Singapore comedian Jocelyn Chia, otherwise known as public enemy number one in Malaysia, has responded to reports that the Malaysian police were seeking the assistance of Interpol to identify and locate her.
Speaking to the BBC, she described the whole situation as “overblown” and “ridiculous”.
According to a report published on June 13 by Bernama, Malaysia’s government news agency, local law enforcement authorities were planning to seek the assistance of Interpol, the international organization responsible for facilitating cooperation between various police agencies, in order to identify and locate Jocelyn Chia.
In a previous interview with CNN, the comedian clarified that her joke had been taken out of context in a brief video clip that was edited and shared on social media.
Regarding the involvement of Interpol, during her conversation with BBC, Chia emphasized that her intention was never to mock the tragic incident involving MH370, but rather to find a way to infuse humor into it.
She amusingly remarked, “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?”
On the alleged request from the Malaysian Police, Interpol stated that they have yet to receive any request for help from them, yet.
Recap
Singapore-born comedian Jocelyn Chia, known for her recent stand-up comedy show in the United States, has sparked a significant debate on the boundaries of comedic material.
In a video clip lasting 89 seconds, shared on Instagram, Chia addressed the ongoing rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia.
She made references to the separation of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965, joking about Singapore’s subsequent development into a First World country while suggesting that Malaysia remained a developing nation.
Chia’s comedic set also included a reference to the Malaysia Airlines plane MH370, which went missing in March 2014 en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.
Acknowledging the sensitive nature of the tragedy, Chia stated that certain jokes, like the disappearance of the plane, do not “land well”.
The video clip received criticism from Malaysians, with radio broadcaster Kudsia Kahar expressing offense and asserting that a good stand-up comedian should avoid turning tragedies into jokes.