KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — The Magistrates’ Court here today was told by a Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) personnel that she felt insulted and violated after she was flashed by an individual during a raid in April 2016. 

This was detailed by Jawi investigating officer Siti Nor Jihan Salleh when she took the stand as the fifth witness in the trial of lawyer and activist Siti Kasim.  

Siti Kasim was charged and pleaded not guilty to voluntarily obstructing Jawi operations officer, Siti Nor Jihan, from carrying out her duty during a raid at the Renaissance Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, on April 3, 2016.

The alleged insults were revealed by Siti Nor Jihan when asked by Deputy Public Prosecutor Hafizza Sauni to explain the series of events that took place that night.

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She described the event as being chaotic and out of control most of the time after Jawi arrived.

Siti Nor Jihan said the accused constantly questioned their presence there that night, and that despite being told that a pageant was against the Fatwa, she did not accept the explanation given and continued to challenge them.

“Then those around her became more daring and started insulting and mocking the Jawi officers.

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“There was a person in a white shirt — I am not sure if it was a man or a woman — but the person flashed her breasts at me, which I see as very insulting, as we have been given the authority to enforce the law from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong himself,” she said.

Before Siti Nor Jihan’s testimony, the court viewed a recording captured by a Jawi videographer that showed a heated discussion between two parties, said to be Jawi enforcers and the accused.

As the video rolled, a long-haired, tanned-skinned person can be seen entering the frame from the right, gesturing towards the group of Jawi officers in a manner that suggested she ripped open her shirt to flash her bare breasts at the group.

“I was right in front of the person when she came and pulled apart her shirt to reveal her breasts,” she said.

When asked, Siti Nor Jihan said, in general, the guests present during the raid were dressed in revealing outfits, leaving their aurat exposed, which she said went against the Syariah law.

Magistrate Maizatul Munirah Abd Rahman presided over the case and Suzana Norlihan Alias was present as lead defence counsel, with the trial set to continue on May 10.