MY beauty brand blurs actress' face in ad after controversy with SG actor

Beauty brand Kitsui, has blurred the face of Malaysian actress Ruhainies in one of its ads after she was arrested in Malaysia alongside Singaporean actor Aliff Aziz for allegedly being in khalwat (close proximity). 

The ad by Kitsui, which sells slimming beverages, features singer Wany Hasrita and actor Hisyam Hamid. In the ad, the three celebrities wish consumers well as they break fast during the Ramadan season. While holding the brand's slimming drink, they also say that changes should not happen only on the outside, but on the inside too. 

In the ad, which was posted a day ago, Ruhainies' face is blurred out though her name was left uncensored along with text that said she is an actress and well-known personality.

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In the caption of the post, Kitsui said that it would like to ask for "forgiveness" for any confusion that might have resulted from its post on Ruhainies. It explained that she, along with Hasrita and Hamid, were chosen after "through research" that was conducted in October 2023 and that the campaign was shot in December 2023. 

It added that it does not support any of the actions of Ruhainies and that it hoped that the incident would not affect the commercial. 

Kitsui was referencing an incident on March 9 where Ruhainies and Aziz were arrested by Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) officers after they were seen together at Ruhainies’ home in Kuala Lumpur.

In a statement issued on Instagram last week, Aziz clarified that the pair had just finished filming when Ruhainies said that her siblings would be eating at home and invited him along. Aziz said that since her siblings would be there, he saw no issue with him being with her. 

He said that when they arrived, he helped carry filming equiptment up to her condo unit and waited there for Ruhainies' sister who was on the way. 

However, while he was there, there was a knock at the door and for safety reasons, Ruhainies decided to call her sister and to not open the door till her she arrived. 

When she did, according to Aziz, there were police officers and enforcers outside, and they were asked to give a statement before they were allowed back home. 

Aziz added that nothing happened between him and Ruhainies and said that he would be more careful in the future. 

Ruhainies also issued a statement stating the same timeline of events. She added that she values her friendship with Aziz's wife, Bella Astillah and that she hoped that their marriage would not break down as a result of this. 

Unfortunately, Astillah told reporters outside the Syariah Lower Court in KL on March 13 that she would be divorcing Aziz, according to The Star.

Astillah said that she had given the actor many chances to salvage the relationship, and that was the best way for her. 

The couple have two children together and previously divorced in 2019 after he was accused of cheating on her. The pair reconciled at the time.

Astillah told reporters that this second divorce is the "best path" for Aziz and her and that she hoped that everything will go smoothly considering that they are in the month of Ramadan. 

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