(AFP) - The government may amend exixting security laws to deal with "modern-day" terrorism, said Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today.

Abdullah said that existing laws would have to be streamlined to ensure smoother coordination between government departments and agencies.

"What we need to see is the effectiveness of implementing certain aspects of laws that already exist," he told Bernama , adding the government did not intend to draft new laws.

Malaysia already has a powerful Internal Security Act, which allows detention without trial, but Abdullah, who is also the home affairs minister, said the amendments would not necessarily only involve the ISA.

"We are not confining ourselves to only certain laws. We need to have a wider perspective because modern-day terrorism... needs to be tackled with a broader range of action, not specific and not restricted only to certain agencies," said the deputy premier.

Terrorism conference

According to the Bernama report, Abdullah also announced that Malaysia would host an Asean-level conference on terrorism next year.

He said the resolutions adopted at the conference would assist Malaysia to play an active role in dealing with terrorism.

Terrorism is a global issue and must be dealt with through the cooperation of affected countries, he added.

"We cannot attempt to overcome terrorism which is global or international in nature in our country alone because they could have come here from bases overseas to iniate certain actions leading to terrorism in our country," he said.

The government, which has vowed to clamp down on Islamic extremists, has in recent months arrested a total of 15 people accused of involvement in the militant Malaysian Mujahiddin Group (KMM).

Members of the KMM are alleged to have received military training in Afghanistan to try to topple the government.