Jawi arrests woman over controversial stand-up comedy

 

The woman whose stand-up routine last month triggered controversy has been released on RM20,000 bail this morning.

However, officers from the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) arrested Siti Nuramira Abdullah after she had just settled posting bail at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Jalan Duta.

At least eight Jawi officers were seen around the woman to effect arrest as her lawyers Ramesh NP Chandran and R Sivaraj were speaking to the religious enforcement authorities.

Ramesh told the media that the religious officers were arresting his client and seeking to charge her at the Syariah court tomorrow or the day after.

Chiming in, Sivaraj said that the Jawi officers had already waited to detain Siti Nuramira outside the Court Bail Counter at Basement 1 of the courts complex.

Siti Nuramira Abdullah

“Upon release of our client at the KL Duta Criminal Court, they (Jawi officers) planned to re-arrest her under Syariah law, Section 7 of the Syariah Criminal Offence Federal Territories Act 1997,” he added.

Yesterday, it was reported that Siti Nuramira succeeded in raising sufficient funds via crowdfunding to post her bail in her Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court criminal case of causing ill-will via her open-mic routine at the Crackhouse Comedy Club in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

However, on July 15, The Vibes reported that Siti Nuramira will be charged separately in the Syariah court for allegedly insulting Islam.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Ahmad Marzuk Shaary confirmed this to The Vibes’ sister portal Getaran.

Alexander Navin Vijayachandran

Last Wednesday, Siti Nuramira, 26, and her boyfriend Alexander Navin Vijayachandran, 38, were hauled before separate criminal sessions courts to be charged over her stand-up comedy routine.

Before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, she claimed trial for causing enmity and ill-will with the performance.

Before the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court, Alexander pleaded not guilty to improper use of network facilities to transmit obscene communication in order to annoy another person.

Both courts then set bail at RM20,000 for each of the accused.

Alexander, who also successfully raised bail funds through crowdfunding, is expected to be released from the Petaling Jaya Court’s Complex this afternoon.

Viral video

Previously, a video of a woman, alleged to be Siti Nuramira, who took off her headscarf and baju kurung on stage at a comedy club had gone viral on social media.

Crackhouse Comedy Club said it banned the woman and her partner from the venue immediately after her stand-up performance and proceeded to lodge a police report.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall has since suspended the club’s licence.

The suspension, however, received criticisms from comedians and netizens who believed the club should not be punished for the woman's action during an open-mic event on the premises. - Mkini