KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek has warned Malaysians against making racial or religious “provocations”, saying that people become easily “irrational”.

The communications and multimedia minister also told Umno-linked daily Utusan Malaysia that internet regulators are investigating if BFM had violated its radio license conditions as its controversial video questioning hudud was released on the internet, not on the radio.

Shabery reportedly said people should be more careful in making any remarks, including on social media, “especially provocative statements related to religion and race because the rakyat easily get irrational if such issues are touched upon until it brings detriment to everyone, including the commenter”.

The local paper reported Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission chair Datuk Seri Dr Halim Shafie as saying that BFM is being investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 that prohibits an “improper use of network facilities or network service”, an offence defined as making “obscene, indecent, false, menacing or offensive” comments. 

The police are also investigating three employees from the radio station, including journalist Aisyah Tajuddin who had presented the hudud video, under Section 298 of the Penal Code that prohibits causing disharmony or ill-will on the grounds of religion. 

The BFM video titled “Hudud Isi Periuk Nasi? (Kupas)” (Does hudud fill our rice bowls?) had questioned the Kelantan state government’s priorities in chasing its hudud ambition despite other problems in the east coast state, such as homeless flood victims and drug and divorce cases. 

The video sparked a brouhaha and social media users accused Aisyah of insulting Islam, with some even issuing death and rape threats against the young radio journalist.

BFM has since taken down the video from its website and YouTube channel and issued an apology, followed by an apology from Aisyah herself.