As it is still a concept, the regional counter-terrorism centre to be set up in Malaysia, for whatever reason(s), can be presented positively and rather effectively as a mechanism to assuage the fears of foreign investors and tourists.

Like it or not, Malaysia can only persuade or convince, not order or force them to invest or visit the country.

The centre can also serve to reassure international and regional communities that Malaysia is a nation that is cooperatively and efficaciously committed to the multinational efforts to preserve global peace and regional security against terrorism.

Appearance and reality are equally important in this period of global uncertainty.

A veteran Malaysian academic, who specialises in defence and security matters, opined that the centre would serve to preserve the "relevance" and "coherence"of Asean in managing security multilaterally.

The academic, who is now based in Singapore, added that the centre would also provide these opportunities:

  • For Asean to perform as a relevant regional organisation addressing current security concerns;

  • For US to play its role in invigorating Asean, and strengthen US-Asean relations; and

  • For Asean members to interact more closely with one another, especially on sensitive issues like intelligence sharing.

    • Asked if Malaysia would be come a terrorist target if the centre is set up here, the academic replied: "No country, including the US, can be totally immune from determined terrorists who are out to wreak havoc on innocent people. We can only do our best, and hope for the best."

    Public uneasiness

    There is admittedly a sense of public uneasiness and anxiety over the unclear conceptualisation of the nature, organisation and structure, powers and scopes of activities of the centre.

    Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar had publicly admitted that details regarding the centre has yet to be worked out.

    In an interview with Analysis Malaysia in September, US Ambassador to Malaysia Marie T Hutala said she did not know "how the final shape (of the centre) will turn out" nor where it wil be sited in Malaysia.

    However, she pointed out that the "general idea" of the centre was to bring together counter terrorism experts from different countries to "make it easier (for them) to share expertise, get to know each other and establish contacts they need to cooperate".

    The envoy added that the centre would probably be like the International Law Enforcement Academy in Thailand that the US set up and managed in cooperation with the Thai government, to which "policemen and judicial officers from countries all around Asia will go to "study the latest policing methods, how to stop trafficking and fight crimes in general".

    Yet, to assuage the fear of the unknown, uncertain and unclear, the Malaysian government, as the host of the centre, should be patient and credible enough to convince Malaysians that it would not interfere with their day-to-day lives and their legitimate political, social and economic activities.

    Facts and figures

    At this stage before the 'final shape' of the centre is made clear it is absolutely important for the government to listen attentively to constructive criticism from all quarters, parties and even individuals before presenting facts and figures to clear doubts and assuage fears.

    Specifically, the government should limit the number of its spokespersons on the subject so as not to create confusion and backlashes.

    Ideally, only the defence and home ministers should be authorised to comment publicly on the subject, and to answer questions and queries.

    However, no Malaysian should be prevented physically or psychologically to air their opinions, criticisms, suggestions or notes of cautions in a socially responsible manner.

    If doubts and fears are not expressed honestly and responsibly, there is no way the government could identify and assuage them, and they may turn into hardened hostility and opposition to the concept of the centre.

    Doing the thing right is often as important as doing the right thing.

    Transparency and accountability which do not compromise the legitimate need for operational secrecy and the safety of personnel are the best ways and means to clear doubts and assuage fears.

    Last but not least, is there a legitimate concern for the implications of the setting up and siting of the centre in Malaysia on democracy, human rights and civil liberties.

    As US Secretary of State, Colin Powell said during his visit to Malaysia in July, " the US will not step back from its strong commitment to human rights".

    He also reportedly called on "US' friends to practise the highest standards of human rights behaviour".

    US envoy Huhtala, when speaking at the Malaysian Armed Forces College in April, also quoted Powell as saying that the "US welcomes the help of any country...that is genuinely prepared to work with us to eradicate terrorism" but "at the same time, we will not relax our commitment to advancing the cause of human rights and democracy".

    Grave concern

    The grave concern for democracy, human rights and civil liberties is not only ideological or altruistic but to the self-enlightened interests of all those who are determined to see that one day, terrorists would not find any open sympathisers or secret admirers among normal people who are alienated from the democratic process, or whose basic human rights and civil liberties have been grossly and systematically violated.

    In practical and operational considerations, a politically discontented and socially alienated population always makes effective intelligence gathering difficult, if not futile.

    Why should ordinary people willingly cooperate with the law enforcers if the law enforcers themselves are perceived or seen to be also 'cruel', 'arrogant', 'perfidious', 'inhumane' and 'not law-abiding'?

    What are the effective mechanisms that will be built into the structure and organisation of the centre to restrain any interference into the domestic process of democratic politics, and to safeguard human rights and civil liberties?

    Would experts and jurists on international human rights be made part of the personnel of the centre?

    All in all, critical but responsible discourses will help shape the regional counter-terrorism centre to a maximum balance between the genuine concerns for national, regional and international security on one hand, and the equally genuine concerns for the development of democracy, human rights and civil liberties on the other.

    JAMES WONG WING ON is chief analyst of Strategic Analysis Malaysia (SAM) which produces the subscriber-based political report, Analysis Malaysia . Wong is a former member of parliament (1990-1995) and a former columnist for the Sin Chew Jit Poh Chinese daily. He read political science and economics at the Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. While in Sin Chew , he and a team of journalists won the top awards of Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) for 1998 and 1999.