Synopsis
In early March 2015, BFM Radio released an episode of its satirical current affairs show Kupas. The episode questioned the priorities of the Kelantan State Legislature in passing the Syariah Criminal Enactment Law, popularly known as hudud, amid unresolved issues in Kelantan of poverty, high unemployment, and homelessness. The episode quickly went viral, and Aisyah Tajuddin, the temporary host of the week, received a torrent of rape and death threats over social media. Viral, Sial examines the interplay of religious sensitivity, race and gender that created this perfect storm, while also reflecting critically on how the producers dealt with the fall out. How far is too far in a ‘sensitive’ Malaysia?
