Your Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

Members of the Media

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Assalamualaikum Warrahmatullahi Wabarakatuh and a very good morning i bid to all. ItÔÇÖs an honour to be here. First and foremost, allow me to congratulate the organizers of the 3rd General Police Equipment Exhibition and Conference (GPEC 2013) for hosting another successful international event. ┬áOn behalf of the Malaysian Government and the Ministry of Home Affairs, I would like to thank all of you for attending this premier event.┬á I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the official delegates, senior government officials, business leaders, and members of the security and enforcement services who are present at todayÔÇÖs ceremony.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Current Challenges to Homeland Security- Terrorism, Human Trafficking

Globalization and a borderless world brings with it gigantic transnational capital flows and mass human migration where we suddenly find ourselves caught up in an unfamiliar world. The fast paced world, calls for quick solutions ÔÇô but when the battle lines are blurred and human agency is greatly involved, how are we to react? In this age, security enforcement has become an ever more complex business.

In facing terrorism and cyber attacks for example, the world is confronted by an enemy which has no heart for care and love, no ears for diplomacy and negotiations, absence of eyes for peace and tranquility.┬á In the name of faith and idealism, these men and women, are driven by exclusive certainties, blind pensions, reductive perceptions, hasty conclusions, black and white prejudices and unthinking conclusions.┬á If we are to combat terrorism, we must never allow ourselves to think and behave in these terms. The cardinal rule of confronting terrorism is to banish fear.┬á However, we canÔÇÖt see an enemy, as it lives in the hearts of vile men. Terrorism has no place in a civilized global society. We had our share of insurgencies lately and we managed to overcome these challenges swiftly.

The dynamics of crime are ever changing and new dilemmas often surface. In facing human trafficking for example, women and children arenÔÇÖt spared by these criminals. Criminals who are only driven by greed and who see fellow human being as mere items for sale. It is the modern slave trade! But today the challenges are more complex when they are not seen as slaves but as tourist and foreign workers like laborers, students, refugees travelling on cheap accessible transportation across borders.

Globalization has also benefittedÔÇÿtraditional crimes, such as drug-trafficking and using drug mules to commit drug offences.┬á The free movement of goods and services in the borderless world, provides opportunities for these rigorous criminals to advance their trade.┬á Free movement of people on the other hand, have madeÔÇÿmoney laundering, a relatively easy crime to gain millions at the expense of the real economy. Yes, globalization has enriched billions of consumers and producers worldwide, business leaders, bankers, but it also has easily enriched these criminals who exploit the opportunities of trade to expand vast profit.

Internet advancement can also be seen as a threat to todayÔÇÖs global security. Government accounts have been hacked, vital information are stolen, identities robbed as millions become exposed to identity theft. ┬áCredit card details have been falsified to rob online sellers. Open attacks and allegations made on cyberspace to discredit the pillars of a democratic society and a sovereign nation. Institutions such as the police, military, monarchy, parliament and judiciary, have become subjects of attacks by individuals with ulterior motives to create anarchy and chaos. Lies have been spread to destroy the credibility of these components of democratic and sovereign states. Indeed apart from the physical battleground, these criminals have taken the cyber-space too.

Yes, Ladies and Gentleman, the business of security has today become so complex. But unlike other businesses, our industry is a zero sum game. There is never a win-win scenario. If we lose, innocent people die.  Hence we can never ever afford to lose.  That is why I see, events like GPEC, becoming ever so important in providing part of the solutions to counter these new security threats.  Technology as I have said earlier, has a role to play in confronting these new challenges, and together with the international community working in tandem, we can make the world a safer place.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

GPEC ASIA 2013

GPEC, a biennial event has become an internationally awaited event by both the industry players and security services worldwide over the past decade.  Since 2009, this event has both grown in size and stature, with more than 500 exhibitors representing 25 countries and more than 8000 people from 50 countries visiting every edition. Each edition brings the market leading line of policing and security products which are user-friendly, technologically advanced and cost efficient.  GPEC is not just a marketplace for the latest security products and services, but it has become a platform for greater international co-operation and exchange of ideas between security agencies in strengthening our homeland defenses.

As most of you are aware, Malaysia hosted the inaugural GPEC Asia in 2009.  The Federal Territory of Putrajaya welcomed thousands of top officials from the policing, enforcement and homeland security community, along with top industry players and academicians across the region to this maiden event.  Concurrent with the exhibition, a conference which congregates the best of minds in the security industry will be held tomorrow to diagnose the security problems affecting Asia and the global community.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The buyers are anxious to see the best of items the security industry can provide, while sellers are equally anxious to meet the expectations of their well-informed buyers.  The market interactions shall hopefully induce greater spending commitments which are to benefit those demanding and supplying the security technologies.  It will be great to see both sides winning-nations are better protected and suppliers are provided the right market-driven incentives in innovating and developing the best security solutions.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Future of GPEC and Impact on Malaysia

Malaysia is committed in seeing the growth of GPEC in providing not just the market solutions to end-users of security technologies, from the latest forensic IT systems to the state of the art body amours, but also the intellectual solutions to policy makers.  We hope that GPEC speakers and participants are able to provide the best advice and propose solutions to assist the policy makers as well as law enforcers.  GPEC needs to enhance its intellectual credibility in shaping the opinions and direction of debates in homeland security matters, be it in technology, techniques or policies.  Hosting GPEC Asia 2013 is the testament of our commitment towards encouraging technological growth and exchange.  It is of our hope one day Malaysia will be able to move from being an end-user to an active industry player in designing the latest security products. It is hoped that one day, Malaysia can have internationally renowned security firms which are able to produce competitive technologies.  But before that happens, we will need to boost our Research and Development programmes to match the opportunities made available by prompted by GPEC.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is also our hope that GPEC Asia 2013 will have spill-over effects onto our economy. Malaysia has long been a favorite international destination for business and one of the strongest FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), attracting nations in the region. ┬áIts multi-racial culture is an asset and the recent policies to liberalize the service sectors and financial market have revised our growth trajectory. Our Prime Minister, The Right Honourable DatoÔÇÖ Sri Mohd Najib Razak has been actively engaging corporate leaders globally from the US, China, Europe and the Middle East to invest in Malaysia. ┬áIt is my hope that the business leaders who are in Kuala Lumpur for GPEC Asia will see for themselves the vibrancy of our economy and choose to invest in Malaysia and help spearhead the development of security technology production in our local market.

On a final note, I would like to thank the organizers of GPEC Asia 2013, F&R Exhibition and Conference Sdn Bhd in collaboration with EMW Germany and also the various agencies supporting it.  On behalf of the Ministry of Home Affairs, we welcome all of you to Kuala Lumpur.  Terima Kasih.

 

PICC/2 Oct 2013