The prime minister's wife Rosmah Mansor said that social media can harm moral values, especially that of young people for disseminating news without ethics and etiquette.

Rosmah, who is president of the Welfare Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti), said that it was saddening that there were a small number of people, especially young ones who were unabashedly spreading slander.

"Top 10 issues worldwide on social media is associated with 'misinformation'. This means that social media has been misused for spreading slander, incitement, hatred and fanning the flames of racism.

"More worrying, is the rapid advancement of technology that is being extensively used not for good purposes, but rather used as a tool to play havoc with the country and create chaos," she said.

She was speaking at the 'Sehati Kita Sejiwa' dinner and official closing of the Annual Programme of Wives of Elected Barisan Nasional Representatives throughout Malaysia 2015 in Ipoh tonight.

On the programme, Rosmah said although the relevant games were sporting events, it also covered the intellectual aspect.

She said the programme began with the organisation of the Social Media Forum: The Benefits or Harms in which participants were exposed to the positive and negative effects of the social media and its impact on society.

She said that this annual programme had achieved its objectives especially to establish an understanding and foster a spirit of warmth among the wives of the elected representatives of Barisan Nasional.

Bakti’s annual programme games will be held in Kedah next year, she said.

- Bernama