A special committee will be set up to monitor the spread of terrorism ideologies and recruitment of members from among students at institutions of higher learning in the country, said Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

The matter was now at the discussion stage and the ministry would cooperate with the Home Ministry and police to set up the committee.

"Students at the IPT (institutions of higher learning) are adults and capable of thinking for themselves.

"In the context of tackling terrorism, however, the government will carry out whatever monitoring possible to check terrorist activities," he said during the question-and-answer session at the Dewan Negara sitting today.

He was replying to a question from senator Zaitun Mat who wanted to know the measures taken by the government to monitor 6,000 Malaysian students who were pursuing further studies in West Asia and prevent them from being recruited as members of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI).

He said Malaysian students in the local and foreign IPT were still safe and under control and continued monitoring was being maintained by the authorities including the police.

- Bernama