Amid a police crackdown, Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan today insisted freedom of speech is very much alive in the country, pointing out that people could even criticise the prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor.

"Is there freedom of speech in the country? I think there is. What (is it that) you want to talk about that you can't?

"You want to talk about government inefficiency, corruption, scandals? You can talk about almost anything in this country.

"You can even talk about the wife of the prime minister, and Rosmah has not done anything to you (in retaliation)," Abdul Rahman, who is also Umno's Kota Belud MP, told a students' conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

However, the minister told the audience not to take to heart what groups such as Isma and Perkasa have to say.

"I think I will have high blood pressure if I think about Perkasa and Isma all the time but I have a little advice for you.

"I always believe the person you should listen to and take heed of is the prime minister himself. Nothing else matters.

In this day and age, everyone can talk," he said at the conference entitled 'Moderation: Youth Empowerment and Education Towards Vision 2020'.

He said that there is no cause for concern if the prime minister remains moderate in his views.

On the government's reversal of plans to abolish the Sedition Act, Abdul Rahman said people needed to encourage Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to push for his reforms.

"The prime minister is willing to give more concession but we have to behave.

"We should tell him, thank you sir, encourage him instead of abusing it (the rights)," he said.