SHAH ALAM: Relevant agencies, including religious institutions and education departments are urged to increase their social media reach to counter the extremist ideology spread by the Islamic State (IS).
This is because IS have become experts in using social media for their recruitment drive, using no less than 23 languages, the latest being Mandarin, to engage more followers.
Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division principal assistant director Senior Assistant Commissioner Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said IS have become experts in manipulating social media to spread their ideology and entice people, especially youths to join their organisation.
Therefore, it was crucial for all stakeholders to utilise the same channels to counter IS teachings and propaganda.
"The police can take care of the security part but we are not religious experts. When it comes to religion, we need the cooperation of religious departments, education departments, higher learning institutions, the Mufti offices, and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
"So far, there is no group more active than IS on social media, they exploit Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram, among others. We have to use technology if we want to fight them," he said during a da'wah talk entitled 'Extremism and Terrorism: A New Challenge for Muslim Youths' organised by the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) and Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah mosque, here, today.
Ayob stressed that the threat of IS, Syiah and militant ideology in Malaysia was very real and it would not go away by turning a blind eye to it.
"They (IS) are proactive, we are reactive, we just wait. They have online television broadcasts around the clock via satellite which can be watched by anyone while we are still using the old approach.
"They use 23 languages to promote their ideology and propaganda, with the latest language being Mandarin," he said.
He said IS have come up with many ways for recruits to pledge their allegiance. Recruits need not have to go to Syria, as they could perform the bai'ah (oath of allegiance) online, and female recruits could even marry mujahideens in Syria via Skype.
Ayob said what was more alarming was that the ages of new IS recruits are getting younger.
IS, he said, targeted youths as they could slip into many locations unsuspected and undetected.
At the same time, he urged the public to learn Islam from the correct sources and not to be obsessed with the teachings of 'Youtube' preachers to prevent the spread of extremist teachings.
He said most of the people influenced by IS ideology did not have a foundation in Islam and wanted an easy ticket to heaven by becoming martyrs.
Meanwhile, Selangor Abim chairman Khairudin Abas, who was also present, called on all Malaysian who were passionate about helping Syrians to do so via the right channels and not go to Syria to join militant groups,
"Concerned Malaysians can help displaced Syrians by channelling their energy for humanitarian works via Abim's Lifeline for Syria," he said.
