It S Getting Awkward As Awesome Tv Sues Comedian Trio Over Unpaid Debts Claim

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IT gets messy after Awesome TV has responded to claims by three well-known comedians over unpaid appearance fees by suing them for defamation.
In a media statement, the TV station claimed that monies owing to Amirullah Azmi who is better known as Amir Raja Lawak, Ikhtiarudin Naina Mohamad (Mamak Puteh) and Abu Musarrif Abu Bakar (Abu Mamu) were the responsibility of external production houses.
To further compound matters, the issue was highlighted in the Dewan Rakyat by Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid who demanded greater protection for the creative industry.
The DAP legislator argued that artistes were still being forced to plead for what should be rightfully theirs.
On this note, Awesome TV has slammed the former Penang Island City councillor for making unverified remarks in Parliament which cast the broadcaster in a bad light.
Adding to the human drama, Amirullah is said to be seeking RM18,000 in overdue payments to fund his father’s cancer treatment.

Editor’s Note: Awesome TV had previously been embroiled in negative publicity for its news reportage during the 15th General Election (GE15). Its reportage had come under fire as racist when it urged Malay voters to turn out at polls to avoid the Chinese from being kingmakers.
It was not the only time Awesome TV has been in the firing line as its news reports also seemed designed to stoke racial tensions by highlighting economic disparity between ethnic communities.
Awesome TV’s retaliatory media statement was shared on Facebook forum Meanwhile in Malaysia (MIM) has garnered 3.4K likes, 1.1K comments and 235 shares at the time of writing, indicating that this spat had captured the public’s attention.
For starters, Meanwhile in Malaysia’s admin had kindly translated the media statement from Bahasa Malaysia to what can be roughly said to be a rojak mix of Hokkien and Manglish (Malaysian colloquial English) which elicited much hilarity from readers.

One commenter queried why wasn’t there a suit for defamation when the matter went viral a few months back. Why wait till it was highlighted in the Dewan Rakyat before taking legal action?

The lack of details led to much conjecture with one commenter wondering if it was case of Awesome TV not paying the production houses who then failed to reimburse the artistes.

The lack of clarity is also reflected in commenters’ reactions. One insinuated the suit was a means to avoid paying the debt.

However, other commenters took the view that the payments were NOT Awesome TV’s problem. It was for the external production houses to settle those dues.

Some suggested there was more than meets the eye. If indeed the payments were the purview of external production houses, why delay in declaring this piece of information?

The delay in responding was also highlighted. Why the long delay?

That this whole unsavoury episode has tarnished Awesome TV’s reputation is undisputed, judging from some of the comments.

Wouldn’t it have been better to sit down and trash out the issue without involving lawyers and MPs?
But then again, it probably got messy because a compromise or agreement could not be reached.
In the meantime, the issue drags on. Will the truth prevail? –  Focus Malaysia

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