Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat said 63 reports had been received nationwide over the matter, according to Berita Harian.

“The investigation is ongoing and 65 statements have been recorded so far, including from the complainants who lodged the police reports.

“Alhamdulillah, all, including Nik Zawawi, have cooperated well. Nik Zawawi’s remarks will need to be referred to religious experts,” he told a press conference after the monthly assembly at the Kelantan police contingent headquarters today.

The case is being investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act for offensive online content and Section 298 of the Penal Code for intentionally wounding the religious feelings of others.

Asked whether Nik Zawawi would be called in again to give a statement, Yusoff said the matter remained under investigation.

The controversy erupted after clips of Nik Zawawi’s ceramah in Kuala Terengganu on May 10 went viral, with claims that he made inaccurate statements about the backgrounds of several companions of the Prophet before embracing Islam.

The PAS ulama council later reprimanded Nik Zawawi and acknowledged that there were several factual inaccuracies in the speech.

Nik Zawawi has since apologised for his remarks, admitting that he had been careless in presenting the information in his delivery.

He said his intention was merely to explain the greatness of the Islamic message brought by Prophet Muhammad in transforming the socio-cultural practices of the jahiliyyah era into a more noble and civilised way of life.

He also took full responsibility for his mistake, saying his earlier remarks did not represent the stance of PAS or its leadership.