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Security in KL will be watertight during SEA Games, assures Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s security forces will be on high alert for potential terror threats to the SEA Games, and security will be watertight throughout the Aug 19-31 multi-sports event.

Around 12,000 police personnel are set to be mobilised for the SEA Games, which will feature 404 events in 38 sports held across 36 venues in Malaysia. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

Around 12,000 police personnel are set to be mobilised for the SEA Games, which will feature 404 events in 38 sports held across 36 venues in Malaysia. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s security forces will be on high alert for potential terror threats to the SEA Games, and security will be watertight throughout the Aug 19-31 multi-sports event.

This is Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s assurance to all participants of the Games and visitors to the country.

Mr Khairy, who also heads the SEA Games organising committee, said the Malaysian authorities are treating security for the Games as a “prime concern”.

Around 12,000 police personnel are set to be mobilised for the SEA Games, which will feature 404 events in 38 sports held across 36 venues in Malaysia. Leave for all 943 fire and rescue personnel in KL has also been frozen until the end of the month, the Malay Mail Online has reported.

According to the country’s tourism department, close to 1.7 million visitors are expected to arrive in Malaysia, who are hosting the SEA Games for the first time in 16 years.

Mr Khairy said a special committee, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and comprising members of the police, armed forces and emergency services, was formed to tackle this issue.

“We’ve had to take the matter of security seriously, especially with the militant threats in the region” he told TODAY. 

“So arrangements on the ground and…in terms of preventive measures and intelligence gathering has been coordinated at a very high level.

“We’ve also had to coordinate with our border control agencies…we want to ensure that we’ll be prepared to face any security threats that may occur during this period.”

Mr Khairy highlighted the Games’ opening and closing ceremonies at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil as events which the committee will be paying closer attention to. The opening ceremony will be held this Saturday.

“When you talk about 80,000 people in an enclosed area for the opening and closing ceremonies, obviously that brings with it additional security risks,” he said.

“We’re also mindful of security at the competition sites itself, because we are using closed venues like convention centres and exhibition centres for some sports.

“But the police have already done several exercises on the ground at the main venue clusters to ensure that in any eventuality or scenario, there is a rapid reaction that will safeguard the safety of people at the venue.”

Malaysian authorities have already ramped up security measures in the capital over the past month.

Last week, police conducted two large-scale operations in KL to flush out potential terror suspects, which include 16 foreign militants who were deported from Turkey after they allegedly tried to join the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria.

The raids however, did not turn up any terror suspects, although close to 700 people were arrested and screened.

On Sunday, the authorities detained hundreds of migrant workers in a third security sweep in a commercial centre in Negeri Sembilan.

Since 2013, Malaysia has arrested close to 300 people for terror-related activities. More than 90 of them have since been charged, while close to 50 have been jailed.

Mr Khairy is confident Malaysia will deliver a smooth-sailing Games that the country can be proud of.

“A successful Games will definitely help us (Malaysia) as far as coming together is concerned,” he said. 

“I hope the impact from the Games, which has the theme of ‘rising together’, will be able to really rally the country and the entire South-East Asian region.”

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