Be aware of the threat posed by foreign agents

SHAH ALAM - Following strong support for the Palestinian issue, the country needs to be prepared for at least the next five to ten years against possible external threats such as the killing of Hamas members in Malaysia.

International Islamic University of Malaysia (UIAM), International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Assistant Professor Dr Ahmad El-Muhammady said the Israeli regime's strategy is to wait until the "right time and place" to conduct an attack.

"The consequences for national security would be dire if such an attack were to occur.

"Foreign agents may also exploit and take advantage of national security weaknesses to carry out operations," he told Sinar on Thursday.

Ahmad, who is also an anti-terrorism analyst, said that there are many Palestinians in Malaysia, whether members of Hamas or Fatah, as well as ordinary people who fled from Israeli oppression and cruelty.

"The leader of Hamas, Khalid Meshal, has also come to Malaysia several times for official visits. This happened because we support the Palestinian cause.

"In this context, we do not differentiate between Hamas and Fatah. For us, Palestine is one, no matter who is in power," he said.

He added that the killing of Hamas members is not a new thing in Malaysia, and it is not impossible that it could happen again.

"A Palestinian lecturer, Dr Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh, was killed in Kuala Lumpur on April 12, 2018 by foreign agents, and there are strong indications that the killing was carried out by Mossad agents.

"In fact, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also said to have warned that all Hamas members, whether inside or outside Gaza, will die," he said.

Head of the Islamic Civilization and Jewish Studies Unit, Ahmad, explained that to fend off external attacks against the country, a special team should be created to study and assess the impact of Malaysia's position on the Palestinian issue on national security.

"The special team in question needs to evaluate security measures at the border, implement the screening process, and monitor, in addition to budget allocations, to modernise the agenda of the national intelligence service.

"In addition, it is also necessary to monitor the Palestinians in Malaysia to ensure their safety," he said.

Ahmad also emphasised that national intelligence needs to take proactive steps and learn from past incidents such as the murder of Dr Fadi and Kim Jong-nam on February 13, 2017 and the kidnapping of Palestinians in October 2022.

"The national intelligence team certainly has its own greatness, and it should not be taken for granted as intelligence work is about improvisation," he said.