Speech of Minister of Home Affairs – Opening of the 6th General Police Equipment Exhibition and Conference (GPEC) 2010

Speech

YB. Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein
Minister of Home Affairs
Opening of the 6th General Police Equipment Exhibition and Conference (GPEC) 2010

Date : 04 May 2010 (Tuesday)
Time : 10.00 am
Venue : Leipziq, Germany

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen

First and foremost, allow me to congratulate the organizers of the 6th General Police Equipment Exhibition and Conference (GPEC 2010) especially the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Federal Republic of Germany for another successful year of hosting this international event. On behalf of the Malaysian government and our delegation here, I would like to thank the organiser’s for your kind gestures in hosting this event. I would also like to welcome senior government officials, business leaders, and members of the enforcement services who are present at today’s reception.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Globalization and the World in 21st Century

Globalization of the past decade has transformed the map of the world. We find ourselves, in uncharted waters, lost in the vast land of a borderless Global Village. Opportunities provided by globalization are therefore limitless. Even the sky- literally draws no limit as we expand our horizons across skies and the seas, into space and underwater, traversing the realm of possibilities. A globalized world allows easy flows of capital, fluid movement of everything, everywhere- labour, goods and services from one country to another, destroying the protective fences which previously discouraged greater connectivity.

On a lighter note, we are lucky to have assembled here this week- what if GPEC was scheduled during the Icelandic volcanic eruption, which ash cloud closed European airspace for almost a week. It seriously disrupted the activities and movement of people, goods and services across the world. This shows that globalization is real, it is not a superfluous idealistic concept- it has real effects on real people.

Technological improvements which accompany globalization, especially in the advent of the information revolution have greatly enhanced our communications ability and knowledge capacity. Communities across continents come together as ‘netizens’ in this new Global Village, empowered by the knowledge they gain online. Come to think of it, the world shrinks every second we hit ‘search’ on Google. (Which is bad for the environment, one Google search uses the same energy of switching on two light bulbs.)

However, the rosy pictures we often paint of this new pastoral global landscape can be a nightmare waiting to unravel upon the human race. In the borderless world, security becomes a concern as boundaries are lifted. As much as globalization encourages business, culture exchange, knowledge sharing, it also creates opportunities for existing criminal activities to continue operating and new ones flourish. Information revolution for example, allows clandestine networks to gain control of resources-threatening our security and liberty, mocking our system with an unprecedented destructive potential.

But whose responsibility is it to protect the inhabitants of this ‘Global Village- when jurisdiction overlaps in an undefined new global space?’ This is a question which beleaguers the law enforcers and policy makers in this hall today. I sincerely believe that global co-operation and regional co-ordination are the way forward in tackling crimes of the 21st century. Global problems need global solutions. We need to act in unison to safeguard the positive excesses of globalization and limit the detrimental opportunities it creates, and I firmly believe that technology has a great role to play in this.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

2.New 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 a reality to an extent, that we have not begun to really appreciate. The fast paced world calls for quick solutions- but when the battle lines are blurred and human agency is greatly involved, how are we to react? Security enforcement has become a complex business, a science to pre-empt cognitive human behaviors.

In facing terrorism for example, the world is confronted by an enemy which has no heart for love, no ears for diplomacy, no eyes for peace. In the name of the faith or idealism, these man and woman, are driven by exclusive certainties, blind pensions, reductive perceptions, hasty conclusions, black and white prejudices and unthinking conclusions. If we are to combat terrorism, we must never allow ourselves to think and behave in these terms. The cardinal rule of confronting terrorism, an enemy we can’t see as it lives in the hearts of vile men, is to banish fear. Terrorism has no place in a civilized global society.

In facing human trafficking for example- men and women and children, the world is confronted by an enemy which has no heart for compassion, no ears for mercy, no eyes for decency. How do we deal with men and woman who are only driven by greed and who see fellow human being as mere items for sale, no different from those merchant who sold people across continent to work as slaves not so long ago. But today the challenges are more complex when they are not seen as slaves but as tourist and foreign worker as labourer, as student, as refugees travelling on cheap accessible transportation across borders.

Globalization has also benefitted ‘traditional crimes’ such as drug-trafficking. The free movement of goods and services in the borderless world provides opportunities for these scrupulous criminals to advance their trade. Free movement of people on the other hand, have made ‘money laundering’ a relatively easy crime to make 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 gain vast profit too.

The advancement of internet can also be seen as a threat to global security today. Government accounts have been hacked, vital information stolen, identities robbed as millions become exposed to identity theft. Credit card details have been falsified to rob online sellers. Open attacks and allegations made on cyberspace to discredit the pillars of democratic society and 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 business 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,

3.GPEC ASIA 2011

GPEC, a biennial event has become an internationally awaited event by both the industry players and security services worldwide over the past decade. Since 2000, this event has both grown in size and stature, with more than 500 exhibitors representing 25 countries exhibiting and more than 8000 people from 50 countries visiting every edition. Each edition brings the market leading line of policing and security products, with better technology, cost effecient and user friendly. 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 defences.

As most of you are aware last year, Malaysia hosted the inaugural GPEC Asia 2009. The city of Kuala Lumpur welcomed thousands of top officials in the policing, enforcement and homeland security community along with top industry players and academics across the region at the maiden event. 150 companies representing 25 countries participated in showcasing more than 30 latest security products over three days of GPEC Asia. A record 8,000 visitors attended the one-stop regional procurement show for the police force and security agencies. Concurrent with the exhibition, a conference of the top minds from security experts to professors, police officers and commercial leaders shared their valuable insights and discussed the future of the security industry and the threats facing today’s world especially the ASEAN region. There was great emphasis last year among the participants which went beyond technological upgrades but into mutual assistance in areas such as training of forces.

4. Overview and Outlook of GPEC ASIA 2011

In 2011, in response to high demands, Malaysia will host the second edition of GPEC Asia. We hope to pick up from where we left off last year. We shall strive to improve on delivering the best, at what is now the biggest and most influential event for the security industry in the region. As with the previous edition, this event will have the full endorsement of the Malaysian government and will be supported by the Home Ministry under my leadership, the Royal Malaysian Police Force and all the relevant agencies under the ministry. It is my hope that we will see all of you here today in Kuala Lumpur next year.

GPEC Asia 2011 aims to attract more than 10 000 visitors to this year’s edition ranging from the security force fraternity, corporate sellers to approved commercial buyers. This year’s event will also hope to increase the number of official delegations we receive from other countries. In 2009, Malaysia hosted 8 other high-level government delegations and we seek to welcome at least 10 next year. We are also targeting the expand our focus to beyond the security needs of our regional neighbours in South East Asia and attract new participants from other Asian giants such as China, India, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East. The Chinese market for instance, was worth USD 55 billion in 2008, and this is set to be USD 70 billion in the next five years. It is our wish that GPEC Asia shall complement our German initiators in capturing the markets on this side of the sphere.

We sincerely believe that the economic recovery from the global financial crisis and the recessions which followed, shall provide the impetus for market upbeat of such events. Both buyers and sellers shall remain optimistic in the potentials of next year’s event. The buyers are anxious to see the latest technologies, focusing on areas which their systems need the most upgrading in 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 of benefits to those demanding and supplying the security technologies. It will be great to see both side 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,

5.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. In the concurrent conference, 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 debate in homeland security matters be it in technology, techniques or policies.

Hosting GPEC Asia 2011 is the testament of our commitment towards encouraging technological growth and exchange. It is 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. Malaysia yearns to lean from developed nations such as Germany and our international friends in developing its own security industry. As we can see, GPEC has to an extent encouraged the growth of policing and security products and services industry in Germany in the past ten years through international interactions and business matching opportunities during the closed fair. There are over 300 German firms displaying their latest creations as exhibitors this year. One day, Malaysia aims to 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 GPEC.

It is also our hope that GPEC Asia 2011 will have spill-over effects onto our economy. Malaysia has long been a favourite international destination for business and one of the strongest FDI attracting nations in the region. Its multi-racial culture is an asset and the recent policies to liberalize the service sectors and financial market has revised our growth trajectory. This year, our economy is poised to grow in between 5 to 6 percent according to various predictions published by international organizations such as the World Bank and international research houses including Deutsche Bank. In the past year, our Prime Minister, Mr Najib Razak has been actively engaging corporate leaders globally from the US, China, Europe and the Middle East to invest in Malaysia. It is my hope that the business leaders who will be in Kuala Lumpur for GPEC Asia next year will see for themselves the vibrancy of our economy and chose 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 co-organizers of GPEC Asia 2011, F&R Exhibition and Conference Sdn Bhd and their partner EMW-Exhibition and Marketing Wehrstedt GmbH and also the various agencies supporting it. On behalf of the Malaysian Government, we welcome all of you to Kuala Lumpur next year for the Asian Chapter of GPEC. Thank you Leipzig 2010, and ‘Selamat Datang’ to Kuala Lumpur 2011. Thank you.