CROSS BORDER TERRORISM: THE LINK BETWEEN MALAYSIA MILITANT GROUP (KMM) & JEMAAH ISLAMIYAH (JI) - CONNECTION AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR REGIONAL SECURITY
PART 6 – CONCLUSION
(Article by Prof. Madya Dr Mohd Mizan Mohammad Aslam, Strategic Research and Counter-Terrorism Experts, UniMAP)
Cross border activities like terrorism are
complicated to encounter specifically in Southeast Asia. Thousands of Islands and
millions of populations made every single country in this region facing
difficulties in dealing with such issues. Malaysia and Indonesia shared most of
their area and always in confusing situation to track down JI and KMM members.
Porous border make it easy to move between countries such as Malacca Strait,
Johor with Batam and Sabah Sarawak with Kalimantan. Terrorists active in both
Malaysia and Indonesia, it has been an issue affecting both countries.
Border activity is made possible because
Muslim move between without visa. Being an Indonesian or Malaysian is not so
important as being a Muslims. Moreover, lack of power of controlling between
these two countries, enabled KMM and JI members travel easily. Hence, they also
share similar face-looking and language which is easy to imitate as Malaysian,
Filipino or Indonesian.
Being neighbours, Malaysian and Indonesian
Muslims can move in or leave out these countries freely (no visa needed). The
situation of the Immigration Law of the two countries made those Muslims
exploit the situation. Those people travelled un-annoyed either on the business
or work purposes; however some of them travelled for ‘Jemaah’ purposes and
militant activities.
Cooperation between governments is uneven
and fragile. Questions about sovereignty such as disputable on Pulau Batu Putih
(Pedra Branca Island) between Malaysia and Singapore, Sipadan and Ligitan
Island between Malaysia and Indonesia and Spratly Island between Malaysia,
Philippines, China, Vietnam and Japan are never succeed. This issue can be
worse if countries involved choose military action as a tool to solve the
problem.
Cross border terrorism also raises legal
issues for the countries involved. Most of the KMM and JI members fled to
Indonesia to avoid arrest by Malaysian authorities. Most of the Malaysian
militants have been detained by Indonesian authority were accused for being
involved in violence activities and entering Indonesia illegally. Nasir Abbas
and Respondent B7 were imprisoned because of braking Indonesian Immigration
Law. However, none of the Indonesian charged under the Malaysian Immigration
Law because all of them were placed in ISA, which is detained without trial for
up to two years.
JI is an international organization in
Southeast Asia. It is a home-grown regional network involved in asymmetric
activities on conflict. Crossing border is difficult to police. The motivation
to cross border is driven by a Muslim vision that ignores colonial and post
colonial boundaries and the legal structures of sovereign states. In their
mind, the vision of caliphate is borderless, taken as natural-ride to cross
border. Rabitatul Mujahidin idea to restore caliphate would bring together the
Southeast Asia Muslims and reverse the colonial borders set in concrete in 1824
(Anglo-British treaty) and 1871 (British-Dutch convention).
Moreover, colonial super powers drew
incomplete lines between these countries that created diplomatic dilemmas and
the situation is still on such as what happening in Southern Thailand. This
region will continue in fragile situation unless ‘smart’ border protection
taken by countries involved. Encountering terrorism is not an easy task, but
competent and continuity on such initiatives are most welcomed for the sake of
people, Muslims and Southeast Asia countries.
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