Malaysia dips in Global Peace Index but still ranks among the safest, says Saifuddin Nasution
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the dip does not reflect any deterioration in Malaysia's safety or security levels, noting that the country's overall peace score remained unchanged from 2023.
'Our ranking dropped not because of any decline on our part, but because two Scandinavian countries improved their peace scores and moved ahead of us,' he explained.
Speaking after launching the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom)-KDN MADANI Adopted Village Programme at Kampung Inderasabah, Saifuddin stressed that Malaysia still ranks as one of the safest countries in the Asia-Pacific, alongside Singapore, Japan and New Zealand.
'This minor shift in position should not overshadow the consistent efforts by all agencies, especially Esscom, in maintaining security, particularly in high-risk areas like Sabah's east coast,' he said.
He added that Malaysia's strong performance is the result of coordinated action by agencies under the Ministry, particularly Esscom, which continues to play a critical role in safeguarding vulnerable regions.
'We are still in the top tier among 165 countries. The focus now is to maintain momentum and use our safety credentials to draw more tourists and investors,' he said.
Saifuddin also noted that the increasing number of international tourists arriving in Semporna and surrounding areas, along with new international flight routes to Tawau, reflects growing global confidence in the region's security.
The event also marked the launch of the Esscom Madani Adopted Village Programme, with RM1mil allocated to each selected village for both physical and non-physical development projects, including school upgrades and community infrastructure improvements.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
12 hours ago
- The Sun
Sweden to map immigrants' values to boost integration
STOCKHOLM: Sweden plans to survey immigrants' values in a bid to improve their integration into the country's progressive and liberal society, Sweden's new integration minister said on Sunday. Sweden's right-wing government came to power in 2022 backed by the far-right Sweden Democrats, vowing to crack down on immigration and improve the integration of immigrants, among other things. Integration Minister Simona Mohamsson, who was appointed in a cabinet reshuffle a week ago, said Sweden's secular, unpatriarchal society can pose challenges for immigrants from more traditional, conservative countries. 'We are an extreme country, in a good way. For people who join our society, it can be a little difficult to navigate,' she told Sweden's paper of reference Dagens Nyheter in an interview. Previous surveys conducted by the World Values Survey research group have shown that some newly-arrived immigrants to Sweden have diverging views from native Swedes on issues such as divorce, sex before marriage, abortion and homosexuality. After 10 years in Sweden, their values had evolved and were more in line with those of native Swedes, according to the World Values Survey. 'Ten years is far too long. That's a whole generation of girls who don't get to choose who they want to love or boys who can't come out of the closet,' Mohamsson said. Some 3,000 people will be surveyed this autumn about their 'values', half of them of Swedish background and the other half 'non-Western', she explained. 'The result will guide integration efforts going forward.' She said the plan was 'not about changing opinions', but rather 'about upholding the values we have in Sweden.' Those who choose to come to Sweden have a responsibility to try to be a part of society, she insisted. 'It is not a human right to live in Sweden.' The Scandinavian country has taken in large numbers of refugees since the 1990s, many fleeing from countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and the former Yugoslavia. But following a large influx in 2015, successive Swedish governments from both the left- and right-wing have tightened asylum rules. In 2024, around 20 percent of Sweden's inhabitants were born in another country, compared to around 11 percent in 2000, according to Statistics Sweden. – AFP
New Straits Times
19 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Bangladesh arrests three deported from Malaysia over militant activity
KUALA LUMPUR: Three Bangladeshi men deported from Malaysia over suspected involvement in militant activities were arrested by anti-terrorism authorities upon their arrival in Dhaka on Friday, reports said. Bangladeshi online news portal reported that the trio were detained by the country's counter-terrorism unit, brought to court the same day, and remanded. Bangladesh's Anti-Terrorism Unit chief, Akkas Uddin Bhuiyan, was quoted as saying that the process of filing charges against the suspects was ongoing, and authorities were still verifying their backgrounds. The three were among 36 people detained in Malaysia between May and June for alleged involvement in a radical movement linked to the Islamic State (IS) group. Last week, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had said that 15 of those detained had been issued deportation orders, while 16 others remained under investigation. Five suspects were charged in Shah Alam, Selangor, and Johor for their links to terrorism. Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said on Friday that the 36 people were believed to be part of a militant cell comprising between 100 and 150 Bangladeshi migrant workers. The group reportedly had members working across various sectors in Malaysia, including factories, construction sites, and petrol stations. The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said its High Commission in Malaysia was in close communication with local authorities over the matter. "Bangladesh once again reiterates its firm stand against all forms of terrorism, violent extremism, and militancy, and remains ready to extend full cooperation to the Malaysian authorities in this regard," the statement read.
.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Daily Express
21 hours ago
- Daily Express
GRS-PH-BN formula for polls not off the table
Published on: Sunday, July 06, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jul 06, 2025 By: Amir Anuar Text Size: Saifuddin added that one of the key matters being discussed is to avoid clashes among the cooperating parties during the polls. TAWAU: The possibility of cooperation between Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) for the coming 17th Sabah state election remains open with discussions still ongoing. PH Sec-Gen Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said the political understanding among the coalitions is currently in a negotiation phase at all levels. Advertisement 'This cooperation is not in limbo; it is actively being negotiated across all tiers,' he said. He added that one of the key matters being discussed is to avoid clashes among the cooperating parties during the polls. Responding to whether efforts to formalise the cooperation are still ongoing, Saifuddin confirmed that the process is underway. 'The shape of this cooperation will eventually emerge, and the media will observe how this dynamic political alignment unfolds,' he said. Commenting further, he stated that the Sabah state government will eventually return the mandate to the people once its term concludes. 'With Sabah heading into a democratic celebration, all political parties will participate, including through negotiated political cooperation,' he said. On speculation linking former National Unity Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ruji Ubi with PKR, Saifuddin did not deny that PKR is among the parties interested in fielding him as a candidate in the upcoming election. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
