Penang Mufti Now Calls For Permanent Closure Of TTDI Comedy Club As A Lesson For Everyone

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According to Wan Salim, Crackhouse Comedy Club in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), Kuala Lumpur should be made an example for everyone out there who repeatedly and deliberately insults Islam.

The Crackhouse Comedy Club has found itself in a religious controversy after a woman, Siti Nuramira Abdullah, undressed during an open mic session at the club in an alleged attempt to insult Islam.

So far, the authorities have arrested three people including the co-founder of the comedy club, with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) issuing a temporary suspension order against the club's licence.

The mufti said that his earlier statement about guidelines to ensure comedy club owners and patrons do not cross moral and religious boundaries now appears "soft" as he thought it was an unintentional act.

"But after knowing a similar incident had happened repeatedly in the past, it is understandable that it was deliberately planned to insult Islam," Utusan Malaysia quoted him as saying today, 15 July.

He was commenting on the Crackhouse Comedy Club co-founder, Rizal Van Geyzel, who was arrested for questioning over old videos of his own stand-up comedy routines at the club.

He added that the comedy club should be shut down at all costs.

Previously, Federal Territories Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias had said that DBKL will not tolerate any activities deemed offensive to sensitivities on religion, race, and the country's sovereignty.

"This issue has also received criticisms from nearby residents and netizens who felt that the viral video was clearly aimed at insulting and sullying the image of Islam. As the local authority of KL, DBKL will never compromise on such issues. DBKL has conducted further investigations on the licence of the premises concerned and taken immediate action to temporarily suspend its operations," he said on 10 July.

The Crackhouse Comedy Club co-founder will be released on police bail this evening.

Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) secretary Datuk Noorsiah Mohd Saaduddin said the 39-year-old man was arrested to facilitate an investigation into two video clips at the comedy club.

He was arrested to be investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act by a team from the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department's Classified Criminal Investigation Unit (USJT) yesterday, 14 July.

"The suspect will be given bail by the police this afternoon as the investigation that requires the presence of the suspect has been completed," she said in a statement today, 15 July.