The Selangor state government warned it will seek to expel foreigners who start up Islamic sects which do not preach traditional teachings.

Selangor religious officials said they would urge the federal National Registration Department (NRD) to withdraw their permanent residency status.

"We warn permanent residents involved in deviationist cults that we will take stern action against them by getting the NRD to revoke their status," the Star daily quoted Abdul Rahman Palil, the head of Selangor's Islamic affairs and youth committee, as saying.

Abdul Rahman accused foreigners of introducing Islamic sects and said the crackdown was necessary because of growing numbers of "deviationist" groups.

Mainly Muslim Malaysia is wary of what it says are Islamic sects that stray from traditional teachings and are considered subversive.

In a separate report, Selangor's chief minister, Mohamad Khir Toyo, called for websites of Islamic sects to be shut down.

"In this age of technological progress, there exist deviant groups which have established websites with the intention of influencing the people to join them, and this must be stopped," he was quoted as saying late Sunday by the Bernama news agency.

"Previously, deviant teachings were spread secretly, but now these groups have become bold enough to poison the minds of Muslims openly," he said.