The prime minister noted that a slew of laws had been introduced for this purpose following requests from security forces.

“These laws are necessary, and other countries have since followed our lead,” he said in a statement.

He listed them as the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, Special Measures Against Terrorism in Foreign Countries Act, Prevention of Terrorism Act and the National Security Council Act.

Najib pointed out that the National Security Council Act, in particular, had been deliberately misinterpreted.

“It’s not the same as a declaration of national emergency – that power remains with His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong – and Parliament remains sitting with oversight on any security area declared,” Najib said.

He said the government was criticised for passing these laws, including by some who fear mongered for political reasons.

“My government will never apologise for placing the safety and security of the Malaysian people first,” he said.

Najib said the terror acts perpetrated across the globe demonstrated that the threat was real and growing, and that hardly a day went by without another atrocity.

“We are far from immune in Malaysia, as the first IS attack on us last month showed,” he said, alluding to the Movida night club bombing in Puchong on June 28 which left eight people injured.

The prime minister said the IS and its cruel, perverted ideology had no place in Islam nor in peaceful, diverse and tolerant Malaysia.

“Now is the time for us to unite and play an even greater part alongside the world community in the fight against terrorism,” he added.