KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom has instructed state religious departments to take action against those who insult hudud law.

Umno-linked daily Utusan Malaysia reported the minister in charge of religious affairs as saying that powers to enforce the law lie with the state religious authorities, not with the federal Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) that merely acts as a coordinator.

“Jakim has no powers in this issue because legal powers lie with the state governments,” Jamil Khir was quoted saying yesterday.

“Jakim is just the coordinator and in this issue, I call on the relevant authorities to take heed,” he added.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department was commenting on a recent BFM video in which its presenter Aisyah Tajuddin 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 Kelantan legislative assembly had passed amendments to the Shariah Criminal Code Enactment II 1993 last week in a bid to enforce the Islamic penal code.

The BFM video titled “Hudud Isi Periuk Nasi? (Kupas)” (Does hudud fill our rice bowls?) was heavily criticised on social media, with commenters accusing Aisyah of insulting Islam and 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.

The police questioned Aisyah and two other staff from the radio station yesterday in its investigation under Section 298 of the Penal Code that prohibits causing disharmony or ill-will on the grounds of religion.