KUALA LUMPUR: Unrepentant Singaporean stand-up comedian Jocelyn Chia who had courted controversy over her jokes about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight, could not understand why people are making a big fuss over her comedic materials.
A screenshot that had since gone viral showed Chia had taken to the comments section on her now offline social media to reply to a Malaysian stand-up comic, Dr Jason Leong's reaction: "I love this bit."
Chia replied, "Geez, people take jokes way too seriously."
On Wednesday, Chia posted an 89-second video clip on Instagram where she joked about Malaysia being a developing country that had been left far behind and was once "abandoned" by Singapore.
She also referenced Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, which went missing on March 8, 2014, saying Malaysian airplanes "can't fly."
In response to an audience member who remarked, "You're definitely getting a bad review (for the offensive comments from Malaysians)," Chia replied "That's okay, they don't have internet."
These statements drew strong criticism from Malaysians.
According to her website, Chia is a lawyer turned comedian originally from Singapore.
She is reportedly a regular performer at the best comedy clubs in New York City, including the Comedy Cellar and Gotham Comedy Club.
Singapore High Commissioner to Malaysia Vanu Gopala Menon today expressed his dismay at the "gratuitously offensive comments" made by Chia.
"The Singapore Government does not condone words or actions that cause harm or hurt to others and Chia," he said, stressing that Chia was "no longer Singaporean" and that she did not "in any way reflect our (Singapore's) views."
Meanwhile, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir had expressed regret and condemned her actions.