KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Controversial stand-up performer Jocelyn Chia has described the Malaysian police’s move to seek the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to locate her exact whereabouts as “ridiculous”, British news outlet BBC has reported.
The Singapore-born who is now said to be based in the United States had angered many Malaysians with her use of the tragic 2014 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 as comic material during a recent show that was uploaded on the internet.
In the interview with BBC published last night, Chia described the response as “overblown”.
“I just wish I could have seen the face of the Interpol officer who received this request.
“Honestly, if Interpol does do something about this request and things escalate, can you imagine how famous it is going to make me?” she was quoted as saying.
In the same news report, Chia was reported saying that she was “not making fun of tragedy” and those in Flight MH370 that went missing in 2014, and that she was trying to find humour in tragedy.
Chia told the BBC she had performed the stand-up routine hundreds of times and also a shorter version of it in Singapore and that it always cracked the audience up, saying she would not have used it again if it did not work.
She also reportedly said her joke was “taken out of context” when it was viewed over social media.
BBC reported Chia saying that in New York where she is currently located, “roasting” comedians or poking fun at the crowd at comedy clubs is part of the comedy club culture there.
She claimed that American comedians had previously made jokes involving the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US.
“Americans can appreciate humour that is harsher, edgier and more in-your-face, as compared to in Asia where the stand-up comedy scene is still in its early days. You won't find a lot of edgy comedy in Asia,” she was quoted as saying.
The BBC also reported that it contacted Interpol, which said it had not received a request for assistance in the case from Malaysian police.
Last Tuesday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said Bukit Aman would apply to the Interpol to obtain Chia's identity and her current location for intentional insult to provoke a breach of the peace, a crime under Malaysian law.
Chia's joke about MH370 as part of a stand-up comedy skit on The Comedy Cellar, a US-based show that was aired on the internet last week, sparked nationwide backlash in Malaysia.
Soon after her stand-up performance became viral, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said he was sorry for the offence and hurt caused to all Malaysians, while also saying that Chia does not speak for Singaporeans and that Singapore treasures its ties with family and friends in Malaysia.
Singapore High Commissioner to Malaysia Vanu Gopala Menon was also quick to apologise to all Malaysians for Chia's remarks, and said Chia is no longer a Singaporean and that her remarks do not reflect Singapore's views.
Chia has been reported by Singapore newspaper The Straits Times to have become a naturalised US citizen.
Umno Youth last week handed a memorandum to the US ambassador to Malaysia to urge for a thorough investigation into the incident and for appropriate measures to be taken.
