Comedy act couple post bail with crowdfunded cash


KUALA LUMPUR: The couple involved in the controversial stand-up comedy act has posted bail.

Bailors for Siti Nuramira Abdullah, 26, and her boyfriend V. Alexander Navin, 38, paid RM20,000 for each of them at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex and the Petaling Jaya Court Complex where they were respectively charged.

ALSO READ: Comedy club case: Woman charged with insulting Islam crowdfunds more than two-thirds of bail amount

Lawyer R. Sivaraj, who represented the couple, said the RM40,000 amount was raised through crowdfunding within four days.

Last Friday (July 15), it was reported that human rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) would be helping Siti Nuramira and Alexander Navin to raise the necessary funds for their bail via crowdfunding using LFL’s bank account.

ALSO READ: Comedy club owner to be released on bail July 15, say police

"The court procedure for posting bail will be done today.

"But we are unsure of their release," Sivaraj said when met at the courthouse here on Monday (July 18).

ALSO READ: Crackhouse Comedy Club co-founder investigated over old videos, say police

He said there were several reasons that could delay the release such as technicalities, transportation, and Covid-19 quarantine.

"We hope that they will be released today or tomorrow," he added.

ALSO READ: Afdlin Shauki retracts support for Crackhouse Comedy Club

Sivaraj said Siti Nuramira is currently held at the Beranang satellite prison and Alexander is at the Kuala Kubu Baru satellite prison while awaiting transfer to Kajang Women’s Prison and Sg Buloh Prison, respectively.

Both are placed at the satellite prisons while awaiting transfer to Kajang Women’s Prison and Sg Buloh Prison, respectively.

ALSO READ: Crackhouse Comedy Club co-founder detained

On July 13, Siti Nuramira pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court for insulting Islam.

According to the charge sheet, Siti Nuramira was accused of insulting Islam by admitting she was a Muslim and memorised 15 juz of the Quran before discarding her tudung and baju kurung at the Crackhouse Comedy Club restaurant in Taman Tun Dr Ismail on June 4.

ALSO READ: Crackhouse Comedy Club co-founder released

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 is facing a maximum five years imprisonment, upon conviction.

ALSO READ: Comedy club case: Siti Nuramira expected to be charged in Syariah Court

Meanwhile, Alexander Navin pleaded not guilty to two counts under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for misusing network facilities.

For the first charge, Alexander Navin was accused of sharing a posting on his Instagram account on June 5 with the intention to insult other people.

ALSO READ: Suspension is excessive, say comedy club founders

For the second charge, he allegedly shared content via his YouTube account on June 16 with the intention of insulting others.

Prior to their arrests, a 54-second video circulated on social media showing a woman claiming to have memorised 15 juz of the Quran before discarding her tudung and baju kurung, leaving her in a low-cut top and short skirt.

ALSO READ: Comedy club case: Woman pleads not guilty to insulting Islam

The video was of a performance during an open-mic night at the Crackhouse Comedy Club in TTDI.

The comedy club has been temporarily closed pending investigations of licenses of the premises.

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