Harith Iskander Faces RM10M Suit From Rosmah Over Stand-Up Set

By Lara Kramer  •  15 Jul 2026 in News

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Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has filed a lawsuit against comedian Harith Iskander, claiming that jokes made during one of his stand-up performances subjected her to body shaming, public humiliation, and caused serious harm to her reputation.

According to the statement of claim filed on 9 June, Rosmah alleged that during Harith’s The Outspoken Comedy Tour at the Swiss-Garden Hotel in Melaka on 17 January 2026, he showed images of mythical creatures before displaying her photograph as part of his set.

She argued the segment, where Harith joked about the “scariest” figure in Malaysian mythology before displaying her image, was intended to ridicule and degrade her, accusing Harith of deliberately tarnishing her reputation through body-shaming jokes. Rosmah claimed the routine implied she possessed cruel or immoral traits, was associated with evil or supernatural elements, and was someone society should fear, avoid, or look down on.

She also contended that the performance portrayed her as undeserving of respect or dignity, damaging her credibility and encouraging public ridicule.

Rosmah said the comparison was particularly harmful because it was made during a live comedy show, where laughter was generated at her expense rather than in the context of an ordinary discussion.

She further claimed the routine damaged her reputation, dignity, and public image, leading to criticism and mockery after clips of the performance circulated online.

Court documents state that two edited videos uploaded on TikTok amassed more than 230,000 combined views before they were removed.

Rosmah alleged Harith knew, or should have known, that the performance could be recorded and shared on social media, but proceeded with the remarks regardless.

Through Messrs Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak, she issued a letter of demand on 6 February 2026, seeking an end to any further allegedly defamatory remarks, the removal of related content, an unconditional apology and retraction, an undertaking not to repeat the statements, RM10 million in damages, and reimbursement of legal costs.

In his statement of defence dated 9 July, Harith denied that his remarks or visual presentation were defamatory or malicious.

He argued the material should be viewed in the context of the entire 90-minute stand-up performance, including its narrative, delivery, audience interaction, tone, timing, disclaimers, and house rules, rather than isolated clips.

Harith acknowledged using images of mythical creatures during the show but rejected claims that they portrayed Rosmah as frightening, evil, inhuman, or otherwise defamatory.

He also maintained that Rosmah’s case relied on the two edited TikTok videos instead of the full performance.

Harith denied filming, uploading, or authorising the videos, saying he had no connection to the TikTok user and had not consented to the recordings or their distribution.

His defence stated that audience members had been expressly instructed not to record the show, making the uploaded clips unauthorised. He further argued the videos were incomplete and omitted disclaimers explaining that the performance was intended as comedy.

According to the defence, audience members were shown house rules before the show, including reminders that recording was prohibited, that the performance was comedy rather than a personal attack, and that those easily offended should “leave their egos outside”.

Harith also noted that Rosmah’s image appeared for less than five seconds during the 90-minute set and was not a recurring focus of the performance.

He further relied on Article 10(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution, arguing that stand-up comedy is a form of artistic expression protected under the constitutional right to freedom of speech, and that satire should be afforded reasonable space in a democratic society.

Harith thus denied acting with malice, saying the routine was created solely for entertainment, artistic expression, and satire, not to damage Rosmah’s reputation. Represented by Messrs Karpal Singh & Co, he asked the High Court to dismiss the suit with costs.

The matter came up for case management before senior assistant registrar Anis Zainab Pawanteh on 14 July. Rosmah’s legal team was directed to file its reply to the defence by 30 July, with the next case management scheduled for 31 July.

Rosmah is represented by Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff of Messrs Hafarizam Wan Aisha Mubarak, while Harith is represented by Sangeet Kaur Deo of Messrs Karpal Singh.

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