THE HOT news on everyone’s lips is that comedian Harith Iskandar has been slapped with a lawsuit by former first lady Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
The wife of the disgraced ex-premier Datuk Seri Najib alleged that Harith had during his “Harith Iskander: The Outspoken Comedy Tour” at the Swiss-Garden Hotel in Melaka on Jan 17 this year displayed images of mythical creatures before showing her photograph as part of the performance.
Rosmah contended that statements were made “with malicious intent to degrade and damage the plaintiff’s good name” and to humiliate her through “body shaming” by even linking her to ghosts in the Malay folklore such as toyol, pontianak and pocong.
As reported in The Edge, Rosmah claimed the remarks bore an innuendo that she “is an individual with evil, cruel and/or immoral characteristics”.
#NSTnation Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is suing comedian Harith Iskander over remarks made during a stand-up performance, which allegedly likened her to ghosts such as the Pontianak and Pocong.
https://t.co/f8TL4bMyoc pic.twitter.com/B5rlllxERk— New Straits Times (@NST_Online) July 14, 2026
Moreover, she “is feared, hated and looked down upon by society”, “can be equated with entities associated with evil, wickedness and/or supernatural elements”, and “is unworthy of honour, dignity or appreciation as a member of society”.
All very serious sounding and all very legalese.
Many haters have poured scorn on Harith with hope that he is taken to the cleaners by the self-styled former first lady.
Untuk ini, saya bersama Rosmah. Saya berharap Harith Iskander disaman hingga kering. pic.twitter.com/dkPBPtgMxH
— Roman Akramovich (@SyedAkramin) July 14, 2026
‘Humour adds colour to life’
As it is, I firmly believe that stand-up comedy should NOT just be of the slapstick or juvenile in nature but should act as a mirror to society.
Comedy should use the power of satire to question those who have been placed on pedestals, lest they become immune to criticism.
What I’d like is for everyone to pause and think for a moment. As Malaysians, we are seemingly quite comfortable with having the likes of controversial Muslim preacher Dr Zakir Naik giving ceramah here.
This is an individual that is persona non grata almost everywhere else in the civilised world yet is feted as a revered speaker here. Zakir-supporters are constantly telling everyone to take a chill pill, so why can’t we do the same with our very own homegrown Harith?
We are also quite at home with pronouncements by our very own controversial Muslim convert preachers in the likes of Firdaus Wong Wai Hung, Ridhuan Tee Abdullah or even Zamri Vinoth who frequently flood our news feeds with their well-timed observation.
Again, their fans remind everyone else that theirs are legitimate voices that deserve to be heard and thus fully deserving of immunity from the law. Don’t like it? Grow thicker hides, they scream. Well, what’s stopping us from utilising that ultra thick skin now?
In comparison, the flashing of Rosmah’s image for a fleeting five seconds (allegedly) in a comedy show can be countenanced as legitimate satire.
Let’s not forget that this was in the context of a comedy show for a live audience. It was not meant to be broadcast as Harith insists that fair warning was given regarding recording of the show.
Heavily edited segments of the show made its way onto social media and that’s when the lawsuit landed at the comedian’s doorstep.
Thanks to Rosmah’s suit, many more now know of Harith’s routine and will probably want to view it in full which is the opposite of what the matriarch wants.
It is the hope of this humble citizen that Malaysians gain a sense of humour and realise that sometimes a good comedic roasting is the surest way to keep some egos orbited.
This suit could be a good testing ground and could well pave the way for even spikier comedic commentary.
Hear hear! – July 15, 2026
Mr Guffaw
Shah Alam, Selangor
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
