KUALA LUMPUR: The government is monitoring 3,871 Facebook accounts believed to be actively spreading terror ideology as well as recruiting terror agents.
Deputy Home Minister II Datuk Masir Kujat said 240 individuals were arrested and 800 Facebook accounts were blocked to curb the spread of militant ideology in the country.
“These individuals are also using Twitter as a method of recruiting new members. We are monitoring 76 individuals, have arrested eight people and blocked nine accounts.
“A total of 72 people are also being monitored on Instagram, with one arrested,” said the minister in response to a supplementary question by Datuk Shabudin Yahaya (BN-Tasek Gelugor) in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Shabudin had expressed his concern over the safety of online users who were at risk of being exposed to terror ideology. He had also asked the minister on the success rate of Malaysia’s deradicalisation programme.
Masir, in his reply, said there are currently 19 individuals detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (POTA).
“Through the deradicalisation programme, it will allow the detainees, 18 Malaysians and one foreigner, to rejoin the community.
“Of these, nine detainees are currently in the fourth phase, the last stage before they are released.”
* Report by Mohd Anwar Patho Rohman, Idris Musa, Rizanizam Abdul Hamid, Lukman Arif Abdul Karim, Farhana Syed Nokman and Nor Ain Mohamed Radhi