KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said today discussing hudud is permitted only with regards to its constitutionality and not on its “divine” aspects.

He denied accusations that he was stifling debate on the subject and said his warning that only experts will be allowed to discuss hudud was aimed at maintaining social order.

“Do not comment on matters pertaining to Islamic laws.

“But if you want to discuss hudud in terms of its constitutionality, then that would not be a problem,” he told reporters after attending the Royal Malaysian Police 208th anniversary celebrations here.

Khalid suggested that questioning hudud was considered an insult to Islam and this will force the police to act.

“Don’t comment on hudud itself. If you say hudud is unfair then you are questioning it,” he said, adding that the police would also act on anyone who questions the religion of others.

Khalid recently ordered the arrest of Lawyers for Liberty chief Eric Paulsen for his Twitter comments on hudud, a move that drew condemnation that the police was again clamping down on free speech.

It was then reported that Khalid had told Paulsen to “watch his habit and his mouth” after the lawyer tweeted his opinion about the Islamic penal code.

In his tweets that have since been deleted, Paulsen had reportedly urged Malaysians not to believe that hudud will run smoothly in Malaysia after Kelantan passed amendments to the Shariah Criminal Code Enactment II 1993 in a bid to enforce hudud law.

Khalid later warned on Twitter that those who are not experts on religion will be investigated for issuing public comments on the subject.

Paulsen was charged with sedition last month for accusing, on Twitter, Malaysia’s Islamic Development Department of promoting extremism.

After that, Khalid issued a statement saying police will investigate those who publicly issue comments on sensitive religious matters if they are not experts on the subject.

The statement, again made on Twitter, followed his announcement that the police will investigate business radio station BFM and its presenter Aisyah Tajuddin over the release of a video criticising PAS’s implementation of hudud in Kelantan.

Aisyah has reportedly received numerous death and rape threats on various online platforms, following outrage over a video titled “Hudud Isi Periuk Nasi? [Kupas]” (Does hudud fill our rice bowls?) that was posted on BFM’s website and YouTube channel on Thursday.

Internet users have also urged authorities to take action against Aisyah, accusing her of insulting Islam in the video.

In the video, Aisyah points 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 later removed the clip and apologised for any offence caused, saying that it was not meant to question the “desirability” of the Islamic penal code, but that it was a satirical commentary on whether hudud’s implementation should be Kelantan’s top priority in light of economic issues and problems faced by flood victims.