While I don’t approve of actions or statements aimed at insulting any religion or race, I also disapprove of any bans by the authorities which defy rules and regulations.
On the case of the Crackhouse Comedy Club owner, Rizal Van Geyzel, I have been informed by a credible source that Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) licensing committee made a recommendation to blacklist Rizal from registering a licence in Kuala Lumpur for one year, as opposed to the lifetime blacklist announced on Wednesday by the Deputy Federal Territories Minister Jalaluddin Alias. I, therefore, demand an explanation from Jalaluddin – did he make the announcement of his own accord, contrary to the DBKL licensing committee’s recommendation? If so, what was his motive?
Kuala Lumpur is a metropolitan city governed by rules and regulations, in particular those imposed by DBKL. The Deputy Minister is, therefore, obliged to enlighten the public by clarifying which specific provisions of the law empowered him to impose life sentences such as the one preventing Rizal from registering any businesses in the city, particularly in light of the fact that entertainment licences are granted to companies and not individuals? Is the Deputy Minister aware that he has no power to issue such a personal ban on Rizal? One might scoff at the drabness of my inquiry, but beware – silence on the Deputy Minister’s behalf could only be interpreted as an admission to the carelessness with which he dealt with the matter.