Social media freedom in the country can be "easily abused" to spread rumours and accusations that could affect the Malaysian community living abroad, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin warned today.

Muhyiddin said that the experience of the last general election had "taught us that social media is an avenue that can be easily abused".

He said that rumours and unverified accusations spread among Malaysians here and abroad like "wildfire" due to the influence of social media during the election.

"Some argue that this is a welcomed step to a more open form of democracy, which guarantees freedom of expression.

"We have to explain to Malaysians and foreigners alike that this not what democracy is about," he said when addressing delegates at a convention of foreign mission chiefs at the Diplomacy and Foreign Relations Institute in Kuala Lumpur earlier today.

He added that democracy also guarantees that there is a rule of law and accountable governance.

According to Muhyiddin further, the very fact that Malaysians could use social media so freely was proof that Malaysia is a "robust democracy".

Yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak addressed the same group of delegates and warned them to be careful with their handling of the social media, and reminded them that anything they say could find its way onto blogs and online media in real time.