PUTRAJAYA, July 9 — The police said today that it will be ramping up its cooperation with universities to detect those believed to have ties with the Islamic State (IS).

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar was commenting on Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s remark that the global terror group’s influence was said to be strongest at such institutions of higher learning both locally and abroad.

"We already have working relationships with the institutions of higher learning and we will work closer with them to identify those that are suspected of being involved,” he told reporters here.

On Wednesday, Ahmad Zahid who is also deputy prime minister said the government will seek to curb the spread of IS influence by asking former militants who have been rehabilitated to advise local university students against joining IS.

Zahid had said there will also be media appearances by reformed individuals formerly detained under the Internal Security Act and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act over links to militant groups and regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah.