This article first appeared in Forum, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on July 17, 2017 - July 23, 2017

In Malaysia and around the world, terrorism and terrorist attacks are an almost daily feature in the news.

The recent clashes in Marawi in the Philippines and Jakarta in Indonesia, and the arrests of over 200 individuals in Malaysia who sympathised or actively participated in Daesh (IS) activities, show that a potential security breach is getting closer to home.

IMAN Research, a small research consultancy whose core focus is on preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE), has been working closely with civil society organisations, activists, social workers and government agencies on this matter. We also realise that the usual stakeholders — such as those mentioned above as well as counter-terrorism think tanks and researchers — need another player to join them, which is the private sector.

For those uninitiated in the jargon, allow me to explain what P/CVE is. Violent extremism refers to the beliefs and actions of those who engage in extreme behaviours and ideologies that may harm communities. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation describes violent extremism as “encouraging, condoning, justifying or supporting the commission of a violent act to achieve political, ideological, religious, social or economic goals”.

According to Unesco, “It is not enough to counter violent extremism — we need to prevent it, and this calls for forms of ‘soft power’ to prevent a threat driven by distorted interpretations of culture, hatred and ignorance.

“No one is born a violent extremist — they are made and fuelled. Disarming the process of radicalisation must begin with human rights and the rule of law, with dialogue across all boundary lines, by empowering all young women and men, and by starting as early as possible, on the benches of schools.”

P/CVE is widely used by counter-terrorism and CVE practitioners, but it should be a very familiar term among corporate professionals and leaders in these times of duress.

Explaining to Malaysian corporate organisations why they need to be active stakeholders in P/CVE is a challenging task. The corporate sector is intrigued and concerned about socio-religious politics in the country, but are leery about their involvement at the same time.

I quote a friend: “... it implies violent extremism being tied to a particular religion and race and the [consequent] perception. If (the organisation) takes a position supporting a philosophy by sponsoring an event, this will expose (us) to reputational risk and alienate customers.”

I am not going to arm-wrestle my friend to take part in the initiative, but I would like to invite CEOs, thought leaders and influencers who read this column in The Edge to think about why they should be active participants in P/CVE.

Business is run on a profit-and-loss basis. Business in Malaysia is profitable, and this is why the private sector must engage in 

P/CVE. A New Straits Times op-ed on June 9 by Dr Irwan Shah Zainal Abidin states: “The 5.6% gross domestic product recorded from January to March should speak volumes about the state of the economy, which appears to be fundamentally strong and resilient amidst external uncertainties.”

Growth in domestic demand has increased 7.7% compared with 3.2% in the previous quarter. Private investment grew to 12.9% compared with 4.9% from the last quarter in 2016. The government had said that the value of foreign direct investment this year is expected to surpass last year’s RM41 billion despite the challenging economic climate.

Imagine the losses and impact to an organisation, its people and the country it invests in if a war breaks out or a terrorist attack occurs. Rehabilitation efforts after an attack would require massive funding. In Marawi, for example, The PhilStar Global on June 13 reported that it would take 10 billion pesos to rehabilitate the city and other areas in Mindanao.

But it is not just the loss of business the private sector needs to consider. The destruction of a society and country is devastating and would take generations to rebuild. People under attack could suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and may not be resilient enough to bounce back.

Some corporations are already active players in P/CVE, including tech and social media giants Facebook, Twitter and Google. In June 2017, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Microsoft formed the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT), which will see them share technical tools for combating extremist content such as violent imagery and terrorist propaganda, and commission research to guide future resources.

GIFCT will also work with academic and policy experts to learn more about terrorism, but more organisations need to get involved. Google and YouTube have been at the forefront of the P/CVE wars, working with civil society organisations and activists.

Many corporates feel that such involvement comes under the purview of governments and security agencies, researchers and civil society organisations, but they underestimate their role.

Consider involvement in these efforts as CSR-luxe: corporations have much to offer in mentoring and sharing their knowledge about leadership and the country’s resources with stakeholders, and such a relationship can only create stronger, resilient communities.

One example I would like to share here is that corporates should work with stakeholders to introduce responsible financial inclusion to provide access to financial services for all.

Economic exclusion is often cited as a driver of violent extremism. According to the vice-president for the Middle East and North Africa of the World Bank, the “actual or perceived marginalisation of important segments of society often provides a pretext for recourse to violence. For example, it could be argued that Daesh was able to grow by capitalising on the perceived marginalisation of the Sunni populations in Iraq and Syria”.

There are many approaches to private-public partnerships in CVE, of which the above is one. Participating in P/CVE can be exciting, but the players must be mindful that they are also protecting their assets — their business and their people — in the long run. We are building inclusive, just, secure and strong communities for the generations after us.

Talk to us. Work with the players in P/CVE. The country needs you, as much as you need her.

Dina Zaman left the media to establish IMAN Research with friends. For more information, visit www.imanresearch.com.

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