KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 ― Putrajaya has proposed a new law to combat the rise of influence of terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS) as militant groups continue to gain ground globally and dozens of Malaysians leave to join the fight.

In a 19-page White Paper document entitled “Addressing the threat of Islamic State”, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak outlined the history of IS, the threat the group poses and the impact it has on Malaysians as well as the danger in allowing its skewed Islamic teachings and practice of violence to spread in Malaysia.

“In line with other countries' move to introduce anti-terrorism laws, this White Paper recommends that a new law that is appropriate to fight and to take action against Malaysians involved in militant and terrorist activities.

“This bill will be tabled during the next Parliamentary sitting.

“In addition to that, SOSMA, POCA from the Penal Code should be empowered,” he said in Parliament, referring to the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 and the Prevention of Crime (Amendment and Extension) Act 2013.

Najib added that four people have been killed in Syria while a suicide bomber died in Iraq.

“I am worried that this number would go up because another 39 Malaysians have been identified to be in Syria and another 40 could face the same fate if the authorities do not arrest them.

According to the White Paper sighted by Malay Mail Online, of the 39 Malaysians there, 17 were involved in IS while 22 joined Ajnad al-Sham.

Six of them were former Internal Security Act detainees, of which five were from the Kumpulan Militan Malaysia (JMM) and one former Jemaah Islamiah (JI) member, the document wrote.

“Malaysia rejects IS because the Salafi-Jihadi ideology being fought for by this group is based on extremism and violence,” he said, adding that Malaysia has the responsibility to expose IS’ extremist beliefs which contradicts Islamic teachings and the federal constitution.

The White Paper noted that the call for jihad by the IS militant group is very powerful because it is based on a skewed Islamic teaching.

It added that Malaysians are attracted to join IS because some believe that the participation in the Syrian conflict is the path to martyrdom.

Some Malaysians are also sympathetic to the sufferings of Sunnis in Syria because of the cruelty and oppression by the Al-Assad regime, according to the document.

“Malaysia has a clear stand against IS. Other than categorising IS as a terrorist group, the 106th Muzakarah Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan concluded that the participation of Malaysian Muslims in IS in Iraq and Syria is against the Syarak laws and their death is not categorised as the path to martyrdom.

“Malaysians need to realise that this war is also a political clash and a sectarian conflict that has nothing to do with Jihad (holy war) or Hijrah (pilgrimage),” Najib said.

He admitted the return of Malaysians from fighting in Syria and Iraq could increase the threat to the country’s security.

“We are also concerned that they would set up terrorist cells and form a network of militant groups in the country and in the region.

“For example, they could form a network with the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in Mindanao, southern Philippines which has pledged their loyalty to IS,” he said.

Although Malaysia has not made a stand, countries such as Australia is mooting a drastic step of revoking citizenships of nationals found fighting with jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq.

The White Paper pointed out that the arrests of 11 suspects on April 28 exposed their plans to bomb entertainment centres in KL, an alcohol plant in Selangor, government buildings in Putrajaya.

Up till November 13, the police have arrested 40 suspects in the country, with the first arrest on February 7.

Of those, 21 were charged in court, 19 freed because of incomplete evidence. As a precaution, they are not allowed to leave the country and they are being monitored by the police.

Today, Najib said he needs the backing of all Malaysians to ensure no more would fall for the terrorists’ fight, disguised as an Islamic one.

“The government understands that laws alone would not suffice in curbing the IS ideology.

“Other than having the laws, all Malaysians should support the government in rejecting any extremist ideology and have faith that the Wasatiyyah concept is the best path to ensure peace and harmony in multi-racial Malaysia,” he said.

This will be the third time in the country's history that a white paper will be tabled. White papers were previously tabled by the government on the Al-Mau'nah military weapons heist and hostage crisis in 2000, and on the 1985 Memali Incident when 14 civilians and four police officers were killed in a deadly crackdown on an alleged extremist religious group.