KUALA LUMPUR – Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias must explain Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) lifetime ban on comedian Rizal Van Geyzel from opening a business in the federal territory, a DAP lawmaker said.
Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng said Jalaluddin must explain which law the ban was implemented under against the owners of the Crackhouse Comedy Club.
The club, which got into trouble for hosting a woman whose open mic stand-up performance allegedly insulted Islam, had already had its licence revoked on July 30.
Lim claimed that he had been informed by a credible source at DBKL that its licensing committee had only recommended blacklisting Rizal from registering a business licence for one year, and not permanently.
“This is opposed to the lifetime blacklist announced on Wednesday by the deputy federal territories minister.
“I demand an explanation from Jalaluddin – did he make the announcement of his own accord, contrary to the DBKL licensing committee’s recommendation? If so, what was his motive?
“The deputy minister is obliged to enlighten the public by clarifying which specific provisions of the law empowered him to impose life sentences such as the one preventing Rizal from registering any businesses in the city, particularly in light of the fact that entertainment licences are granted to companies and not individuals,” Lim said in a statement today.
Crackhouse Comedy Club was embroiled in controversy following a viral video of a woman claiming to be a Muslim and to have memorised 15 chapters (juzuk) of the Quran before taking off her headscarf and baju kurung during an open mic comedy skit at the club on June 4.
The club had then lodged a police report at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail police station against Siti Nuramira Abdullah, 26, adding that she and her partner had been barred from the venue immediately after her performance.
Her act eventually led to the venue’s operating licence being temporarily suspended by DBKL, and subsequently a show-cause letter as it was running with only a restaurant licence, and not one needed for entertainment.
Rizal, the club’s co-founder, was later detained for questioning over several viral videos of his own comedy performances which allegedly insulted Malays.
On July 19, Rizal told The Vibes that he had lodged a police report at the TTDI police station over death threats made against his family, believed to have stemmed from previous dissent.
On the same day, the club’s premises were vandalised with splashes of red paint, leading to damage estimated to cost around RM3,000.
Three days later, Rizal pleaded not guilty at the sessions court here to three charges of allegedly inciting racial tensions through online postings.
The charges were made under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which covers the misuse of communications networks and carries a maximum of one year in jail, or a fine of up to RM50,000. – The Vibes, August 17, 2022
