Police investigating death threat against comedy club owner

 

Police have launched an investigation into a death threat against the owner of Crackhouse Comedy Club in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, which came under heavy scrutiny recently over controversial performances that touched on Islam.

Petaling Jaya district police chief Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said they believe the threat made on Rizal Van Geyzel's life was related to yesterday's incident which saw the comedy club premises vandalised with red paint.

"I confirm that police have received a report lodged by the owner of Mycomedy Sdn Bhd yesterday (Tuesday). An investigation is being conducted under Section 507 of the Penal Code and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955.

"The threat was made to the victim's wife by an unknown male.

"Police believe that this was connected to the paint splash incident (at Crackhouse Comedy Club)," he told reporters this afternoon.

Mycomedy Sdn Bhd is the company that runs Crackhouse.

Under Section 507 of the Penal Code, anyone who commits the offence of making a death threat anonymously can be punished with a maximum jail sentence of two years, on top of another jail term of a maximum of seven years under Section 506.

Yesterday, it was reported that the comedy club was vandalised with red paint splashed on its signboard and entrance.

Posters leading up to the venue were also damaged.

Threat sent to wife

The Vibes yesterday quoted Rizal as saying that his wife received the threat via her handphone about 4.30am yesterday.

The threat, he reportedly said, included profanities and a warning that "this is just the start".

Crackhouse co-founder Rizal Van Geyzel

Previously, a video of a woman who took off her headscarf and baju kurung on stage at the club had gone viral on social media.

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

However, the club later came under scrutiny after old videos of controversial performances there resurfaced, including those that involved its owner.

This led to Rizal being investigated under the Sedition Act 1948 and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. - Mkini