PETALING JAYA - Police will beef up their preparedness nationwide in the days leading to Malaysia Day to thwart any threats.
"All police officers and personnel have been ordered to be ready," Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said after attending a Hari Raya Haji event at the Bukit Aman mosque yesterday.
He added that police would be ready to face any threats "be it from Islamic State (IS) or any other groups that try to disrupt the Malaysia Day celebrations."
Previously, an attempt by three men linked to IS to attack several locations on the eve of National Day was stopped by Bukit Aman's Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division in a series of arrests in late August.
The targets included a temple in Batu Caves and the Kajang police headquarters.
Deputy IGP Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim had said that police did not rule out another attack on Malaysia Day.
Police have thwarted 13 attacks to date. In the first IS attack in the country on June 28, eight people were injured after a grenade was thrown into Movida restaurant and bar in IOI Boulevard, Puchong.
Two men, Jonius Ondie, aged 24, and 21-year-old Imam Wahyudin Karjono, have been charged with the bombing.
On a separate matter, Khalid said police had stepped up security around Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Malaysia Ibrahim Ansar.
The diplomat was assaulted at KLIA on Sept 4 by a group of people, thought to be sympathisers of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Khalid said security had been beefed up at the High Commissioner's residence and office.
"We have also provided him with personal guards for the time being."
Khalid added that the hunt was still on for three more suspects.
