Country Report on Terrorism 2024 - Chapter 1 - Malaysia

Country Overview:  In 2024, Malaysia continued to arrest, deport, prosecute, and reintegrate suspected terrorists and cooperated with the United States and regional partners to prevent terrorist attacks and travel.  Malaysia also received two nationals transferred from U.S. custody in Guantanamo Bay.  Malaysian authorities reported that the country remained a transit point, and in some cases a destination, for members of terrorist groups including ISIS, the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), and al-Qa’ida.  Malaysian authorities reported 22 arrests and 22 prosecutions for terrorism-related offenses in 2024.

To strengthen border security, Malaysia implemented the Border Control and Protection Agency Act, established the Malaysian Checkpoints and Border Agency, and maintained robust screening measures to prevent terrorist travel.  Despite these efforts, in 2024, Malaysia did not repatriate any of its 45 nationals remaining in Syria.

In 2024, the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Southeast Asia Regional Center for Counterterrorism (SEARCCT) organized 32 programs for government officials, academics, civil society organizations, media, and youth, both independently and with international partners. These included public awareness campaigns, workshops, training sessions, public lectures, and published materials on detecting and countering radicalization to violence, digital resilience for youth, FTFs, artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), maritime terrorist activities, and radicalization through gaming.

Malaysia’s counter terrorist financing efforts remained consistent with previous years, reflecting an ongoing commitment to financial integrity in combating terrorism.

2024 Terrorism Trends:  A lone actor, inspired by ISIS, killed two police officers in Malaysia’s Johor province on May 17, the first terrorist attack in Malaysia since 2016.  Police subsequently arrested five people for providing support to this attacker.

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