New threat landscape (NTL): the role of social media towards counter-insurgency and radicalism

Malaysia experienced the threat of radicalism, extremism, and terrorism since the communist insurgency in 1968 that has led the country under a state of emergency for 21 years. The rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) and Daesh global terrorist network arguably has appeared in different approaches and narratives to bolster their ideology in the minds and hearts of its target audience. The advancement of digitalisation and social media has enhanced the effectiveness of disseminating radical extremist ideology to its audience through aggressive propaganda campaigns throughout all digital platforms. On top of that, the complexity of the New Threat Landscape (NTL) between the blurred lines of counter insurgency is characterized by single to multiple threats that emerged simultaneously, such as the threat of non-state actors, the use of social media for radicalisation: the rise of extremism; the increase of Islamophobia globally; and the re-emergence of terrorist organisations. Furthermore, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the trade of radicalism combining the existing violent extremism narrative with the fear of the pandemic narrative and the economic, social, and political uncertainty. This study aimed to explore and analyse the threat of radicalisation in Malaysia. The study employed a qualitative approach, undertaking in-depth interviews. The finding shows that extreme radicalism in Malaysia is not solely related to religion alone. Political ideology, Racial Ideology, and Communism Ideology also play a significant role in radicalisation in Malaysia. Thus, this research suggested the need to enhance and strengthen the regulation and monitoring of the integrity of social media content and messages to prevent radicalisation in Malaysia.