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©New
Sunday Times (Used by permission)
by Santha Oorjitham
Malaysia’s ‘deradicalisation’ programme for militants, a closely guarded secret,
is a success story worth repeating, experts tell Santha Oorjitham
"THE first time we went, they did not seem to listen," says
the university professor who has been addressing members of militant groups held
under the Internal Security Act.
On his second trip to a location near the Kamunting Detention Centre, he recalls
they observed him and the other professor closely.
"By the third time, they could see we were not biased and they began to ask
questions. For example, they said the Quran asks Muslims to jihad (struggle), so
what was wrong with what they did?"
The professor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, offers the first glimpse
into Malaysia's secretive religious rehabilitation programme for members of
Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), Kumpulan Militan Malaysia (KMM) and other extremists.
Both local and foreign experts say the programme has been
highly successful and offers lessons for other countries countering terrorism.
It proves the effectiveness of persuasion rather than coercion, says Universiti
Sains Malaysia's Dr Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, who lectures and writes about
political Islam in Malaysia and transnational Islam.
Rather than military strikes, Malaysia has combined dakwah (missionary effort)
with an Islamisation programme and rehabilitation of militants, he notes.
Equally important is economic aid for the family while the militant is detained
and help for him to reintegrate into society afterwards, stresses Zachary Abuza,
professor of Political Science at Simmons College in Boston.
Abuza, who has written about disengagement and rehabilitation of terrorist
suspects for a forthcoming book, Leaving Terrorism Behind (edited by John
Horgan and Tore Bjorgo), says the success of such programmes depends on
providing training while they are detained and job placement upon release.
"Malaysia has begun to provide some funds for the families of JI members so that
they will not rely on its social networks," the professor notes.
It has also started to provide funds to former detainees: "For example, JI
member Yazid Sufaat's wife Sejahratul Dursina was given money to start a
business after she was released."
Abuza has confirmed that at least 115 suspected militants were detained under
the ISA between mid-2001 and last year. Of these, he estimates over 65 per cent
have been released -- some unconditionally and others under restrictive orders.
JI members form the bulk of those arrested. A counter-terrorism expert in Kuala
Lumpur says there are still over 60 JI members in detention, but over the years
at least 400 JI members, about 30 KMM members, 13 members of JI's Al Ghuraba
cell and 15 Al-Ma'unah members have been rehabilitated.
"There is a very low incidence of 're-involvement'," he says, with only two or
three of them re-arrested.
When such insurgents are arrested, if the authorities have evidence and
witnesses, they are charged in court. Four members of Al-Ma'unah were sentenced
to death for attempts to wage war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2000, for
example.
Others are detained under the ISA. "If they are considered a threat to national
security, the case comes under the Home Ministry and the research division of
the Prime Minister's Department," explains Associate Professor Dr Ruhanas Harun
at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Centre for Politics, History and Strategic
Studies:
"If they can be rehabilitated, the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim)
will be involved. Charges may be reduced or dropped if they take part in the
programme, but the whole process is quite secretive."
But unlike Indonesia's "deradicalisation" process, Malay-sia does not ask former
militants to counsel them, says the professor involved in the programme.
According to the counter-terrorism expert, some of the detainees regarded such
members as traitors. "Some would spit on them."
The authorities compile a religious profile of each detainee, including how deep
his religious knowledge is, he says.
Then they find a suitable ustaz from Jakim or the state religious department who
visits "to give them religious teaching about the correct interpretation of
jihad -- which is to improve yourself and society. There should be no violence
or fighting unless Muslims are oppressed or there is an invasion".
If the militants are relatively new and have a low level of religious knowledge,
they could be put in a group, he adds.
"Malaysia was the first to rope in university lecturers to help with the
rehabilitation of JI leaders because they are knowledgeable and respected."
"We are not seen as government servants like the religious officials," explains
the professor. "We are seen as independent."
The professor and his colleague have given four or five series of ceramah to a
group of about 60 detainees since last year. Previously, lecturers used to visit
once or twice but the organised series began last year, he says.
About once a month, they deliver two lectures followed by a question-and-answer
session, from 9.30am to 12.30 noon. Most of those in the "class" are JI members
and some have been in detention for up to six years.
"They like to come to the ceramah as it gives them a chance to get out of the
detention centre," says the professor.
JI, a radical jihadist organisation with some links to al-Qaeda, was formed in
Malaysia in 1992 with the goal of creating a transnational Islamic state in
Southeast Asia, says Abuza.
It teaches that other Muslims are apostates and infidels and tells members not
to associate with them and non-Muslims.
The rehabilitation programme doesn't try to make the militants give up their
ideology, but to renounce violence. Says the professor: "We do not scold them.
We ask them to rethink, not to be extreme but to return to the moderate path."
To the detainee's question about jihad, he replies, "It is a question of
approach. Before, they saw violence as the best way. We tell them there are many
ways to struggle."
The professor said, according to some politicians, Malay-sia is already an
Islamic state: "We have syariah. It is not complete but it is a process. We told
them they should be patient. It is better now than before."
The programme combines both Yemeni and Saudi methods. Using the "theological
dialogue" developed by Islamicjurist Hamoud al-Hitar in Yemen in 2002,
professors tell the militants that what they did and their rationale for
violence are not approved by the Quran, that they have an incorrect version of
Islam and of jihad, and that only mufti can issue fatwa.
"We tell them that violence is not permitted under Islam, and that Islam and
other religions are not in conflict," he says. "Conflict is driven by politics
and the search for power."
And like the Saudi model, the Malaysian programme uses appeals by family
members, with regular visits. A brother, sister, aunt, uncle or cousin to whom
the militant listens will talk to him, explains the counter-terrorism expert.
"If he is cooperative, he is given more time to see his family. If his family is
short of money, they are helped to get welfare. Their children in school are
given books and uniforms if they need them."
One example was the treatment of nine students who were allegedly part of JI's
Al Ghuraba cell that trained future leaders.
They had been trained to carry out bombing and suicide attacks, to use rocket
launchers to hit aircraft, and to make and use explosives.
They were arrested and deported from Pakistan in 2003. Four were placed under
restriction orders that limited their movement, closely watched by police. Four
others served only one month and only one remains in prison.
"Two or three of them took the SPM and went to university where their fees were
paid and they were even given stipends," says the counter-terrorism expert.
"They got girlfriends and they are OK now."
Abuza describes the Malaysian programme as institutionalised, well coordinated
between the various agencies, and well resourced.
Some question whether detainees are saying whatever it takes to get out. The
Saudi programme has a team of psychologists to weed out those who are faking.
But Malaysia "does not seem to be using psychologists or social scientists in
the rehabilitation team", notes Universiti Sains Malaysia's Dr Ahmad Fauzi.
However, the professor involved in the programme says almost all of those who
were released have successfully reintegrated into society: "There are very few
who relapse."
It can take months or even years to rehabilitate a militant. But he notes
proudly that since he began his ceramah last year, one of his "students", a man
in his 20s, has "graduated" after attending three of the series.
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