Afdlin said the problem stemmed from the individual and not the comedy club which he said had provided aspiring stand-up comedians a platform on which to perform.

“The incident involved the controversial individual and has nothing to do with the venue. I strongly oppose the temporary closure of the club because of someone taking off their clothes on the stage,” he said in an Instagram post.

Earlier today, deputy federal territories minister Jalaluddin Alias said the suspension was a clear message that the government would not tolerate any activity deemed offensive to sensitivities on religion, race and the country’s sovereignty.

He said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) would not compromise on such matters. People living near the club and social media users had felt that the video was clearly aimed at insulting and sullying the image of Islam, he said.

The club, Crackhouse Comedy Club House, had condemned the performance, and said yesterday the performer and her partner had been banned immediately, and a police report had been lodged.