"I have no option. The police must enforce every positive law in the country," he said in Denpasar, as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com.

Ashikin said the law would be implemented through a government regulation which had yet to be established.

Last week, Bali's governor and speaker of the provincial legislature announced that the province would not be able to enforce the newly passed law, saying it was not in line with Balinese philosophical and sociological values.

Ashikin, however, said the statement was not a refusal of the law.

"We will try to hold dialogues with all parties about this issue," he said.

Bali leaders and members of the public have united in an organization named the Bali People's Component to challenge the new law through the Constitutional Court. (dre)