Malaysia's arms heist<\/p>\n
Malaysian police continue to hunt for more members of the Al-
\nMa'unah Islamic cult following a daring arms theft on July 2 by
\nthe organization's firebrands.<\/p>\n
The incident itself has stunned Malaysia's neighbors,
\nespecially those grouped in the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN). Of particular concern is the sloppiness of the
\nMalaysian security system. Another incident that demonstrates the
\nvulnerability of the system was the kidnapping of 21 mostly
\nforeign tourists by the Philippine-based Abu Sayaf militants on
\nApril 23 from the resort island of Sipadan, which is under
\nMalaysia's control.<\/p>\n
It is truly unbelievable that the guards at the army camps in
\nthe northern state of Perak could be easily tricked and subdued
\nby 15 members of Al-Mau'nah who posed as army officers and carted
\naway more than 100 weapons, including M-16 and Styer rifles,
\ngrenade launchers and rounds of ammunition, from the two
\narsenals.<\/p>\n
The cult members then fled into the forest, taking four
\nhostages with them. They surrendered last Thursday after the
\ngovernment security forces issued an ultimatum to end the five-
\nday standoff, but not before killing two non-Muslim hostages and
\nsparing the other two, who are Muslims.<\/p>\n
Followers of Al-Mau'nah, according to news reports, are taught
\nthat they have supernatural powers that make them invulnerable to
\nweapons. The daring arms theft has given rise to speculation that
\nthe militants had planned to attack the supreme council meeting
\nof Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's United Malays National
\nOrganization party -- the biggest faction in the Barisan Nasional
\nruling coalition -- in Perak's state capital of Ipoh.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian government, trying to repair the damaged image
\nof its security system, pledged on Monday that it would take firm
\nmeasures against deviationist Islamic groups that try to create
\ninstability in the country.<\/p>\n
Thirty-nine suspects, including the 15 who raided the arms
\ndepots, have already been detained and questioned and Deputy
\nPrime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said on Monday that the
\ngovernment would \"continue to monitor cult activities and take
\nappropriate action to ensure national security, peace and
\nstability\".<\/p>\n
Analysts here believe that the resurgence of militant groups
\nand cults in several Asian countries -- like the Falungong
\norganization in China, the heightening activities of the Moro
\nIslamic Liberation Front in the Philippines and the Free Aceh
\nMovement in Indonesia -- have partly been prompted by the
\nsluggish response of their governments to the winds of change
\nthat have swept the region in recent years. Change that calls for
\ngreater democratization, equal distribution of wealth and freedom
\nof speech and expression.<\/p>\n
In the case of Malaysia, where political discontent surfaced
\ntwo years ago following the firing of former deputy prime
\nminister and reformist Anwar Ibrahim, whose controversial trial
\nand imprisonment last year triggered violent protests, the Kuala
\nLumpur government has thus far been able to avoid sectarian
\nviolence and outbreaks of riots partly because of its success in
\novercoming its economic crisis and partly because of its
\nrelatively small population of 22 million compared to Indonesia's
\n220 million.<\/p>\n
Last week's arms theft, obviously, is like a wake-up call to
\nthe Kuala Lumpur government in that it should improve its
\nsecurity system and deal firmly with militants who wish to make
\nMalaysia an Islamic state. Unless Malaysia takes firm measures
\nagainst hatred-sowing radicals, it will be difficult for the
\ncountry to maintain the racial harmony and national stability it
\nhas successfully nurtured so far.<\/p>\n
In doing so, however, it is expected that the Malaysian
\ngovernment will not use its Internal Security Act to suppress
\npolitical dissidents, a fear that has been voiced by
\nopposition parties like Parti Keadilan Nasional and Parti Islam
\nse-Malaysia, whose Mahfuz Omar lawmaker has clearly said that:
\n\"We condemn violence. We hold to democratic ways to bring
\npolitical changes. We never abuse Islam.\"<\/p>\n
ASEAN member countries, meanwhile, are expected to be more
\nactive in lending a hand to fellow members whose countries are
\nrocked by sectarian violence or acts of terrorism so that the
\nASEAN cooperation can become more cohesive and effective. Not
\nonly mere resolutions are needed but action, because action
\nspeaks louder than words.<\/p>",
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