Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail, has firmly denied allegations that Malaysia is serving as an operational hub for Hamas. He stressed that the nation’s security remains intact thanks to close cooperation between Malaysian enforcement agencies and neighbouring countries.
Mohd Khalid acknowledged that Malaysians feel deeply connected to the Palestinian struggle, but assured that security agencies remain vigilant to prevent that solidarity from being exploited for illegal activities.
“Given Malaysia’s standing as an Islamic country, the Palestinian cause is naturally close to our people’s hearts. We have consistently extended our support to Palestine, but our security agencies remain on guard to ensure this spirit of solidarity is not misused for unlawful purposes,” he told a press conference at Bukit Aman Police Headquarters today.
He explained that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) maintains strong collaboration with government agencies — especially the Immigration Department, Customs Department, and the Malaysian Border Control Agency (AKPS) — regularly sharing information and acting jointly to tackle related issues.
Citing recent cross-border operations, Mohd Khalid pointed to successful efforts to stop arms smuggling as proof of Malaysia’s readiness to safeguard national security.
“Our neighbours have also extended excellent and effective cooperation. For example, the arms smuggling case in Sadao was successfully foiled, and legal action has been taken by Thai authorities. We share intelligence with Thailand to identify the networks involved and will continue to work together in such matters,” he said.
He stressed that authorities will not compromise on matters involving terrorism, arms smuggling, or transnational criminal networks.
“The country’s security is under control. We will continue to strengthen our cooperation with regional partners to ensure no group turns Malaysia into an operational base,” he added.
The remarks came after former U.S. Treasury Department counterterrorism analyst Jonathan Schanzer alleged that Malaysia has long been a base of operations for Hamas, and claimed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is not interested in peace efforts. These criticisms followed Anwar’s firm reiteration of Malaysia’s support for Palestine and his call to cut ties with Israel amid the ongoing destruction of Gaza and seizure of the West Bank.
