Police have admitted that social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter have made Malaysians more 'liberal' in their thinking, to the extent that they are willing to commit acts that threaten national security.

In an interview with Utusan Malaysia published today, police internal security and public order director Salleh Mat Rasid said the Internet has posed new challenges to national security.

This is because whatever happens in other countries will be followed and brought into Malaysia by those who are influenced by liberal thinking, such as the rallies and riots that took place in West Asia.

"In a borderless world, human thinking changes significantly, especially towards liberalism. They say things that cannot be done can be done, and that there is no problem to this.

"This is what we are afraid of, because when the thinking of Malaysians is influenced by negative things, particularly those that threaten public security and order, it can bring an unsafe situation to the country," Salleh is quoted as saying.

Salleh also stressed that although various human rights were enshrined in the Federal Constitution, including freedom of expression and assembly, these rights were not absolute and had limits, depending on the relevant laws and regulations.