KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 — The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) today urged police to investigate the threats made against a BFM presenter over a video critical of hudud, the Islamic penal law.

Condemning the threats, the CIJ added that the intimidation of BFM’s Aisyah Tajuddin was “legitimately restricted” by the Federal Constitution and international human rights standards.

“It is precisely this type of expression, which directly threatens the bodily integrity of another person, that can be legitimately restricted, according to our Constitution and international human rights standards,” CIJ directors Sonia Randhawa and Jac Kee said in a statement.

“CIJ calls on police to take threats of actual violence and rape seriously, instead of focusing on expression that is critical of the government but does not threaten harm to any person or group,” the statement read.

The video titled “Hudud Isi Periuk Nasi? [Kupas] (Does hudud fill our rice bowls?)” that was uploaded on the business radio station’s website and its YouTube channel yesterday shows Aisyah pointing out that even as Kelantan is attempting to implement hudud, the east coast state is facing other problems like its homeless flood victims, as well as increasing drug and divorce cases.

BFM said the video on hudud was part of the Kupas video series, a Malay-language programme featuring social commentary on current issues and created in collaboration with online platform Projek Dialog.

The video has since been removed, following a request by Projek Dialog out of concern for Aisyah’s safety.

The CIJ also said it firmly supports Aisyah’s freedom of expression and insists that it is justified and timely for her to address the issue of hudud, and those who disagreed with the view should have engaged in a discourse, instead of resorting to issuing dangerous threats.

Kelantan, administered by Islamist party PAS, passed amendments to the Shariah Criminal Code II 1993 yesterday in a bid to enforce hudud law in the state ― despite fierce opposition from its Pakatan Rakyat (PR) allies, the DAP and PKR.

PAS is expected to table private members’ Bills in Parliament to remove legal roadblocks in the implementation of the Islamic penal code that punishes apostasy with the death penalty and theft with the amputation of limbs.