KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 12): Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo has applied to the High Court to discharge herself from representing comedian Harith Iskander in a lawsuit brought by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor. 

Rosmah claims that Harith allegedly body-shamed and publicly ridiculed her during a stand-up comedy performance, seriously damaging her reputation.

In a case management via Zoom on Friday, Sangeet had made the application to discharge herself as Harith’s legal counsel in the suit before judge Arziah Apandi. 

The court then set Nov 24 to hear Sangeet’s application. 

Rosmah’s lawyer Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff had informed the court of the application on Friday morning. 

Sangeet confirmed the matter with The Edge, saying that she filed the application as she could not contact the comedian or get instructions from him. 

“Unfortunately, I cannot contact him despite trying continuously; I will be discharging myself as I cannot get instructions (from him),” she said. 

On June 9, Rosmah filed the suit through her lawyers and in her statement of claim, she alleged that during Harith’s “Harith Iskander: The Outspoken Comedy Tour” at the Swiss-Garden Hotel in Melaka on Jan 17, 2026, he 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”.

Rosmah said the remarks bore an innuendo that she “is an individual with evil, cruel and/or immoral characteristics”, “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”. 

She further said that the remarks by the seasoned comedian portrays her as an individual who deserves to be “humiliated, mocked and insulted before the public”, “does not possess credibility, authority and a good reputation in the eyes of society”, and “is someone who ought to be feared, avoided and viewed with suspicion by the public”.

Rosmah further claimed that the comparison was more serious because it was not made “in a neutral context or in the course of an ordinary discussion” but during a comedy show before a live audience “for the purpose of obtaining laughter and entertainment from the public”.

She alleges the remarks seriously affected her “reputation, dignity, good name, social standing and public image”, causing her to receive “criticism, sarcasm, ridicule and insults” after recordings of the performance were republished on social media.

She said that Harith knew or ought reasonably to have known that the performance could be recorded, disseminated and republished on social media, but made the remarks “recklessly, carelessly and/or with malice”.

In Harith’s statement of defence filed by Sangeet on July 9, Harith denied that the remarks or visual displays during the performance were defamatory, malicious or capable of bearing the meanings alleged by Rosmah.

He contended that the statements and visuals “must be read, interpreted and understood in the full context” of the 90-minute live stand-up comedy performance, including “the entire comedy routine, narrative, delivery, tone, timing, audience reactions, audience interaction, disclaimers and house rules” presented before and during the show.

Harith admitted that images of mythical creatures were displayed as part of the comedy narrative but denied they portrayed Rosmah as “a ghostly creature, something frightening, evil, ugly, disgusting, inhuman or carried any defamatory meaning” as alleged in Rosmah’s statement of claim. 

The comedian also argued that Rosmah’s claim relied on two edited TikTok videos uploaded by user @mayychan0303 rather than the performance in its entirety.

He denied recording, uploading or publishing the clips, saying he did not know the TikTok account holder, had not authorised, encouraged or consented to the recordings or their dissemination, and had no control over their content or distribution.

He also said he is protected under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution for freedom of speech and that a mature democratic society should allow reasonable space for artistic expression, comedy and satire.