Malaysia will not use the extreme methods employed by the present Philippines government in its war on the drug trade, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Ahmad Zahid, who is also home minister, said that while the government wants to reduce drug trafficking, it does not view the wanton killing of drug-related criminals as appropriate practice for the country.

"We respect their (the Philippines government) methods, but it is only suited to their country.

"Malaysia will use its own way, in order to to enforce existing laws," Ahmad Zahid said.

He said this during a press conference after attending a meeting of the cabinet committee for the eradication of drugs from schools at Parliament House today.

Ahmad Zahid also disclosed that the government is considering seizing assets belonging to drug traffickers and using the funds from the liquidated assets to finance anti-drug activities.

Since taking office in June, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte embarked on an aggressive war on drugs which has seen over 3,000 persons killed in the span of two months after he vowed to exterminate all drug-related criminals.

His hard line stance against drugs and support for vigilantism and extra-judicial killing has earned him the nickname "The Punisher" after the comic book vigilante known for his violent solution to crime-prevention.

However, Duterte spokesperson Martin Andanar stressed that most of the drug-related murders were linked to gang wars amongst the drug traffickers themselves and not from extra-judicial killings by vigilante death squads alleged to be sanctioned by the president.