More than half of Malaysians are unsure what liberalism is, but accept liberal ideas, according to a survey by independent pollster Merdeka Center.

Commissioned by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas), the survey found that 55 percent of 1,200 respondents were unsure what liberalism meant.

Almost 78 percent - including 81 percent of Malays, 67 percent of Chinese, and 53 percent of Indians - were either unsure, did not understand at all, or did not understand much about liberalism.

However, when posed with questions on whether they supported liberal ideas, the responses were more positive.

On political liberalism, respondents believed in free and fair elections (84 percent); free speech and media (77 percent); and that everyone was equal before the law (91 percent).

The scores were slightly lower for social liberalism, but most still believed in having the freedom to live as they chose (65 percent); not imposing their beliefs on others (65 percent); as well as that freedom should only be limited when others are physically harmed or their freedoms infringed (84 percent).

The drop in support for liberal social ideas were likely skewed by the response of Malay respondents, who were less open to such ideals.

Asked if people should be free to live their lives as they wish - for example in terms of religion, sexuality, and how they dressed - 57 percent of Malay respondents disagreed.

Similarly, when asked if people should not impose their beliefs on others, and that they should respect those of different sexual orientations and beliefs, 50 percent of Malay respondents said they did not agree.

However, in contrast, the percentage of rural respondents (40 percent of total respondents) who supported both these ideals were 57 percent and 58 percent respectively.

Meanwhile, the survey also asked respondents two "trick questions" to gauge how far their support for liberal ideas were.

On a question of whether the government should maintain the Sedition Act, most Malays, and Sabah and Sarawak bumiputeras answered in the affirmative, as did 51 percent of Indians. Only 27 percent of Chinese respondents agreed.

As for whether the government should control citizens to protect Malaysia's values and traditions, more than 80 percent of Malays, Sabah and Sarawak bumiputeras, and Indians agreed, while 42 percent of Chinese respondents said yes.

Overall though, Ideas said that the survey found that only 13 percent of non-Muslims and 29 percent of Muslims think liberalism is bad in Malaysia.

Reasons why liberalism is bad range from negative effects towards religion, not being suitable to Malaysia's multicultural society and Islamic administration, and the lack of laws to control liberalism.

Ideas chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan told reporters when met at a forum in Petaling Jaya today that he was thankful the number of those against liberalism, especially among Muslims was low.

"This means not many people are buying into Friday sermons and government propaganda that liberalism is bad," he said.

Wan Saiful also said that the survey results indicated that Malaysia was headed to becoming a more liberal country, although there were currently limits to how much people understood or were willing to commit to liberalism.