Saifuddin said the authorities have been aware of the attempts by the group Identified as Al Malaka Media Centre to expand its influence in the country, The Vibes reported.

“Of course, we cannot divulge more details, but the public need not worry as we are monitoring their activities with the cooperation of our international security and counter-terrorism partners,” he was quoted as saying by the news portal.

He added that any attempt to disrupt the nation’s security, peace, and public safety would be dealt with severely.

According to the Nordic Counter-Terrorism Network’s (NCTN) Cyber Counter Terrorism Division, the group’s content is available on the dark web and has shared links with its support structure in Malaysia.

It also revealed that the group used radical ideologies as part of its plan to destabilise the current unity government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

NCTN director Andrin Raj said the group poses a national security threat and could potentially trigger indiscriminate small-scale acts of violence in the country.

“Its purpose would be to destabilise the current multiracial government. They have smaller chat groups within Malaysia where they share religious views and propaganda to recruit members,” he said.

The group is also said to be associated with IS media outlets in Indonesia and the Philippines.

It was previously reported that the IS operation in the Southeast Asian region is centred in the south of the Philippines.

The leader who goes by the name Abu Zacharia is understood to be part of the IS outfit that laid siege to Marawi, Philippines in 2017.