SHAH ALAM, June 8 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke has slammed Singaporean comedian Jocelyn Chia who used the tragedy of the missing Malaysian flight MH370 as a joke.

"What the comedian said was rude, insolent and inhumane because she used the tragedy as the brunt of her joke. The tragedy involved more than 200 lives and nobody in their right mind would do such a thing,” he said.

Loke said following the issue which also received negative reactions from various parties, he had also sent a message to his Singaporean counterpart S Iswaran.

"He also expressed his dismay and Singapore has taken immediate steps to ensure that the matter is not turned into an issue that can be polemised by any party that can affect the relationship between the two countries,” he told the media here today.

Loke said this following the controversial jokes disparaging Malaysia made by Chia including about the tragedy of Malaysia MH370 that disappeared on March 8, 2014 and comparing the progress between Malaysia and Singapore.

He added that Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Vanu Gopala Menon, also issued a statement yesterday expressing regret and apology for the matter and criticising the joke that left a bad taste in the mouth.

Loke said that even though Chia felt it was a joke, every joke should have its limits and should not exploit any tragedy.

"This matter should be used as a lesson to all parties including comedians in our country.

"We welcome stand-up comedians but we mustn’t turn tragedy and national relations into a joke,” he said. — Bernama