlan” who will delve into the bottom of Najib’s twin mega scandals without fear or favour”

Posted on

Of emigration and the trust deficit

Julia Yeow
The Malaysian Insider
10 January 2016

Malaysia’s brain drain problem is far from a new one and, to be fair, is not exclusive to our country.

However, the rise in the number of highly-skilled Malaysians moving abroad to work or live is especially troubling for a country that is hoping to become a developed, high-income nation in less than five years.

The most recent World Bank report states that more than 300,000 Malaysians moved overseas in 2013 alone, joining the millions who are now spread across the globe. Continue reading “Of emigration and the trust deficit”

Posted on

Is there ever a positive side to beauty pageants?

Syerleena Abdul Rashid
The Malaysian Insider
22 January 2016

On a personal level, I have to admit, beauty pageants make me queasy because it sends out a pretty clear message that only beautiful women succeed in life.

Beauty pageants and other similar events where women are made to prance around all dolled up with fake smiles plastered on their faces have increasingly becoming more controversial.

The negative impacts it has will definitely resonate especially on young girls. Continue reading “Is there ever a positive side to beauty pageants?”

Posted on

PAC should table the Auditor-General’s interim report on 1MDB at the Special Parliament next Tuesday or Wednesday as part of the PAC Interim Report on 1MDB so that the AG’s interim 1MDB report could be made public and studied by Malaysians

Malaysians must make clear their protest and opposition to the shocking though expected announcement by the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Datuk Hasan Arifin two days ago that the PAC report into its investigations into the RM55 billion 1MDB scandal will not be ready for tabling in the Dewan Rakyat in the March/April meeting.

This is because Hasan’s announcement will open the way for an indefinite postponement of PAC report on its investigations into the 1MDB scandal, which had already stained Malaysia’s international reputation by giving the nation the third ranking in the world’s “worst corruption scandals in 2015”.

In fact, I will not be surprised if the “cari makan” PAC Chairman will find some reason to further postpone submission of the PAC Report into 1MDB in the May meeting of Parliament – kicking the ball to the end of the year for the 25-day budget meeting from 17th October to 24th November 2016.

Just as “justice delayed is justice denied”, the “cari makan” PAC Chairman must also understand that “accountability delayed is accountability denied”! Continue reading “PAC should table the Auditor-General’s interim report on 1MDB at the Special Parliament next Tuesday or Wednesday as part of the PAC Interim Report on 1MDB so that the AG’s interim 1MDB report could be made public and studied by Malaysians”

Posted on

‘Flawed democracy’ Malaysia slips down in The Economist unit’s ranking, behind Indonesia

Malay Mail Online
January 22, 2016

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — Malaysia stayed mired among countries rated as “flawed democracies” in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index 2015 released this week, losing three positions from the previous year.

According to the EIU table, Malaysia is now 68th out of the 167 countries measured, after it scored 6.43 in the index, down from 65th in 2014, putting it behind Indonesia (49th) and the Philippines (54th), but ahead of 74th placed Singapore.

“These countries also have free and fair elections and, even if there are problems (such as infringements on media freedom), basic civil liberties are respected.

“However, there are significant weaknesses in other aspects of democracy, including problems in governance, an underdeveloped political culture and low levels of political participation,” the EIU explained.
Continue reading “‘Flawed democracy’ Malaysia slips down in The Economist unit’s ranking, behind Indonesia”

Posted on

Najib should immediately suspend Jamil Khir as Minister and Johari Bahrom as Deputy Minister if Kedah Wanita UMNO chief is telling the truth that she had been tricked into the press conference against Mukhriz

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, should immediately suspend Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom as Minister and Datuk Johari Baharum as Deputy Minister if Kedah Wanita chief Datuk Maznah Hamid is telling the truth that she had been tricked into the press conference yesterday declaring loss of confidence in Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir as Kedah Mentri Besar.

I do not want to be entangled in the question whether Mukhriz is the best person to be the Kedah Mentri Besar, but the revelations by Maznah is most shocking, outrageous and unacceptable, totally against the fifth Rukunegara precept of “Morality and Good Behaviour”.

If what Maznah said is true, then Jamil Khir and Johari Baharom are not fit to be Minister and Deputy Minister respectively, as Malaysians are entitled to question as to how persons who have no respect or regard for the Rukunegara principles and who acted totally without the most elementary sense of political morality can be allowed to be Minister or Deputy Minister. Continue reading “Najib should immediately suspend Jamil Khir as Minister and Johari Bahrom as Deputy Minister if Kedah Wanita UMNO chief is telling the truth that she had been tricked into the press conference against Mukhriz”

Posted on

Anyone surprised by Hasan Arifin’s announcement that PAC report on 1MDB will not be ready in time for the March meeting of Parliament?

Anyone surprised by the announcement yesterday by the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Datuk Hasan Arifin that the PAC report into its investigations into the RM55 billion 1MDB scandal will not be ready for tabling in the Dewan Rakyat in the March/April meeting?
I believe the majority of Malaysians share my feeling of not in any way being surprised at all.

In fact, I will expect the PAC under the “cari makan” chairman will even miss the following Parliamentary meeting from May 16 to 26, which will mean that the PAC report on the 1MDB will be kicked to the end of the year, when Parliament meets for 25 days from 17th Oct to 24th Nov, 2016.

Again, nobody will be very surprised if the net result demanding full accountability for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Raza’s twin mega scandals by the end of this year will conclude not very much differently from that of last year – where the Prime Minister disappeared from Parliamentary chamber on the last day of the 25-day budget meeting although Ministers have proclaimed to the world that all the answers about the Najib’s RM2.6 billion “donation” scandal would be answered on Dec. 3, 2015, the last day of the Parliamentary meeting, but there was absolutely no answer to the teeming questions about the scandal!

There is no sense of urgency in the PAC investigations into the 1MDB scandal since the appointment of Hasan as PAC Chairman, after the derailment of the PAC investigations for more than three months after the “purge” in the government of personalities in favour of full and satisfactory accountability of the 1MDB scandal, including the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muyhyiddin Yassin, Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail, officers in the AG’s Chambers, Bank Negara, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Malaysian Police. Continue reading “Anyone surprised by Hasan Arifin’s announcement that PAC report on 1MDB will not be ready in time for the March meeting of Parliament?”

Posted on

What Indonesia Knows About Blocking the Islamic State

Joshua Kurlantzick
Bloomberg
January 20, 2016

Smart strategy has made the largest Muslim-majority nation a tough environment for the Islamic State.

In the wake of last week’s attacks in Jakarta, which killed seven people, fears are growing that the largest Muslim-majority nation in the world is going to be hit by a wave of Islamic State-linked bombings and shootings. The potential for mayhem seems obvious. Indonesia’s open society and high social media penetration make it easy for young Indonesians to access Islamist sites and Facebook pages, and the Sunni Muslim insurgency has released several videos in Indonesian in an apparent recruiting effort.

Indonesia is a country of thousands of islands, with porous borders and many soft targets: The militants launched bombs and opened fire in broad daylight in one of the busiest neighborhoods in Jakarta. And Indonesians have fought in Syria and Iraq and returned. The Soufan Group, a consulting security consulting group, believes that at least six hundred Southeast Asians have traveled to Syria to fight with the Islamic State and then come back to their home countries. Indeed, the alleged ringleader of last week’s Jakarta attacks, a militant named Bahru Naim, is currently living in Raqqa, Islamic State’s hub. Continue reading “What Indonesia Knows About Blocking the Islamic State”