July 23 — Militant and extremist groups in Malaysia are adapting their recruitment methods, with online platforms such as Roblox now being used to identify potential recruits, outgoing Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said today
He warned that the threat posed by such groups would never disappear, as the nature of radicalisation continues to change and authorities must stay ahead to prevent attacks.
“The threat from militant and extremist groups will never end.
“The trend has changed. In the past, recruitment took place throughusrah sessions. Then it moved online. Now they are using platforms like Roblox to spot and recruit people,” he told reporters after launching his biography Dari Pendang ke Bukit Aman: Jejak Integriti(From Pendang to Bukit Aman: The Integrity Journey of Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay).
Usrahrefers to small religious study groups where participants gather to learn and discuss Islamic teachings, values and personal development; while widely practised by mainstream Muslim communities for religious learning and community building, some extremist groups have also exploited such closed circles for recruitment and radicalisation.
Ayob said the threat was no longer solely driven by religious ideology, with some individuals now being motivated by anger or personal grievances.
“The ideology has changed. Sometimes it is simply anger that drives someone to carry out an attack.
“That is why, in our recent special operation, many of those arrested were teenagers. Their modus operandi is different now,” he said.
He stressed that intelligence agencies must remain proactive in detecting and preventing attacks before they happen.
“We must always stay ahead. Only then can we deal with the threat effectively.
“If we become passive and only react after something happens, there will be attacks in Malaysia. If an attack takes place, that is an intelligence failure.
“The Criminal Investigation Department investigates after an attack, but the Special Branch’s role is to detect, prevent and stop attacks before they are carried out,” he said.
Ayob added that radicalisation today requires authorities to monitor changing methods and understand the factors driving individuals towards extremism.
The outgoing deputy police chief is set to retire on Sunday after nearly 35 years of service with the Royal Malaysia Police.
