[EXPLAINED] Crackhouse Comedy Club: What Actually Went Down and What Has Unfolded So Far

What allegedly started as a ‘joke’ at a comedy club has gone on to draw furore from Malaysians and led to multiple arrests. If you’ve seen the name Crackhouse Comedy Club all over the local news lately but can’t keep track of what has progressed, let us explain it to you:

How It Started with One Video

For the sake of decency (and a real fear that we might get sued) we are not going to share the video here, however, we'll try to describe it.

It opens with a young woman who identified herself as Siti Amira binti Abdullah saying, "I'm a Malay Muslim, and I have memorised 15 verses of the Quran,” only for her to start removing her baju kurung and headscarf, revealing a low-cut top and mini skirt underneath.

She also proceeded to use profanity, which is of course frowned upon in Islam, and the crowd could be heard cheering her on.

The video was a part of a ‘standup comedy act’ at the Crackhouse Comedy Club in TTDI, KL which is known as ‘Malaysia’s First & Longest Running Full-time Comedy Club’ since 2014.

However, not many found the young woman’s joke to be very funny but instead to be utterly disrespectful to the religion of Islam. She and her boyfriend then appeared on YouTube to interact with social media users, which caused more issues (read on to find out more).

Crackhouse Comedy Club Posts Statement Condemning Act

The club posted a status on their Facebook page on 9 July, stating that “The Crackhouse Comedy Club (CH) strongly condemns the contents of a now-viral video showing an individual allegedly insulting Islam during an open mic show on our premises.”

They also explained that “the individual in question and her partner were banned from the venue immediately after the performance” and “a police report on the matter has been filed at Balai Polis Taman Tun Dr Ismail”.

They then posted a lengthier statement on 12 July stating that “The Crackhouse Comedy Club’s reputation has been damaged by this person who appears to have her own agenda.”

Siti Nuramira Arrested

The woman involved in was quickly arrested on 9 July 2022 and remanded for three days at the Brickfields police headquarters. Siti Nuramira was charged under Section 298A of the Penal Code with causing disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion. She pleaded not guilty and faces a maximum five years imprisonment, upon conviction.

Crackhouse Comedy Club Suspended and Premises Sealed

The club also found itself unexpectly embroiled amid controversy due to the woman’s actions.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) suspended the operations of the club, with Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias making a statement saying, "This issue has also received criticisms from nearby residents and netizens who felt that the viral video was clearly aimed at insulting and sullying the image of Islam.

"DBKL has conducted further investigations on the licence of the premises concerned and taken immediate action to temporarily suspend its operations.”

A well-known local establishment that has even been featured in international media such as Singapore’s Straits Times and Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post, the Crackhouse Comedy Club has drawn local talent and international comedians including Douglas Lim and Paul Ogata to mostly sold out shows.

It was a place to nurture local talent and acted as a training ground for material that was used in international tours of comedians and even streaming platforms such as Netflix.

According to Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias, the club was suspended as it was operating without an entertainment license, and only possessed a restaurant license.

Boyfriend of Woman Arrested

Her boyfriend, Alexander Navin Vijayachandran was also subsequently arrested on 11 July, as he apparently shared an offensive post on his Instagram account on 5 June and on his YouTube account on 16 June.

Couple Posts Bail

Using crowdfunding, the couple managed to raise funds of RM40,000 needed for them to post bail. Siti Nuramira was held at the Beranang satellite prison while her boyfriend Alexander was held at the Kuala Kubu Baru satellite prison.

Owner of the club Rizal van Geyzel Suffers Arrests and Death Threats

A day after the stunt by Siti Nuramira, club owner Rizal van Geyzel was arrested by police over three viral videos that surfaced as a result of the controversy. He is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition act for issuing statements that have a seditious tendency.

More recently, Rizal has lodged a police report over death threats that his wife received.

Crackhouse Comedy Club Vandalised with Paint

Despite receiving support from the public for being largely innocent in the matter so far, early in the morning on 19 July, the venue was found to have been splashed with red and black paint and the police was notified.

Siti Nuramira Abdullah will not be charged under Syariah Law

It was confirmed that Siti Nuramira Abdullah would not be prosecuted under the Syariah law according to the Syariah prosecution chief. This was because criminal charges had already commenced at the civil court, which provides heavier punishments.

The court has fixed 18 August for Nuramira’s mention, which are the preliminary court dates wherein the court will give directions for parties to file the necessary documents.

As the case is still unfolding, it will be interesting to see what happens to the woman and her boyfriend as well as the club proprietors.

Image source: thestar.com.my, freemalaysiatoday.com