Discussion on Enhancing Security Cooperation in and with Asia (ESIWA)

Kuala Lumpur, 15 May 2024 – The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police, hosted a closed-door discussion on the reintegration of prisoners convicted of terrorism offences and individuals returning from conflict zones such as Syria and Iraq. This event was part of the ongoing initiative of Enhancing Security Cooperation in and with Asia (ESIWA) supported by the European Union.

The discussion brought together a diverse group of local and international experts, policymakers, and practitioners from Europe and Malaysia to address the complex challenges and best practices in reintegrating returnees into society. Key areas of focus included psychological support, community engagement, and the development of security policies.

The discussion focused on the research findings by Dr. Haezreena Begum, member of INITIATE.MY’s board of experts and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law at Universiti Malaya, commissioned under ESIWA. She  examined the root causes of radicalisation with detailed  individual accounts and assessed their responses to government’s rehabilitation and deradicalisation efforts and identified issues within their reintegration into the society.

Aizat Shamsuddin, founder of INITIATE.MY, presented the organisation’s research on the reintegration of former security detainees and their families. He stressed the importance of sustainable rehabilitation and reintegration (R&R) post-release to prevent recidivism. Achieving this goal requires stronger collaboration between the government, civil society, and the corporate sector, which could be facilitated through the forthcoming National Action Plan, “MyPCVE.”