KUALA LUMPUR: Siti Nuramira Abdullah, who was at the centre of a controversial stand-up comedy act, has been fined RM8,000 in default four months’ jail by the Sessions Court.
Judge N. Priscilla Hemamalini meted out the sentence after Siti Nuramira, 27, pleaded guilty to an alternative charge under Section 298 of the Penal Code yesterday.
According to the alternative charge sheet, Siti Nuramira was accused of deliberately wounding the religious feelings of others by uttering that she was a Muslim, had memorised 15 chapters of the Quran and then proceeded to take off her tudung (shawl) and removing her baju kurung during a stand-up comedy act.
The offence was committed at Crackhouse Comedy Club in Taman Tun Dr Ismail here at about 6pm on June 4, 2022.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob informed the court that Siti Nuramira was offered the alternative charge following the Attorney General’s Chambers’ decision to accept her March 16 representation letter.
This, however, did not mean her offence was not serious, the prosecutor said.
“Malaysia is a multiracial country and to keep the harmony, nobody should act in a way that could hurt the feelings of other people of any religion or disturb any religion.
“The accused can make a stand-up performance without referring to any religion because religion should not be made comedy material,” he added.
Siti Nuramira’s lawyer R. Sivaraj asked the court for a lenient sentence on grounds that his client had no prior conviction.
“Her guilty plea today has saved the court’s time and cost and therefore she is entitled to a discount in her punishment. After she was charged, she was not involved in any stand-up comedy nor any other related offences.”
Sivaraj added that the case had led to a drastic change in his client’s lifestyle, mental health and social relationships.
It is understood that Siti Nuramira paid the fine.
