A crucial element in the deradicalisation of a terrorist is the welfare of the detainees and their families, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. 

This is because, in most cases, the detainees are the bread winners of the family, and their detention would certain affect the livelihood of their families. 

"The government has ensured that assistance is extended to the families involved to ease their burden.

"This has proven to be one of the vital factors that have contributed to the success of the deradicalisation initiatives," Bernama quoted Zahid, who is also the Home Minister, saying in the latest edition of the Journal of Public Security and Safety. 

According to Zahid, in the post-release programme, assistance and support are provided to ensure that the freed detainees could continue living without succumbing to extremism.

He said the success rate of the deradicalisation programme was around 97.5 percent. 

Zahid said the deradicalisation approach and counter-radicalisation strategy undertaken by the government had been proven to be behind Malaysia's success in the war against insurgency.

The programme had been translated into three languages - English, Arabic and French and Malaysia was willing to share it with other countries, he added. 

"Malaysia is of the view that the mere use of the penalty and criminalisation approach will not solve extremism, and the blending of soft approach and conventional methods offer a better alternative."

Zahid also said that Malaysia continues to monitor terrorist narratives through all channels and media, to deny extremists the means to pursue their activities and spread misconstrued ideologies.