KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s foreign policy and strong stance in support of the Palestinian cause over the years mean that there is a high possibility Israeli operatives are already functioning in the country, according to an international relations expert.
Universiti Malaya’s International and Strategic Studies Department senior academic K.S. Balakrishnan said this makes Malaysia vulnerable to covert and clandestine operations, although any attack on local leaders and citizens is unlikely.
Instead, he said, potential attacks may target only Palestinian resistance group Hamas officials residing in Malaysia, following a supposed threat issued by Israel to its enemies abroad.
“There are high chances that Israeli intelligence operatives are working in countries that are vocal about the Israel-Palestine conflict, and we have been very vocal indeed. But I don’t think any form of terrorism will take place here,” he said in an interview with The Vibes.
“However, I feel we lack the capability to protect these (Palestinian) leaders here. It’s not just Malaysia, many countries lack the expertise to defend against foreign operatives.
And these Israelis are highly strategic. They are very good at gathering information, and it’s important to note that they also work with Western intelligence.”
Balakrishnan was asked if Malaysia is vulnerable to black ops activities, and if such attacks can be expected here, especially going by past experience.
In 2018, Palestinian scholar-engineer and Hamas member Fadi Mohammad al-Batsh was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Kuala Lumpur by two assailants believed to be hired by Mossad, Israeli’s foreign intelligence service.
A year before that, Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was killed when a nerve agent was rubbed on his face at klia2 in an assassination believed to be conducted by North Korea.
In a video that went viral recently, it is claimed that Israel has ordered its secret services to eliminate top Hamas officials inside and outside the country, with Malaysia named as one of the countries hosting, financing and training Hamas officials.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said security agencies here have ramped up measures against any potential threat by Israelis.
Malaysia seen as leader in Palestinian struggle
Balakrishnan said Israel may especially have its eyes set on Malaysia, which is considered the leader in championing the rights of Palestinians in Southeast Asia.
The country’s foreign policy, and stand taken by many political leaders and parties on the issue put Malaysia more at risk of being targeted, he added.
“Even when it comes to fundraising movements to garner support from the ground, we are seen as the leader in the region. This is good for Palestine, but not so much for Israel.”
Regardless, in seeking justice, Balakrishnan said Malaysia should not back down from expressing disapproval of the Israeli attacks on Palestine over the past week, which have so far killed over 200 civilians.
The government should continue pushing for international intervention, particularly from the United Nations, which has so far remained mum on the matter, he added.
“We should continue the way we are, not with an expression of war against Israel, but of justice for Palestine. No country or community should be the victim of genocide.”
On a similar note, Balakrishnan’s colleague and fellow Universiti Malaya senior lecturer Roy Anthony Rogers said as an independent and sovereign country, Malaysia has the right to express its support for and solidarity with the Palestinians.
“This is not merely an Islamic or Middle Eastern affair, but a humanitarian issue that cuts across race and religion.”
No need to worry if Malaysia not training Hamas
Nordic Counter-Terrorism Network (NCTN) director Andrin Raj said despite being supposedly targeted by Israel, there is no need for Malaysia to go on national security alert.
This is especially so in light of the government’s assertion that Malaysia has never been involved in any military or militia training with Hamas.
Andrin said to date, there has been no evidence to indicate that the killing of Fadi is linked to Israel’s secret services, adding that to have operatives in Malaysia will be costly.
His remark echoes Malaysian defence observer Martin A. Sebastian’s recent statement to The Vibes that conducting intelligence here is not cheap, and to target a sovereign country like Malaysia will be difficult.
He said if there is no link to prove that Malaysia is providing training as claimed by Israel, then there should be no concern of such attacks happening on Malaysian soil.
“We must note, however, that Hamas and North Korea may work together for mutual benefit, as sources derived by NCTN indicate that both may have collaborated in shipping dual-use technologies to their respective countries from Asia.”
Andrin, who is also an adviser and associate of the Security and Violent Extremism Research Centre at University of Indonesia, said Malaysia needs to see the ongoing Palestinian crisis from an Asean perspective, and not through other lenses, particularly in voicing its stand and providing aid.
“Religion should not be a prime identification for any humanitarian aid or support.” – The Vibes, May 20, 2021
