KUALA LUMPUR: Popular actor, comedian, producer and director Datuk Afdlin Shauki has urged the owners of the closed Crackhouse Comedy Club to "face the consequences" for allowing offensive comedy acts to perform at their premises.
City Hall yesterday banned the comedy club's owners from registering any business in the federal capital for life.
"If you've done something wrong, you've got to face the music. That's what has happened to Crackhouse," said Afdlin in an interview with Harian Metro Online yesterday.
Afdlin however felt that City Hall's move appeared rather arbitrary as the comedy club had not been charged in court.
"If it is true they do not have an entertainment licence, the authorities should just close the club. I don't see why the local authority has to police one's morals."
Afdlin also said that it was possible that certain parties had a hidden agenda in wanting to see the comedy club closed down for good.
"I believe there is more to it than meets the eye. But as far as what we all know, Crackhouse committed an offence and they have to face the music."
It was reported yesterday that the owner of Crackhouse had been permanently blacklisted from registering a business license for any premises in the city.
Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias said that City Hall had decided to revoke the business license of the comedy club effective July 30.
"We also decided to permanently blacklist the owner of the club from registering a business license in Kuala Lumpur.
"This means that the owner of the club cannot register any business activity in the city, even if he is using a different name and company," he said.
On July 10, Crackhouse in Taman Tun Dr Ismail was ordered to shut temporarily.
The club did not have an entertainment licence from 2014 to 2017, while the licences approved for the club since 2018 were for restaurant operations and the selling of liquor and not for entertainment.
On July 22, the club owner Rizal Van Geyzel was charged in the Sessions Court with three counts of posting insulting remarks touching on religious and racial sensitivities.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Earlier, Nuramira Abdullah, 26, who performed at the club, was accused of insulting Islam by admitting she was a Muslim and had memorised the Quran, before taking off her baju kurung at the premises on June 4.