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Malaysia’s Strategic Balance Between SCO and QUAD

In today’s increasingly polarized global landscape, small and middle powers face growing pressure to pick sides in the rivalries between major geopolitical blocs. For Malaysia, a country strategically located in the heart of Southeast Asia, navigating this high-stakes environment requires a delicate balance between maintaining national sovereignty and leveraging the benefits of global partnerships. This balancing act was brought into sharp focus during the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, hosted by China in Tianjin on June 25–26, 2025. The summit, centred on counter-terrorism, regional stability, and economic integration, reflected the SCO’s broader agenda, one that aligns with Chinese and Russian interests and often positions itself as a counterweight to Western influence. Meanwhile, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) made up of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia continues to push its vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” The QUAD ...
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Digital Jihad and Malaysia’s Silent Threat

The dismantling of the Bangladeshi Radical Militant Group (GMRB) in Malaysia has brought into sharp focus the evolving nature of extremist threats facing the country. This group, composed of 100 to 150 Bangladeshi nationals working in Malaysia’s labour sectors, had been secretly raising funds and recruiting on behalf of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Bangladesh. According to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Khalid Ismail, members paid an annual RM500 fee, with additional voluntary contributions based on income levels. These funds were transferred abroad using e-wallet apps and money transfer services, while WhatsApp and Telegram were used to recruit and coordinate activities. Although Malaysia has long been seen as a stable and moderate country, the 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) paints a more troubling picture. The GTI reports that terrorist activity is again on the rise globally, with 66 countries experiencing at least one attack in 2024, up from 58 the previous...
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Malaysia Should Embrace UK-Style Judicial Independence

Recent controversies surrounding judicial appointments in Malaysia have once again brought to light a longstanding issue: the lack of a truly independent judiciary. As questions mount over executive involvement in the appointment of top judges and the silence from key decision-makers, Malaysians are expressing growing dissatisfaction with the transparency, accountability, and integrity of the justice system. These concerns are not new. From the 1988 judicial crisis to the 2007 V.K. Lingam scandal, Malaysia’s judiciary has, time and again, faced credibility challenges due to perceived executive interference. Now, as the nation faces another episode of political hesitation and opaque decision-making regarding the succession of top judges, it is time to re-examine how judicial independence can be safeguarded and how the United Kingdom’s model offers a proven path forward. Learning from the UK: Structural Independence Malaysia’s legal heritage is deeply rooted in the British comm...
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Malaysia’s BRICS Balancing Act Amid U.S. Tariff Threats

President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has reenergized his trademark brand of economic nationalism this time, with sharper geopolitical edges. One of his administration’s early foreign policy actions in his second, non-consecutive term is a renewed crackdown on countries aligning with BRICS, a coalition of emerging economies challenging U.S.-led global financial dominance. Framing BRICS as “anti-American,” Trump recently announced a sweeping set of new tariffs, including a punitive 25% levy on goods from Malaysia, aimed at deterring participation in alternative trade blocs and efforts at de-dollarization. While major BRICS members China, Russia, India, Brazil, and South Africa have dismissed the notion that their bloc is inherently adversarial to the U.S., the implications of Trump’s announcement extend well beyond BRICS’ core membership. Countries like Malaysia, which have recently deepened ties with BRICS, are now caught in a strategic squeeze. For Malaysia, which a...
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Strategic Diversion or Coincidence?

In the aftermath of India’s assertive Operation Sindoor, an intriguing geopolitical overlap has emerged. Just as India struck deep into Pakistani territory to dismantle terrorist camps, the Middle East erupted in a fresh wave of hostilities involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. The timing is difficult to ignore. With two high-stakes confrontations unfolding almost simultaneously in different regions, a pressing question arises: is the Middle East escalation merely a coincidence, or could it be serving as a strategic distraction to undermine the gains of Operation Sindoor? Operation Sindoor marked a turning point in India’s counter-terror posture. Prompted by the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in April, the Indian government launched targeted strikes against nine key terrorist hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Unlike previous operations limited to border regions, Sindoor reached deep into Pakistani territory, including areas like Bahawalpur and Muridke strong...
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The Peril Within: Extremism Threatens Malaysia’s Security

On June 27, Malaysia made headlines with the arrest of 36 Bangladeshi nationals connected to a radical militant movement inspired by Islamic State (IS) ideology. Of these, five individuals have been charged under the country’s terrorism laws, 15 are slated for deportation, and 16 remain under investigation. This incident is not just a flashpoint it is a warning. It exposes a growing and highly dangerous trend: the quiet infiltration of transnational extremist elements using Malaysia as a base of operations. Malaysia cannot afford to downplay this threat. While the majority of migrant workers come here seeking better lives, the reality is that a small number may be co-opted by extremist networks to exploit the country’s open labour system, legal blind spots, and strategic geography. If left unaddressed, this could severely undermine national security, public safety, and Malaysia’s regional standing. A New Front in Terrorist Strategy Terrorist networks have evolved. No longer c...
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Imported Terror: Radicalised Migrants Threaten Malaysia

The recent arrest of 36 Bangladeshi nationals in Malaysia linked to Islamic State (IS) ideology, recruitment operations, and fundraising to overthrow the Bangladeshi government highlights a disturbing security development: foreign workers, once perceived mainly through the lens of economic necessity, are increasingly becoming targets and tools for transnational terrorist networks. This case is not an isolated incident. It reflects a growing trend where foreign terrorist elements exploit migrant vulnerabilities to infiltrate host nations like Malaysia and to propagate violent ideologies among diaspora communities. The implications are severe not just for Bangladesh but also for Malaysia, where the manipulation of identity politics and religion commonly referred to as 2R issues (race and religion) could be weaponised to inspire domestic and regional terrorism. The primary motivation for these migrant radicals to bring extremist ideology into Malaysia stems from their grievances roo...
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