DBKL bans comedy club owners for life

KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has blacklisted the owners of Crackhouse Comedy Club for life for violating the terms of its licence.

Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said the club’s business licence was revoked effective July 30, and its owners blacklisted for life. He said the individuals concerned can no longer obtain a business licence in the federal capital even if using a different company name.

“We (DBKL) are monitoring several such clubs around the city and strict action will be taken against those who breach licensing conditions,” he said in a press conference yesterday.

According to Bernama, Jalaluddin had earlier said the premises, located in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, was operating with only a restaurant licence and had no entertainment licence.

The operation of the club had been temporarily suspended when video clips of a performance with content allegedly insulting Islam went viral on social media.

On July 22, the founder and co-owner of the club, Mohamad Rizal Johan Van Geyzel, 39, was charged with three counts of uploading videos on his three social media platforms that allegedly touched on racial and religious sensitivities.