STATEMENT BY H.E. AMBASSADOR RAMLAN IBRAHIM PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS ON AGENDA ITEM 108: MEASURES TO ELIMINATE INTERNATIONALTERRORISM AT THE SIXTH COMMITTEE OF THE TH 70 SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEW YORK,12 OCTOBER 2015
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Thank you, Mr. Chairman,

As this is the first time that my delegation is taking the floor before the Sixth Committee at the 70th Session of the General Assembly, allow me to congratulate you on your election as the Chair of the Sixth Committee. We are confident that with your vast experience and expertise, you would be able to steer the work of this Committee effectively. I also wish to assure you of my delegation's fullest cooperation in the fulfilment of your work.

2.

Malaysia associates itself with the statements made by Laos on

behalf of ASEAN, Saudi Arabia on behalf of OIC and Iran on behalf of NAM.

3.

Malaysia strongly and unequivocally condemns all acts, methods and

practices of terrorism, and also in all its forms and manifestations. Given its brutality and terror, it can never be justified, regardless of its religious pretension.

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4.

Clearly the appalling brutality inflicted and atrocities committed by

ISIL on innocent civilians in the territories under their control in Syria and Iraq, based on their warped, misguided and deviant ideology and narrative, had distorted the faith and the true teachings of Islam. The acts of the followers of ISIL are in fact the antithesis of the principles of Islam. ISIL does not represent Muslims and the religion of Islam. Their apocalyptic doctrine is based on terror and destruction.

5.

No nation is immune to the threat of international terrorism. It is

therefore vitally important for the international community to present a united front against terrorism.

6.

Hence, there is an urgent need to counter terrorism comprehensively,

from the ideological perspective - by countering the narratives and addressing the root causes of issues that could be manipulated to attract people into supporting these groups; from the financial perspective - by cutting the flow of funding to these terrorist groups; and from the security perspective - by preventing the physical recruitment and flow of their supporters.

7.

Malaysia therefore joins others in calling for a robust and effective

international action in our collective fight against terrorism based on and in full respect of the UN Charter and universally recognised principles of law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

8.

A multifaceted approach in combating terrorism is essential by

addressing the root causes and underlying contributory factors that support
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terrorism, including funding and supply of weapons. It is also critical that the "hearts and minds" approach must be fully incorporated in our common endeavour to counter the IS threat.

9.

On the home front, Malaysia has been continuously working to

enhance its domestic legal framework aimed at countering terrorism and safeguarding national security. Among these are the Penal Code [Act 574]; the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA); the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) 2014; the Anti-Money Laundering, AntiTerrorism Financing and Proceed of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA); Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) 2015; and Special Measures Against Terrorism in Foreign Countries Act (SMATA) 2015. POTA, in particular, provides a preventive mechanism for the authorities to detain suspected individuals linked to Al-Qaida and IS-affiliated groups, for investigation. The Act includes rehabilitation and deradicalisation components.

10.

The Prime Minister of Malaysia, with the support of his ASEAN

counter-parts, has advocated for a `Global Movement of Moderates' (GMM), which calls for countries and societies to censure and reject extremism and support moderation. Malaysia believes that the practice of moderation should be embraced globally. We strongly believe that a concerted effort to drown the narratives of the extremists in all areas and dimensions would provide an effective way to counter terrorism. Moderates must now reclaim their rights forcefully against these terror groups.

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11.

We commend the work of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Measures to

Eliminate International Terrorism for its work in negotiating and finalising a series of instruments to provide a legal framework to enhance international cooperation in combating international terrorism. We are also appreciative of the work of the Working Group on measures to eliminate terrorism to finalise the process on the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

12.

One issue that is of particular concern for our delegation is that there

should be a clear distinction between acts of terrorism and the legitimate acts of resistance to foreign aggression and the struggle of peoples under colonial or alien domination and foreign domination, as provided by the UN Charter and recognised principles of international law.

13.

We further maintain that measures against international terrorism

should not infringe upon the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of States. Terrorism should not be associated with any race, culture or religion. Ignoring these cardinal principles would only heighten the polarisation and marginalisation of communities along political, religious or ethnic lines. These would, in turn, become the driver that would push marginalised communities towards recruitment of the terror groups.

14.

We note the many arguments put forth by delegations in informal

consultations regarding the draft convention. We are of the view that there must be clarity of thought as to what we intend to achieve or attain with the comprehensive instrument.
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15.

Therefore, we must also take stock of the existing international

instruments related or relevant to international terrorism and see where and how we could contribute further towards improving the existing framework or architecture to counter international terrorism. We look forward, in this regard, to participating actively and contributing constructively on the way forward on the draft convention (CCIT).

Mr. Chairman,

16.

In conclusion, we fervently believe that it is only through international

cooperation and our collective efforts that we can hope to succeed in our determination to combat the scourge of international terrorism. Malaysia, remains unequivocal in its commitment to support the international community's efforts to fight terrorism.

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