Review of national security policy takes into account Covid threats

 

The National Security Policy (NSP) introduced in 2017 has been reviewed to ensure that all primary strategies are suitable in confronting the current form of security threats, said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin, who is also chairperson of the National Security Council (NSC), said the latest version of NSP 2021-2025 took into account the threats of Covid-19 and the relevant strategies to tackle it.

“The spread of Covid-19 on a global scale since March 2020 also posed a different threat to the country and the NSC in particular,” he said in a pre-recorded speech in conjunction with the NSC's Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary) celebration today.

Muhyiddin said the new approach introduced by the NSC also encompassed the concept of Comprehensive Security (ComSec), which is a new doctrine to replace the concept of Comprehensive Defence that combines internal security, defence, public order, political, economic, social, public health, and environment.

“To implement the concept, the entire national security machinery at all levels of administration and members of the general public need to work together and mobilise their energy and efforts to shoulder the responsibility,” he said.

On the NSC's Golden Jubilee celebration, the prime minister said the council, which was established on July 7, 1971, following the May 13 tragedy in 1969, has recorded various achievements in the 50 years of its establishment through its power to coordinate various ministries, departments, and agencies in managing complex issues.

He said the NSC played a leading role in security management at every federal and state level to preserve the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and inadvertently defend the country's interests on land, maritime, airspace, as well as cyberspace.

Muhyiddin said the country is facing various forms of new threats, either posed by state or non-state actors through a traditional and non-traditional approach and the NSC, together with other security agencies, must be able to handle those threats efficiently and effectively.

“Any issue or problem relating to security must always be at a minimum level so as not to jeopardise the lives of the people.

“This is where the NSC plays a vital role in leading the management of national security while remaining behind the scenes. A silent strategist. A silent thinker. A silent doer,” he said.

Muhyiddin added that through the NSC, the government successfully dealt with the intrusion in Lahad Datu, Sabah, coordinated the evacuation of Malaysians abroad during the Arab Spring, and led peace talks in Southern Thailand and Mindanao.

- Bernama