Malaysia's arms heist

Malaysia's arms heist

Malaysian police continue to hunt for more members of the Al-
Ma'unah Islamic cult following a daring arms theft on July 2 by
the organization's firebrands.

The incident itself has stunned Malaysia's neighbors,
especially those grouped in the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN). Of particular concern is the sloppiness of the
Malaysian security system. Another incident that demonstrates the
vulnerability of the system was the kidnapping of 21 mostly
foreign tourists by the Philippine-based Abu Sayaf militants on
April 23 from the resort island of Sipadan, which is under
Malaysia's control.

It is truly unbelievable that the guards at the army camps in
the northern state of Perak could be easily tricked and subdued
by 15 members of Al-Mau'nah who posed as army officers and carted
away more than 100 weapons, including M-16 and Styer rifles,
grenade launchers and rounds of ammunition, from the two
arsenals.

The cult members then fled into the forest, taking four
hostages with them. They surrendered last Thursday after the
government security forces issued an ultimatum to end the five-
day standoff, but not before killing two non-Muslim hostages and
sparing the other two, who are Muslims.

Followers of Al-Mau'nah, according to news reports, are taught
that they have supernatural powers that make them invulnerable to
weapons. The daring arms theft has given rise to speculation that
the militants had planned to attack the supreme council meeting
of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's United Malays National
Organization party -- the biggest faction in the Barisan Nasional
ruling coalition -- in Perak's state capital of Ipoh.

The Malaysian government, trying to repair the damaged image
of its security system, pledged on Monday that it would take firm
measures against deviationist Islamic groups that try to create
instability in the country.

Thirty-nine suspects, including the 15 who raided the arms
depots, have already been detained and questioned and Deputy
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said on Monday that the
government would "continue to monitor cult activities and take
appropriate action to ensure national security, peace and
stability".

Analysts here believe that the resurgence of militant groups
and cults in several Asian countries -- like the Falungong
organization in China, the heightening activities of the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front in the Philippines and the Free Aceh
Movement in Indonesia -- have partly been prompted by the
sluggish response of their governments to the winds of change
that have swept the region in recent years. Change that calls for
greater democratization, equal distribution of wealth and freedom
of speech and expression.

In the case of Malaysia, where political discontent surfaced
two years ago following the firing of former deputy prime
minister and reformist Anwar Ibrahim, whose controversial trial
and imprisonment last year triggered violent protests, the Kuala
Lumpur government has thus far been able to avoid sectarian
violence and outbreaks of riots partly because of its success in
overcoming its economic crisis and partly because of its
relatively small population of 22 million compared to Indonesia's
220 million.

Last week's arms theft, obviously, is like a wake-up call to
the Kuala Lumpur government in that it should improve its
security system and deal firmly with militants who wish to make
Malaysia an Islamic state. Unless Malaysia takes firm measures
against hatred-sowing radicals, it will be difficult for the
country to maintain the racial harmony and national stability it
has successfully nurtured so far.

In doing so, however, it is expected that the Malaysian
government will not use its Internal Security Act to suppress
political dissidents, a fear that has been voiced by
opposition parties like Parti Keadilan Nasional and Parti Islam
se-Malaysia, whose Mahfuz Omar lawmaker has clearly said that:
"We condemn violence. We hold to democratic ways to bring
political changes. We never abuse Islam."

ASEAN member countries, meanwhile, are expected to be more
active in lending a hand to fellow members whose countries are
rocked by sectarian violence or acts of terrorism so that the
ASEAN cooperation can become more cohesive and effective. Not
only mere resolutions are needed but action, because action
speaks louder than words.