Asian stocks continue rally as Singapore dollar soar

Asian stocks continue rally as Singapore dollar soar


Asian stocks continue rally as Singapore dollar soar

Posted: 13 Apr 2015 05:52 PM PDT

SINGAPORE, April 14 — Asian stocks climbed a ninth day, with the regional index extended gains at an almost seven-year high as crude oil advanced. Singapore's dollar gained after officials left monetary policy as is after January's surprise easing.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.3 per cent by 9:27 a.m. in Tokyo, as Japanese equities advanced, while Australian shares slipped. US index futures were little changed after the Standard & Poor's 500 Index snapped a three-day climb. West Texas Intermediate crude added 0.4 per cent to US$52.12 a barrel, while Brent gained 0.5 per cent. The Singapore dollar rose as much as 0.8 per cent, while the Malaysian ringgit rallied following three days of losses. Nickel and wheat rebounded.

Singapore's monetary authority, which uses the currency to guide the economy, said today its current policy stance was appropriate. Indonesia reviews interest rates today, ahead of euro-area industrial output and US retail sales data. The shale boom that has helped send American crude stockpiles to a record may be slowing, with output from tight-rock formations to decline in May, the government said yesterday.

"Clearly, investors are waiting for the next set of clues of how the global economy is evolving," Matthew Sherwood, head of investment markets research in Sydney at Perpetual Ltd, which manages about US$21 billion (RM77.8 billlion), wrote in an e-mail. — Bloomberg

Russia lifts ban on S-300 missile supply to Iran

Posted: 13 Apr 2015 05:48 PM PDT

Russian S-300 anti-missile rocket system moves along a central street during a rehearsal for a military parade in Moscow May 4, 2009. — Reuters picRussian S-300 anti-missile rocket system moves along a central street during a rehearsal for a military parade in Moscow May 4, 2009. — Reuters picMOSCOW, April 14 — President Vladimir Putin yesterday lifted a ban on supplying Iran with sophisticated S-300 air defence missile systems after Tehran struck a landmark framework deal with the West over its nuclear programme.

A decree signed by Putin gave the go-ahead for "the shipment from Russia to Iran," ending Moscow's self-imposed ban on supplying the surface-to-air missiles to the Islamic republic.

The move comes before any sanctions have been lifted on Iran, with difficult technical negotiations still to come following a breakthrough April 2 deal aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear drive.

Russia's decision to proceed with the delivery sparked strong condemnation from Israel and triggered concern in Washington.

But Iran hailed the move as a step towards "lasting security" in the region, the country's Defence Minister Hossein Dehqan was quoted as saying by state news agency Irna.

Moscow had blocked deliveries of the to Tehran in 2010 after the United Nations slapped sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme barring hi-tech weapons sales.  

Iran then filed a US$4-billion (RM14.77b) suit at an arbitration court in Geneva for the cancellation of the $800 million order by Russia, which has long been Iran's principal foreign arms supplier.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday insisted the missile deliveries were not covered by the earlier UN sanctions and that the progress in the nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers meant there was no longer any need for Russia to maintain the ban.

He said the missile system was "exclusively defensive" and did not pose a threat to Iran's foes.

Washington said US Secretary of State John Kerry raised his concerns about the end of the sales ban on the S-300 missile system directly with his Lavrov in an early morning phone call.

"We don't believe it's constructive at this time for Russia to move forward with it," said State Department acting spokeswoman Marie Harf.

"We think given Iran's destabilising actions in the region, in places like Yemen or Syria or Lebanon, that this isn't the time to be selling these kinds of system to them," Harf told reporters.

The US military also criticised Russia's announcement. "Our opposition to these sales is long and public. We believe it's unhelpful," Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told reporters.

'Nothing is binding'

The framework nuclear deal agreed in Lausanne this month marked a crucial advance in a 12-year standoff between Iran and the West, which disputes Tehran's denial that it is seeking to build a nuclear bomb. 

World powers must resolve a series of contentious issues by a June 30 deadline for a final deal, including the steps for lifting global sanctions imposed on Iran, and lingering questions over the possible military dimensions of its nuclear programme.

Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who will have the final say on any deal, has plunged the accord into doubt suggesting that "nothing is binding" while President Hassan Rouhani demanded that sanctions be immediately lifted when any deal is signed.

Global powers Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US have said sanctions will only be gradually eased and want a mechanism to ensure they can be swiftly reimposed if Iran breaks its word.

Perceived 'legitimacy'

While not the most sophisticated of Russia's missile systems, the S-300 would bolster Iran's defences against any attack on its nuclear sites.

Neither Israel nor the United States have ruled out air strikes if Teheran pursues what Western powers fear is a bid to develop a nuclear bomb. 

Israel — which strongly opposed the initial missile deal — lashed out at Russia's decision, saying it was proof that the Iranians were using the nuclear deal to arm themselves. 

"This is a direct result of the legitimacy that Iran is receiving from the nuclear deal that is being prepared, and proof that the Iranian economic growth which follows the lifting of sanctions will be exploited for arming itself and not for the welfare of the Iranian people," Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said in a statement.

Despite the dispute over the S-300 missiles, Moscow and Iran have remained on good terms, with Russia agreeing to build new nuclear reactors for Tehran and both sides supporting President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. 

During a visit by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to Tehran in January, Iranian military officials said the two sides had "decided to settle the S-300s problem."

Russia's state arms company said in February that it had offered to supply Iran with Antey-2500 missiles, an upgraded version of the S-300 air defence system that figured in the previous contract.

As Russia has been hit by Western sanctions over its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, it has stepped up its economic ties with Iran in the past year. — AFP

Singapore’s economic growth sputters on weakened manufacturing

Posted: 13 Apr 2015 05:46 PM PDT

Singapore’s manufacturing shrank an annualised 2.3 per cent in the first quarter from the previous period, compared with a 2.5 per cent contraction in the fourth quarter, data showed today. — AFP picSingapore's manufacturing shrank an annualised 2.3 per cent in the first quarter from the previous period, compared with a 2.5 per cent contraction in the fourth quarter, data showed today. — AFP picSINGAPORE, April 14 — Singapore's economic growth slowed last quarter as manufacturing weakened.

Gross domestic product rose an annualised 1.1 per cent in the three months through March from the previous quarter, when it grew 4.9 per cent, the trade ministry said in a statement today. The median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of 13 economists was 0.2 per cent.

The outlook for global demand has weakened, with China's exports unexpectedly slumping in March and manufacturing in the US expanding at the slowest pace in almost two years. Singapore's non-oil overseas shipments fell the most in two years in February and factory output also declined.

"It's quite likely that for the full year 2015, we could be looking at weak manufacturing growth" in Singapore, Selena Ling, an analyst at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp, said before the report. "You have a bit of a soft patch going on in the US," so the Southeast Asian country may be "stuck in this sluggish growth environment for a bit," she said.

Today's data are advance estimates computed largely from figures in the first two months of the quarter and may be revised later, the ministry said.

The economy expanded 2.1 per cent in the first quarter from a year earlier, matching the pace in the previous three months, the trade ministry said today. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey was for a 1.7 per cent gain.

Singapore's manufacturing shrank an annualised 2.3 per cent in the first quarter from the previous period, compared with a 2.5 per cent contraction in the fourth quarter, data showed today. Construction expanded 13.8 per cent, while services fell 0.4 per cent in the same period. — Bloomberg

Hamstring injury sidelines Liverpool’s Sakho for up to a month

Posted: 13 Apr 2015 05:40 PM PDT

Liverpool’s Mamadou Sakho is ruled out for up to a month due to a hamstring injury. ― Reuters picLiverpool's Mamadou Sakho is ruled out for up to a month due to a hamstring injury. ― Reuters picLONDON, April 14 ― Liverpool's France defender Mamadou Sakho will be sidelined for three to four weeks with a hamstring injury, the Premier League club said in a statement yesterday.

The 25-year-old centre back has been ruled out of yesterday's league clash with Newcastle United as well as Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium.

Liverpool said German Emre Can, who is available after a one-match ban, would replace Sakho against Newcastle at Anfield with Jordan Ibe coming in for injured striker Daniel Sturridge.

Liverpool are in sixth place with 54 points from 31 games, seven points behind Manchester City who are in the fourth and final Champions League qualifying spot having played 32.

Sakho will also miss league games against West Bromwich Albion, Hull City and Queens Park Rangers.

Liverpool are hopeful Sakho, signed for £18 million (RM97.6 million) from Paris St Germain in 2013, could return for the visit to Chelsea on May 10.

Sakho was injured in the FA Cup quarter-final replay at Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday. ― Reuters

Bomb squad detonates hand grenade at Bukit Mertajam petrol kiosk

Posted: 13 Apr 2015 05:36 PM PDT

BUKIT MERTAJAM, April 14 ― Police exploded a black package believed to contain a hand grenade that was found in the men's toilet at a petrol kiosk in Jalan Kulim, here just after midnight last night.

The bomb was detonated by the Bomb Disposal Unit of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) with the help of the fire and rescue team about 12.05am this morning, about 10 metres away from the toilet. 

Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district police chief, ACP Rusli Mohd Noor said the bomb was detonated after an inspection was carried out by the Fire and Rescue squad.

"Police took into account the surrounding areas at the petrol kiosk before detonating the bomb," he said at the scene of the incident.

The black package believed to contain the grenade was found by a member of the public who was using the toilet at about 4.30pm yesterday.

Following the discovery of the bomb, police cordoned off the area and moved out several residents staying near the petrol kiosk since 7pm last night to avoid any undesired incident.

Several fire engines and Hazmat (harzadous materials) vehicles were also rushed to the area.

Rusli said business operations at the petrol kiosk were suspended since the grenade was found. He said police would study closely the CCTV installed at the petrol kiosk to trace the people responsible for placing the bomb in the toilet.

"The motive for the incident was still being studied and police would call up the owner and workers of the petrol station to determine the motive from all aspects.

"It is said that the owner of the petrol kiosk did not receive any form of threat earlier," he said.

He said further investigatons were still ongoing and requested cooperation from members of the public who had any information on the incident by contacting the nearest police station to help in the case.

Meanwhile, state Fire and Rescue Department director Azmi Tamat, who was present at the scene, said the department had carried out several checks and tests before making the decision to detonate the bomb.

"We were afraid that the explosion would cause a fire which would spread to the petrol pump, but Alhamdulillah (with the grace of Allah) everything was under control. The condition at the petrol kiosk is now safe," he added. ― Bernama

Ada apa dengan Pota? — Hafiza Nur Adeen dan Firdaus Samad

Posted: 13 Apr 2015 05:32 PM PDT

APRIL 14 — Sejak kemelut Islamic State (IS) menjadi perhatian mata dunia dengan kejadian keganasan yang melibatkan anak-anak muda dari pelbagai negara serantau, terrorisme menjadi kancah utama dalam mengatur-susun semula undang-undang bagi memperkasakan keselamatan negara. Ini telah membawa kepada Resolusi 2178 pada 24 September 2014 dalam Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) telah sebulat suara menggariskan keperluan bagi setiap Negara Anggota untuk mengemukakan langkah-langkah mencegah keganasan.

Perenggan 59 Kertas Putih telah mengesyorkan suatu undang-undang baharu dibentuk untuk memenuhi perakuan komitmen Malaysia dalam membasmi ancaman keganasan pengganas. Malaysia menunjukkan komitmen sebagai ahli tidak tetap Majlis Keselamatan PBB dengan memperkenalkan Akta Pencegahan Keganasan (Pota) untuk membasmi kegiatan terorisme.

Akta Pencegahan Keganasan (Pota) telah dibentangkan pada 26 November 2014 oleh YAB Perdana Menteri di Parlimen sebagai usaha untuk mencegah aktiviti keganasan di dalam dan luar negara. Ucapan "Ke Arah Menangani Kumpulan Islamic State (IS) di Parlimen menggarisbawahi langkah-langkah yang wajar diambil oleh kerajaan untuk mengekang pengaruh dan aktiviti gerakan pengganas.

Namun begitu, penggubalan akta ini mempunyai kelemahan. Ia dapat diperhatikan menerusi dua aspek iaitu aspek undang-undang dan kesesuaian perlaksanaannya di Malaysia.

Seksyen 19 Pota dalam perspektif perlembagaan

Usulan rang undang-undang Seksyen 19 Pota dengan menyatakan bahawa:

"(1) Tiada apa-apa kajian semula kehakiman dalam mana-mana mahkamah mengenai, dan tiada mahkamah mempunyai atau boleh menjalankan apa-apa bidang kuasa berkenaan dengan, apa-apa tindakan yang dilakukan atau keputusan yang dibuat oleh Lembaga pada menjalankan kuasa budi bicara mengikut Akta ini, kecuali mengenai apa-apa persoalan tentang pematuhan apa-apa kehendak tatacara dalam Akta ini yang mentadbir tindakan atau keputusan ini."

Seksyen 19 POTA tersebut memberi penerangan jelas dan konkrit mengenai keputusan yang dibuat adalah mutlak dan keputusan tersebut tidak tertakluk kepada kajian semula kehakiman atau semakan kehakiman (judicial review).

Semakan kehakiman adalah di mana mahkamah boleh menyemak dan membuat kajian semula keputusan pentadbiran dan tindakan pihak berkuasa awam. Prosedur bagi permohoanan semakan kehakiman ini seperti yang termaktub dalam Aturan 53 Kaedah-Kaedah Mahkamah 2012.

Pengecualian yang diberikan hanya berkaitan dengan tatacara yang juga ditentukan oleh Pota sendiri. Kuasa mutlak yang diberikan kepada Lembaga ini akan menyebabkan tidak wujudnya semak dan imbang (check and balance) kepada keputusan Lembaga dan akan membuka ruang kepada keputusan yang berbentuk arbitrari. Secara tidak langsung ia menafikan jaminan hak asasi manusia sebagaimana yang telah dijamin di dalam Bahagian Kedua Perlembagaan Persekutuan 1957 Namun begitu, penafian terhadap semakan kehakiman sebagaimana yang dinyatakan oleh Seksyen 19 Pota telah menafikan prinsip asas kenegaraan iaitu Doktrin Pengasingan Kuasa (Doctrine Separation of Power) dengan menafikan peranan kehakiman (judiciary) untuk menyemak dan mengimbang sebarang perkara yang berkaitan dengan undang-undang. Tanpa semakan kehakiman, umum menyedari keberkesanan perlaksaan undang-undang Pota ini boleh dipertikai.

Dalam konteks kehakiman, mahkamah yang tertinggi adalah Mahkamah Persekutuan yang dianggotai tidak kurang daripada 5 orang hakim dalam sesuatu pendengaran dimana hakim-hakim ini mempunyai immuniti dan pengalaman luas dalam bidang perundangan.

Sebaliknya berlaku bagi Pota dimana berdasarkan seksyen 8 Pota, Lembaga Pencegahan Keganasan terdiri daripada ahli-ahli yang tidak dinyatakan secara jelas wajib memiliki pengalaman dalam bidang undang-undang kecuali Pengerusi Lembaga yang harus mempunyai pengalaman sekurang-kurangnya lima belas tahun. Walau bagaimanapun, seksyen 8(1)(a) Pota tidak menyatakan keperluan bagi seorang Pengerusi mempunyai pengalaman dalam bidang kehakiman.

Masalah pentakrifan terhadap 'keganasan'

Pentakrifan terhadap terorisme juga tidak disentuh secara menyeluruh di dalam rang undang-undang tersebut. Jika takrifan makna terroris dalam konteks Malaysia selalu dikaitkan dengan kumpulan pengganas seperti al-Qaeda, Taliban, Jemaah Islamiyyah Abu Sayyaf dan ISIS, maka, konteks tersebut perlu dikaji dari segi pendefinisian pencegahan keganasan. Memetik kepada usulan akta tersebut:

"Suatu akta yang mengadakan peruntukan mengenai pencegahan pelakuan atau sokongan bagi perbuatan keganasan yang melibatkan organisasi pengganas tersenarai di sesuatu negara asing atau di mana-mana bahagian sesuatu negara asing serta bagi kawalan terhadap orang yang terlibat dengan perbuatan sedemikian dan bagi perkara yang berkaitan."

Dapat dilihat disini bahawa takrifan siapa kumpulan pengganas itu agak bermasalah kerana pentakrifan terrorisme itu agak samar.Pemahaman berbeza mengenai takrif terrorisme, keganasan, ekstremisme dan radikalisme bakal memberikan implikasi terhadap penggubalan polisi di dalam sesuatu negara. Pentakrifan ini berbeza di setiap negara.

Misalnya di Israel, kumpulan Neturei Karta tidak digelar sebagai "pengganas" meskipun kumpulan ini tidak mempersetujui kewujudan negara bangsa Israel, bersikap anti-Zionis dan tidak bersefahaman dengan majoriti penduduk sekular Israel. adakah skop maksud keganasan juga meliputi maksud extremisme dan Jika dilihat pula dari segi konsep pergerakan kaum puak pemisah seperti Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) di Selatan Filipina dan Pattani United Organisation Liberation (PULO) di Selatan Thailand juga membangkitkan persoalan tentang definisi keganasan. Di Afghanistan dan Selatan Filipina, proses rundingan damai antara puak pemisah dan kumpulan militan sedang giat diperusahakan bagi membawa resolusi konflik antara aktor negara dan kumpulan militan tersebut.

Rundingan damai seperti Afghanistan Peace and Reingtegration Programme (APRP) merupakan strategi yang diambil oleh kerajaan Afghanistan dengan sokongan United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) bagi membuka resolusi kepada konflik antara kumpulan militan Taliban dan puak pemisah lain di Afghanistan.

Contoh lain seperti Timor Leste pula mengdeklarasikan kemerdekaan melalui perjuangan kaum puak pemisah yang diketuai oleh Xanana Gusmão yang kini merupakan presiden Demokratik Republik Timor Leste. Ini turut membawa kita satu lagi contoh konsep keganasan yang begitu problematik. Layakkah kumpulan-kumpulan militan dan puak pemisah ini dilihat sebagai salah satu ancaman keselamatan dalam Adakah kumpulan puak pemisah dan kumpulan militan tersebut layak di masukkan dalam konteks kumpulan pengganas di negara-negara lain seperti yang termaktub dalam usul rang undang-undang.

Realiti 'keganasan' yang sebenar dalam geopolitik

Dalam konteks negara Pakistan dan Afghanistan, kewujudan kumpulan militan tidak semestinya berkait rapat dengan ISIS di Syria dan Iraq. Malah, kewujudan militansi di Pakistan dan Afghanistan disebabkan oleh ketegangan politik dan konflik dalaman yang melibatkan campurtangan kuasa luar, perbezaan pegangan agama dan konflik tuntutan terhadap kedaulatan (sovereignty).

Di rantau Asia Tengah, kumpulan militan Islamic Movement Uzbekistan (IMU) telah muncul hasil daripada pengharaman umat Islam untuk mempraktekkan ajaran mereka yang dikekang sejak era Kesatuan Soviet. Mungkin kita mengganggap kumpulan Taliban sebagai organisasi pengganas yang menyamai ideologi Al-Qaeda, sedangkan pegangan setiap kumpulan Taliban itu sendiri berbeza akibat daripada perpecahan.

Militan Afghan Taliban (Taliban di Afghanistan) sebagai contoh merupakan pergerakan yang berbeza dengan Taliban di Pakistan. Afghan Taliban merupakan militan yang memperjuangkan kaum Pashtun di Afghanistan sejak Kesatuan Soviet meninggalkan jejaknya di rantau tersebut pada tahun 1990an.

Bagi menghalang perluasan kuasa kumpulan Afghan Mujahideen yang mewakili kaum bukan Pashtun (termasuklah Uzbek dan Tajiks), Afghan Mujahideen telah bertempur bagi meluaskan kuasanya di Afghanistan. Sebagai reaksi, Afghan Taliban yang turut didana oleh ejen risikan Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) dan militernya bersatu untuk menentang perjuangan Afghan Mujahideen.

Ini menunjukkan sesetengah kumpulan militan di rantau di selia secara informal oleh negara mereka sendiri. Sebagai contoh adalah kumpulan Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) yang merupakan sebuah kumpulan militan yang didana dan dilatih sendiri oleh ejen perisikan kerajaan Pakistan, ISI bagi tujuan untuk mempertahankan "national interest" mereka di Jammu dan Kashmir bagi melawan kewujudan tentera India.

Sarjana akademik Amerika seperti Stephen P.Cohen dan Christine C.Fair telah menghujahkan bahawa taktik tersebut adalah strategi konflik intensiti-rendah (low-intensity conflict) yang diadaptasikan oleh kerajaan Pakistan. Di sempadan antara Afghanistan dan Pakistan, sebuah kawasan yang dipanggil sebagai FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) merupakan kawasan yang ditermakan oleh Amerika Syarikat sebagai "safe haven" atau syurga kawasan bagi kumpulan-kumpulan militan tersebut bersembunyi termasuklah al-Qaeda. Kumpulan-kumpulan militan di bawah payung "Tehrik Taliban Pakistan" (TTP) hanyalah aktif dan bertambah radikal pasca 9/11 kerana Amerika Syarikat melancarkan serangan "drone" dengan niat untuk memburu Osama bin Laden dan rangkaian al-Qaeda.

Namun begitu, al-Qaeda bukanlah kumpulan terroris yang bertumpu di Afghanistan dan Pakistan. Malahan al-Qaeda adalah kumpulan tran-nasional terroris yang tidak berpangkalan secara tetap di mana-mana negara. Bahkan serangan yang dikaitkan dengan al-Qaeda telahpun bermula sejak era 1990an dengan pengeboman beberapa pejabat kedutaan Amerika Syarikat di rantau Afrika.

Kumpulan al-Qaeda sendiri tidak sepenuhnya mendapat sokongan daripada kumpulan puak Taliban, apatah lagi sokongan rakyat di Afghanistan dan Pakistan. 15 orang pengganas yang telah menyerang World Trade Centre pada tahun 2001 merupakan warganegara Arab Saudi, manakala 4 lagi daripadan Yemen dan UAE. Menurut statistik yang dikeluarkan oleh The Bureau of Investigative Journalism semenjak pelancaran drone, jumlah orang awam yang terbunuh termasuk wanita dan kanak-kanak adalah antara 2960- 4782 di Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia dan Afghanistan sejak pasca 9/11 sehingga Mac 2015.

Motif utama Amerika Syarikat adalah untuk menyerang kumpulan pengganas dan terroris di ke empat-empat negara tersebut. Ini melibatkan sejumlah besar orang awam yang terkorban yang meningkat begitu tinggi berbanding jumlah sasaran pembunuhan kumpulan terroris. Tidak hairanlah mengapa Amerika Syarikat agak sukar untuk memenangi kempen "counterterrorism" kerana jumlah kematian telah menimbulkan reaksi yang berbaur sentimen anti-Amerika.

Walaupun Amerika Syarikat membelanjakan kos yang begitu tinggi bagi kempen counterterrorism dengan bantuan kewangan terhadap kerajaan Pakistan dan Afghanistan dengan anggaran perbelanjaan yang mencecah USD$10 billion sejak tahun 2001 — Amerika masih tidak dapat mencapai sasarannya.

Sasaran tersebut bukan sahaja untuk menghancurkan kumpulan rangkaian terroris mengikut definisi Amerika Syarikat tetapi juga untuk membantu kerajaan Afghanistan untuk membina negara mereka semula melalui penggaluran demokrasi dan penambahbaikan sistem governan negara tersebut. Namun begitu reaksi sentimen anti Amerika Syarikat tidak dinafikan agak kuat di rantau tersebut kerana serangan drone yang dianggap sebagai tidak berperikemanusiaan turut menghambarkan kempen counterterrorism.

'Keganasan' itu kompleks

Justeru, definisi terhadap keganasan perlu mengambil kira konteks kesesuaian mengikut negara masing-masing semasa proses penggubalan POTA mengambil tempat. Kacamata persepsi keganasan yang kini hanya bertumpu kepada pergerakan ISIS dan al-Qaeda harusnya tidak dijadikan alat pengukur sepenuhnya dalam menggubal rang undang-undang tersebut. Setiap negara dan setiap kejadian militansi dan keganasan mempunyai sejarah dan konteksnya tersendiri yang tidak harus disamakan dengan negara lain. Begitu juga dengan pendekatan konsep membanteras keganasan.

Langkah pengawalan dari segi pembanterasan terrorisme itu sendiri seharusnya bertumpu kepada pola migrasi yang merujuk kepada aliran masuk-keluar pelancong terutamanya dari negara-negara Sebilangan kecil rakyat Malaysia telah melancong ke negara-negara tersebut bagi tujuan pendidikan, melancong, pekerjaan dan sebagainya. Namun ini tidak semestinya harus dikaitkan dengan aktiviti terrorisme dan keganasan itu sendiri. Penangkapan tanpa bicara atas tuduhan penglibatan dengan aktiviti keganasan sedikit sebanyak mencabar hak asasi manusia dan ketelusan undang-undang.

Malaysia bukanlah negara seperti Iraq, Pakistan, Syria mahupun Amerika Syarikat. Justeru itu, penekanan terhadap langkah mengatasi keganasan seharusnya diambil secara pragmatis tanpa dipengaruhi oleh kuasa-kuasa Barat yang giat dengan kempen counter.

Jika dilihat di dalam senarai kumpulan "terroris" mengikut senarai kerajaan Amerika Syarikat seperti kumpulan militan Lashkar-e-Tayyiba dan Afghan Taliban secara tidak langsung dilindungi oleh kerajaan Pakistan walaupun kerajaan Amerika Syarikat telah menyenaraikan mereka sebagai "kumpulan teroris."

Kumpulan lain pula seperti PULO, MNLF dan termasuk Afghan Taliban sendiri sedang melalui proses perundingan damai dengan kerajaan mereka masing-masing dengan pendekatan yang berbeza-beza.

Justeru itu, Malaysia tidak seharusnya melaksanakan akta tersebut kerana langkah pencegahan terrorisme boleh dilaksanakan melalui pendekatan pendidikan awam dan program rehabilitasasi sebelum melaksanakan sebarang undang-undang secara terburu-buru.

* Hafiza Nur Adeen merupakan pensyarah dalam bidang terrorisme di salah sebuah Institut Pengajian Tinggi. Firdaus Samad merupakan ahli Parlimen Belia Malaysia bagi negeri Pahang.

** Disklaimer: Ini adalah pendapat individu dan tidak mewakili mana-mana institusi.

*** Ini merupakan pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan Malay Mail Online.