[UPDATED] RM40,000 in 4 days: Crackhouse duo raise bail

KUALA LUMPUR – The couple accused of insulting Islam – Siti Nuramira Abdullah and partner Alexander Navin Vijayachandran – have managed to raise enough money to secure their combined bail of RM40,000, four days after a crowdfunding initiative was started.

According to the duo’s lawyer, R. Sivaraj, the target amount was reached this morning.

“Siti Nuramira and Alexander’s bailors will be heading to the Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya courthouses respectively at 11am today,” he told The Vibes.

He added that he is unsure whether the duo will be released from prison today or tomorrow once their respective bails have been posted. 

The lawyer had confirmed that Siti Nuramira is being held in the Beranang satellite prison, while Alexander is at the Kuala Kubu Baru satellite prison. Both are awaiting transfer to Kajang Women’s Prison and Sg Buloh Prison, respectively. 

Yesterday, Sivaraj said around RM15,000 had been collected from the public since the crowdfunding initiative was announced last Friday, adding that the plan was to bail out the woman first before continuing to gather money for her partner’s bail. 

Last Friday, The Vibes reported that legal group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) will be assisting in the crowdfunding initiative by allowing donations to be channelled to the group’s bank account. 

Earlier on the same day, Sivaraj told The Vibes that the couple will be appealing to the public for financial aid to settle the bail amount of RM20,000 each, after failing to cough up the two days prior. 

The lawyer said many people have reached out to the defence team about donating to the duo who, at that time, had managed to gather about RM3,000. 

He added that a shariah lawyer has been appointed for Siti Nuramira even though religious authorities have yet to file charges. 

However, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary has since confirmed with Getaran, The Vibes’ sister portal, that the woman will be charged at the shariah court here under Section 7 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997.

Last week, Siti Nuramira, 26, pleaded not guilty to charges of inciting religious disharmony during her performance at the comedy club here, with judge Siti Amirah Ghazali setting bail at RM20,000 with one surety and August 18 for mention.  

In a video that went viral on social media, she claimed to be a Muslim and to have memorised 15 chapters (juzuk) of the Quran, before stripping off her headscarf and baju kurung to reveal a sleeveless top and miniskirt.

Alexander, 38, also maintained his innocence to two charges under Section 233(1)(a) of the CMA 1998 for uploading insensitive material on online platforms and is facing a RM20,000 bail in total. – The Vibes, July 18, 2022