Security forces prepared to address threat of extremist ideologies, says Saifuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: Authorities will always take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of extremist ideologies that could pose a security threat in the country, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

The Home Minister said the recent attack on the Ulu Tiram police station in Johor was clear evidence of the threat of declaring one another as infidels and considering others’ faith as “imperfect”.

“This is the problem,” he said in reply to a supplementary question from Dr Abd Ghani Bin Ahmad (PN-Jerlun), who asked about the additional measures taken by the security forces, including increasing the number of personnel working at police stations and police patrols nationwide following the UIu Tiram incident in Johor.

In the Ulu Tiram police station attack on May 17, two policemen, Constable Ahmad Azza Fahmi Azhar, 22, and Constable Muhamad Syafiq Ahmad Said, 24, were killed. Another police officer, Corporal Mohd Hasif Roslan, 38, was injured by two gunshots to the shoulder and hip.

According to the Home Minister, the attacker had isolated himself from the public and even from his close family members while considering anything and anyone connected to the government as infidels.

“This belief led him to attack the police station,” added Saifuddin.

The Home Minister stressed that such activities must be curbed and calling one another infidel was dangerous for the country.

When you asked whether the police can manage such incidents, he said the police force is over 216 years old and has vast experience.

“Based on the incident, we have built a full profile on how to mitigate such elements to ensure it will not spread further,” noted Saifuddin.

On June 19, five family members of the Ulu Tiram police station attacker were charged at the Sessions Court, with a total of nine charges between them.