KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 3 -- Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said the police needto be equipped with "weapons" in the form of preventive legal measures such asthe Internal Security Act (ISA) andSecurity Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) to address complex extremist threats.

He said the government must not underestimate security risks or the capabilities of extremist and militant groups, citing the 2002 Bali bombings as a warning against downplaying cross-border extremist networks.

"Some politicians, legal practitioners and human rights groups focus solely on one aspect of PDRM's actions under preventive laws such as the ISA and Sosma," he said in a Facebook post today.

"There are matters that I ...