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THE Sultan of Perak, His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Shah, has warned that artificial intelligence, fake news and extremist ideologies have become powerful forces shaping the thinking of young people worldwide, with digital technology enabling the rapid spread of hate, division and misinformation at a scale previously unimaginable.
Delivering his keynote address at the Third International Summit of Religious Leaders at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), Sultan Nazrin said digital platforms now allow harmful narratives to reach millions of young people faster than any sermon or traditional institution could counter.
He said that although today’s youth are more connected than ever before, many are increasingly isolated and vulnerable to misinformation, cynicism and ideological distortion.
“However tonight in a room lit only by the glow of a screen, she is being slowly, persuasively and continuously influenced by a voice telling her that the world is divided into ‘us’ and ‘them’, that her neighbour is an enemy and that her faith demands anger,” the Sultan said in a metaphor describing online radicalisation.
“The voice influencing the teenager does not come from scholars, imams, priests, rabbis or monks, but from algorithms deployed for profit by those who weaponise religion,” he added.
Sultan Nazrin said extremist groups are increasingly competing with religious educators for the attention of young people, using the same language of faith but distorting it to serve narratives of anger and division.
He warned that extremists do not rely solely on political messaging but exploit deeper emotional vulnerabilities among youth, including their search for identity, belonging and purpose.
“If what we offer are sermons perceived as detached from reality, delivered in language no longer understood and from buildings no longer visited, then we are bringing manuscripts into a battlefield being fought on smartphones,” the Sultan said.
Sultan Nazrin also highlighted that while society frequently discusses youth issues, it often fails to listen to young people or involve them meaningfully in decision-making processes.
He urged religious leaders to engage youth more effectively by combining traditional wisdom with modern relevance, and by treating them as partners in promoting peace and social harmony.
Addressing young people directly, he said: “Do not let anyone convince you that the dignity of your faith depends on the humiliation of others.”
“The Quran clearly states that Allah could have made all mankind one community, one religion, one nation and one people if He had willed it,” he added.
“Yet Allah chose otherwise and commanded mankind to compete in doing good,” His Royal Highness added. - June 12, 2026
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