The al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah terror network remains a threat to the region but its Malaysia arm has been contained with the arrest of scores of operatives, a top intelligence officer said today.

"The operation to eliminate the JI network (in the region) is continuing. In Malaysia, we are close in destroying their network," Yusof Abdul Rahman, special branch director told reporters.

Yusof said since the JI posed a cross-border security threat, Malaysia was working closely with neighbouring Singapore and Indonesia to remove the JI threat.

"The JI is one of the biggest challenges in terms of security threat to Malaysia and the region," he said.

Yusof said a total of 94 militants are currently being detained in Malaysia and 69 of them are allegedly JI members.

They are detained under the Internal Security Act which allows them to be held indefinitely without trial. Some of them were arrested before the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

Tough disciplinarian

Yusof added that an Indonesian police hunt for two Malaysians Azahari Husin and Noordin Mohammad Top, wanted in connection with last year's Bali bombing and an attack on a Jakarta hotel, was closing in on its targets.

The intelligence officer was speaking at a ceremony to install Mohamed Bakri Omar as the country's new inspector-general of police chief, replacing Norian Mai.

Mohamed Bakri Omar, who joined the force in 1971 after studying political in the United States and Britain, said his biggest challenge would be to improve police force's performance to meet the expectation of the people.

The Star newspaper described him as a "no-nonsense officer and a tough disciplinarian who does not hesitate to crack the whip at anyone including senior officers."

During his tenure, Norian had to handle many challenges, including putting an end to the Al-Maunah Islamic extremist group that had planned to overthrow the Malaysian government by force in 2000. - AFP