Malaysian students abroad should not easily accept all the things reported without basing them on facts, especially those in the social media, said Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said among the things frequently raised were the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the price of petrol, and the presence of Bangladesh nationals in Malaysia.

"Society should not believe what is being circulated in the social media as the gospel truth," he said at a gathering with Malaysian students in New York on Saturday in conjunction with his working visit to New York.

It was attended by about 65 university students residing in the eastern part of the United States.

He added that it was not wrong to have differing opinions, but the stand of the other parties must also be respected.

Ahmad Zahid reminded the students present that it was also their responsibility to uphold the good name and image of the country.

"If he or she does something negative that could damage the country's image, the people do not say that he or she is from Penang or Gombak, for example, but from Malaysia," he said.

Meanwhile, he wanted the Malaysian students abroad to mingle with the local community and stay away from criminal activities.

Ahmad Zahid is in New York to lead the Malaysian delegation at the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

- Bernama