KUALA LUMPUR: Actress and singer Ifa Raziah said that it was unfair for netizens to call for a boycott of her coming Ramadan festival at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Jalan Pinang here.
She said in an interview with Harian Metro Online today that her Starvendors Mega Raya Festival from March 29 to April 1 was for all artistes to sell their latest products and for fans to meet and greet them.
"Yes, Ruhainies (Zainul Ilyas) is going to participate in the festival but this does not mean I am on her side. Bella (Astillah) is also my friend and I have invited her to my past events," said Ifa, adding that she befriended all artistes.
"Just because you do not like what one participating artiste did, it is not fair to boycott an entire event. As the organiser I side with all artistes and give them an opportunity to promote their products during Ramadan."
Ifa also said that Ruhainies' appearance in a brief Instagram video to promote the festival was made before her recent arrest for alleged khalwat with Singaporean singer and actor Aliff Aziz on March 8.
"Bella has also appeared in a similar video. Both of them have supported the festival and it is not fair if I shut any one of them out," she said.
Ifa also said that it was "unkind" to continuously condemn Ruhainies and judge her on social media, even if Bella's fans rightfully sympathised with her plight.
"What we should all do is to pray that what happened between Ruhainies, Aliff and Bella is resolved amicably. We should not be hateful towards others in this holy month."
It was reported yesterday that many netizens "saw red" when they learnt that Ruhainies was participating in Ifa's festival.
They slammed her for being a "home-wrecker" and vowed to boycott the festival unless Ifa dropped Ruhainies from it.
However, there were also netizens who supported Ifa, as she was merely promoting celebrities' Ramadan products.
Four days after the arrest of Aliff and Ruhainies, Bella who has been married to Aliff since 2016 and is the mother of two children, filed for divorce at the Federal Territories Syariah Court in Jalan Duta.