Stand-up comedian fined RM8,000 after pleading guilty to alternative charge

Siti Nuramira Abdullah, who caused a controversy with her comedy act at a comedy club last year, was fined RM8,000 by the Sessions Court today.

Judge N Priscilla Hemamalini pronounced the sentence after Siti Nuramira, 27, pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of deliberately wounding the religious feelings of others during her stand-up comedy act.

She allegedly committed the offence at the Crackhouse Comedy Club in Taman Tun Dr Ismail at 6pm, on June 4, 2022, under Section 298 of the Penal Code.

The court also ordered the accused to be sentenced to four months' jail if she failed to pay the fine. The accused has paid the fine.

The defence was to carry out the cross-examination of the prosecution’s first witness, Muhammad Asyraf Kamal Musthaffa, today, but deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob informed the court that the prosecution had offered the accused an alternative charge under Section 298 of the Penal Code.

"The prosecution is offering the alternative charge after the Attorney-General’s Chambers received the accused’s representation on March 16," Malik said, urging that the sentence imposed on the accused reflect the seriousness of the case, as her actions had gained public attention.

"Even though the sentence under Section 298 is lower, it does not mean the offence is not serious.

"Malaysia is a multiracial and multicultural country, and to protect its harmony, no one should deliberately hurt the feelings of the followers of any religion. The accused could have performed a stand-up routine without referring to any religion because religion should not be used as material for jokes," he said.

Lawyer R Sivaraj, representing Siti Nuramira, sought a lighter fine on the basis that his client had no previous criminal record.

"The accused’s guilty plea today saves the court time and costs. After my client was charged in court, she never performed any comedy act or anything related to the offence. She does not have a social media account, and has kept to herself and not courted other controversies.

"This case became a hot topic until it went viral last year. This has caused a drastic change in the accused’s lifestyle personally, mentally and socially.

"Her experiences of being arrested, remanded in lock-up and jailed for around 10 days are more than enough as a lesson to her," the lawyer said, adding that his client had repented and apologised for her actions.