Munira Mustaffa, executive director of the Chasseur Group, cited the recent arrest of 36 Bangladeshi workers for their involvement in a radical militant movement linked to Islamic State (IS).
Munira said while Jakim may have extensive experience in promoting a moderate version of Islam, it must consider other socio-political factors that drive foreign workers towards radicalism.
“There is still a risk that well-intentioned religious counselling may not properly address the underlying drivers that lead individuals to take part in radical groups.
“Effective intervention requires understanding the specific political contexts and grievances that drive recruitment, which goes beyond traditional religious counselling approaches,” she told FMT.
She said political tensions in Bangladesh are likely the main driving force behind these IS-related networks, which appear more focused on Bangladesh’s internal affairs than on establishing an IS presence in Malaysia.
The political instability in Bangladesh over recent years has indirectly created an environment that allows extremist groups to thrive, she said. “It’s a common pattern we see after sudden political transitions.”
Her comments come after religious affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar said Jakim is developing a specialised module to curb the spread of radical ideologies among foreign workers in the country.
Na’im said Jakim will collaborate with the home ministry and the police in this initiative, with the purpose of helping them to “return to the true, moderate teachings of Islam”.
Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail said investigations found that the foreigners recruited new members for the IS from Malaysia’s labour sector, from places such as factories, petrol stations and construction sites.
He said they also recruited through social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram, with 150 to 200 members in the movement’s WhatsApp group.
Three of the 36 who were deported faced arrest by members of the Bangladesh anti-terrorism unit upon their arrival in their home country.
Bangladeshi home adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, however, denied the presence of militancy in his country, bdnews24 reported.
Meanwhile, national security expert Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin suggested that the authorities strengthen the screening mechanisms to curb the spread of radicalism among migrant workers.
He said radical individuals or groups can be detected through robust trackings of migrant workers’ social media use, online purchase records, and social networks.
The authorities should also set up adequate channels for the public to lodge complaints when they notice suspicious symbols or activities appearing in the migrant worker communities, he said.