Anti-terror centre raises fears, questions

comments     Arfaeza A Aziz     Published     Updated

The government has been urged to provide more details on the United States-proposed regional anti-terrorist centre which is expected to start operations in Malaysia next year.

PAS member of Parliament for Kuala Terengganu, Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi, said the public deserved to be better informed about the centre, which aims to counter terrorism activities in the region.

He said it would be unfair to keep the public from knowing as there is fear that the centre would allow the US government to meddle in local affairs.

"We want to know more. Who is going to run the show? Is it Malaysians? We have doubts that Malaysians will have much say in the centre operation.

"Most probably the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) will be those running the show," Syed Azman told malaysiakini when met in Parliament.

Hidden agenda

The PAS leader is also wary about US' real intention for setting up the centre given its support for Israel's action against the Palestinians.

He alleged that similar centres set up in various Middle Eastern countries after the Gulf War had not protected them from terror acts but were to safeguard the US' hidden agendas.

"They claim they have the right to set up the centres there as they have stationed more than 20,000 soldiers in Kuwait, Qatar and even the Emirates on the pretext of protecting the region.

"But in actual fact, it was meant to secure the future of Israel, their power in the oil and gas resources and of course their own hegemonic interest. Thus, the leaders there are mere puppets to the superpowers," he claimed.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell had first proposed the idea of the anti-terrorism centre during a recent visit to Malaysia.

US President George W Bush announced the centre set-up on Sunday at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit in Mexico after procuring Malaysia's agreement to the proposal.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said at the same meeting that Malaysia had agreed to the proposed centre.

He said the centre would focus on training and capacity building to counter the growing terrorism threat in the region, but would not involve any military training.

Disturbing presence

Syed Azman also said the government must inform the public "what kind" of terrorism the centre intends to curb considering that US has its own meaning of terrorism where Islam and Muslims are inter-linked with the word.

He believed the presence of the centre will prove 'disturbing' to the many Islam-related organisations as there is a fear that US may not only discriminate the religion but also its followers.

"Malaysia has its own integrity and sovereignty which we must uphold. We should not allow ourselves to be used as a tool by the US in justifying what they are doing today. Are we to fight terrorism under the US agenda?" he asked.

The PAS MP also intends to table a motion in the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow to seek the details from the government on the matter.

DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang said the centre should come under the umbrella of United Nations so that it would not specifically serve US interest in South East Asia.

In a press statement, he said although Malaysia must live up to the responsibility to combat international terrorism, it should ensure that the center is not shaped and directed according to whims and fancies of the Bush administration.

Negative impact

Meanwhile, International Movement for a Just World president, Dr Chandra Muzaffar also hoped that the government will explain in detail the purpose, scope, structure and management of the proposed regional training centre.

Chandra questioned whether the US, the Malaysian government, Asean, or all three parties will determine the policies and direction of the centre.

He also asked whether the centre was part of the on-going US global war against terrorism or a regional institution shaped by its own policies.

He said there are fears that the centre would have a negative impact on Malaysia's independent foreign policy and cause the country to lose its credibility.

"More significant, would a US-managed anti-terror centre in Kuala Lumpur provoke would be terrorists with their anti-American orientation to target Malaysia?" he added in a press statement.



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