Malaysian police to brief students on ‘dangers of Isis’ this year amid concerns they are ‘easily influenced by terrorist ideology’
Recent study highlights how there is 'increased sympathy' for extremist groups when the country's government introduces 'aggressive actions'
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Your support makes all the difference.Police and security agencies in Malaysia are to brief school students on the dangers of Isis this year because students are “being easily influenced by terrorist ideology,” according to press reports from the country.
The news has come after it was reported in 2015 that Islamic militant groups, including Isis, had been targeting Malaysian students in higher education, as outlined in a report, said The Malaysian Insider.
At the time, Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay - chief assistant director of the counter-terrorism division with the Royal Malaysia Police - told the southeast-Asian nation’s media 61 nationals had been identified as being involved in three groups known as Jabhat A-Nusra, Ajnad Al-Sham, and Isis.
He added how the groups “would not spare” young Malaysians and said police were trying to educate students by emphasising how joining extremist groups, including Isis, was a “one-way ticket.”
Speaking at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia - the Islamic Science University of Malaysia - he was quoted by the New Straits Times as having said: “There is no way back unless they managed to get the help of the police here.”
The new education effort has also come about after author of the study ‘Countering Violent Extremist Narratives’, Malaysian politician Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah, highlighted how there is “increased sympathy” for extremist groups when the government introduces “aggressive actions.” Mr Abdullah also added how recruitment also rises because the public senses “more injustice,” therefore, “driving more recruits to extremist groups.”
Although no details have been released as to what exactly will feature in the new school briefings, deputy education minister Chong Sin Woon said the series of briefings was among the education ministry's efforts to raise awareness on the issue of terrorism, reported The Straits Times.
Speaking with journalists on Sunday, The Malaysian Insider quoted Mr Woon as saying: “Together with the police and security forces, we will start disseminating information in schools this year.”
According to government data given to global politics and economics magazine Foreign Policy, Malaysia’s reputation has been “muddied” with the revelation that authorities have arrested more than 122 individuals since 2013 who either “joined the Islamic State and returned home, or were stopped while attempting to leave the country.”
A poll carried out by the Pew Research Centre - which asked for Malaysian Muslims’ views on whether their opinion of Isis was favourable, unfavourable, or whether they didn’t know - showed 67 per cent opposed the group, while 21 per cent remained undecided.
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