SINGAPORE, April 24 — Malaysia is approaching the threat of radicalisation in a multi-faceted manner, even as it stays vigilant against threats from the Islamic State, said its Minister of Youth and Sports Khairy Jamaluddin.

The country is looking to set up an overseas volunteer organisation, overseen by his ministry and modelled after the Peace Corps in the United States, to cater to young Malaysians who want to help out in other countries.

Radicalisation is “a multi-faceted problem, it’s not just a security issue. It’s also an issue of education, socio-economic background, also how we deal with young people in Malaysia”, he told reporters from Singapore ahead of a talk organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

Official statistics show that 30 Malaysians have gone to Iraq and Syria, and another 30 have been stopped at the border, he said, adding: “Unofficially there may be more.”

But Khairy also sought to “put things in perspective”, noting that fewer Malaysians have gone to Iraq and Syria than those from some other countries such as Sweden. ― Today