Alvin, Vivian file revision application over ruling not to grant bail

Controversial couple Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee today filed a revision application against the Sessions Court's decision not to grant bail after they were slapped with three charges over their Ramadan bak kut teh greeting and pornographic pictures.

Their lawyer Chong Joo Tian told the media that he filed the application at the High Court Criminal Registry here at 3.50 pm today.

Yesterday, Sessions Court judge Murtazadi Amran denied bail for Alvin Tan or his full name, Tan Jye Yee, 25, and Vivian Lee (full name Lee May Ling), 24, pending their trial, after taking public interest into account.

Tan is currently detained at the Sungai Buloh Prison while Lee at the Kajang Prison.

They were jointly accused of making a seditious posting on "Alvin and Vivian - Alvivi" Facebook site (https://www.facebook.com/alvivi.swingers) by uploading a photo of themselves eating bak kut teh (a pork dish) with the greeting 'Selamat Berbuka Puasa' (Happy Breaking Fast) with bak kut teh fragrant, delicious and appetising together with the halal logo.

On the second charge, Tan and Lee were accused of displaying pornographic pictures on http://alviviswingers.tumblr.com/ at the same place between 9pm and 2am between July 6 and 7.

The duo were also charged with uploading on their own Facebook pages the same picture (bah kut teh picture) and comment which were likely to cause religious enmity between people of different faiths.

Yesterday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Noorin Badaruddin had asked the court not to grant bail to both accused as the charges faced by the accused under Section 298A (1) (a) of the Penal Code and the Film Censorship Act were non-bailable offences.

Chong had requested their clients to be released on bail on the grounds that the charges had yet to be proven and was premature in nature.