KUALA BERANG: No Malaysians were recruited into the recently- uncovered foreign militant network linked to Bangladeshi natio­nals, confirms Datuk Seri Saifud­din Nasution Ismail.

The Home Minister said investigations by the police’s Special Branch revealed that the group, which aimed to spread extremist ideology rooted in Islamic State (IS) beliefs, involved only Bang­ladeshi nationals.

“Their activities were focused on violent extremism with the objective of toppling the government in their country of origin (Bangladesh),” he said to repor­ters after launching a programme here, Bernama reported.

“It is important to inform the public that our security forces are on high alert. If such activities are not addressed firmly, they could pose a serious threat to national security.”

The Home Minister had recently revealed that police dismantled a foreign militant network with the arrest of 36 Bangladeshi natio­nals suspected of direct involvement in the radical movement.

The group was said to have created a recruitment cell within their community to indoctrinate their radical beliefs, collect funds for terrorist operations and topple the government in their home countries.

Five of the suspects had been charged in Shah Alam and Johor Baru, 15 were issued with deportation orders while 16 are still being investigated for their roles in the movement.

On another matter, Saifuddin Nasution said the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) will soon undergo restructuring to enhance its effectiveness, with the police taking the lead.

“Previously, the police, Bank Negara and the Malaysian ­Com­munications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) shared ­oversight of the NSRC which led to certain operational short­comings.

“Under the new structure, the police will directly receive scam reports, record the necessary details and notify the relevant banks immediately to freeze the victim’s account.

“Efforts to recover stolen funds will follow promptly,” he said.

The restructuring will also see the NSRC’s 997 hotline operate 24 hours a day, allowing victims to lodge reports at any time.

The number of staff will also be increased to improve response time and victim support.

Saifuddin Nasution added that the proposed improvements have been approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and will be implemented soon.