KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 ― In a rare show of support for policies of the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership, DAP's Lim Kit Siang has declared his backing of Datuk Seri Najib Razak's fight for moderation, and wants Malaysians nationwide to endorse the prime minister’s effort.

Noting Malaysia's rise in a recent international terrorism indicator, however, the veteran opposition politician said that Najib may be fighting a losing battle.

“I have many differences with the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak but I agree with his call for the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM), which he has articulated in international forums, including thrice in four years in his speeches to the United Nations General Assembly,” Lim told a dinner in Skudai, Johor, last night, according to a copy of his speech.

“However, Najib seems to be waging a lose battle in his call for moderation to oust extremism in Malaysia,” he added.

According to the 2014 edition of the Global Terrorism Index produced by the Institute of Economic and Peace, Malaysia has climbed a dismal 42 spots to take 48th place from its 90th spot in the 2012 issue of the report.

Malaysia’s score on the index measuring the number of terrorist incidents, fatalities and casualties as well as damage to property has also risen steadily from 2011, going from 0.42 out of a possible 10 to the current 3.04. Ten signifies the highest impact of terrorism.

According to the report, Malaysia registers 13 terrorist incidents and two related deaths in a given year.

Although no direct terrorist attacks were recorded in Malaysia, the country has seen a number of its citizens taking up arms in the ongoing revolution in Syria under the banner of the Islamic State (IS, formerly known as ISIL or ISIS).

“Malaysians should be concerned that Malaysia has shot to the Top 50 countries under the index when we should strive to be one of the 40 countries with no terrorism problems  to showcase our multi-racial and multi-religious harmony, tolerance and understanding,” Lim said today.

“I call on all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, to fully endorse moderation and reject extremism in all aspects of their lives, for Malaysia must seek to be a model of multi-racial and multi-religious tolerance, harmony and understanding in an increasingly troubled world,” he added.

Malaysia was once home to several suspected key figures in groups such as al Qaeda offshoot, Jemaah Islamiyah, the terror group blamed for the deadly 2002 Bali bombings and numerous other attacks.

Local police were also able to arrest 19 suspected militants between April and June this year, after discovering their plans to bomb local pubs, discos and a Malaysian brewery of Danish beer producer Carlsberg.

According to Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, 39 Malaysians have been detected as having joined violent jihadist movement seeking to form a global Islamic caliphate.

Putrajaya, like many other countries, has designated the IS as a terrorist organisation.

A hand-grenade explosion in Kuala Lumpur last month initially prompted fears of terrorism, but police later revealed that the attack that killed a car jockey and left several others injured was a case of gang rivalry.