DR Jezamine Lim, the former wife of comedian Harith Iskander, claimed that she had received a death threat and abusive messages aimed at their children, prompting the cancellation of Harith’s stand-up comedy show at Petronas Philharmonic Hall (PPH) today.
"This past week, I received a death threat directed at me, but what cut deeper and shook me to my core was a vile threat of abuse against our children.
"Let me be crystal clear: threatening the safety of innocent children crosses every imaginable line.
"It is despicable, cowardly, and inhumane. Reports have been made, and the police are investigating, so I will not be commenting further on the matter," she said on Facebook.
Due to these threats and the relentless online attacks from certain individuals, she said both PPH and her family agreed that, in the interest of safety and security, it was best not to proceed with the show as planned.
"This decision was not made lightly. Harith has poured months of preparation and hard work into this show, and to see it cancelled has been heartbreaking for him and deeply disappointing for all of us as Zander and Zydane were supposed to be part of the opening act of the show," she said.
Yesterday, PPH announced the cancellation of Harith’s show.
The veteran comedian had earlier courted controversy after he joked about “ham sap kopi”, saying it was jeopardising his faith as the name included the word “ham”.
The police have initiated an investigation into Harith’s remarks and the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) will also be summoning him soon.
"I am utterly disheartened by how mindless mob mentality can drive people to such extremes. Yes, you have every right to disagree with or be offended by someone’s words – emotions are natural – but to sink so low as to send threats to a person’s family?
"To target children? How do you justify that? Is this truly what you believe protects your religion or your beliefs?," asked Dr Jezamine.
"I was taught Allah asked Muslims to be kind to all people, regardless of their actions or status. Kindness is a virtue that reflects Allah's own merciful and compassionate nature," she added. - January 25, 2025
