Malaysia Asks Interpol to Investigate Comedian Who Made MH370 Joke

Facts

• A US-based comic is under investigation by Malaysian authorities over a joke she made about the 2014 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. Police chief Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said Interpol will be asked to help find the location and full identity of the comic.¹
• A video posted on social media depicted the comedian, Jocelyn Chia, performing a routine about the rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia at a New York City comedy club. When stating that Malaysian planes "cannot fly," Chia quipped: "Malaysian Airlines going missing not funny huh? Some jokes don't land," an apparent reference to Flight MH370.²
• Chia, a US national raised in Singapore, was condemned by Singapore's foreign affairs minister for her "horrendous comments." The venue the joke was performed received over 4K 1-star reviews on Google, with the clip being removed from TikTok for "hateful behavior."³
• Roughly 100 protestors gathered before the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, led by the youth wing of the United Malays National Organization political party.⁴
• In an interview, Chia said she stood by her joke "in its entirety," but understood the poor impression made by an out-of-context social media clip. She added that she has performed the joke "more than a hundred times" without issue and that Malaysian audience members she's met do not take offense to it.⁴
• Amnesty International says that 87 individuals have been prosecuted by Malaysia between 2020 and June 2022 under laws governing speech and expression. Flight MH370 disappeared over the Indian Ocean in 2014 with 227 passengers and 14 crew members aboard.¹

Sources: ¹Guardian, ²BBC News, ³New York Times, and ⁴CNN.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by China Daily. Chia's joke was deeply hurtful to the people of Malaysia. Comedians need to direct their jokes toward those that deserve scorn, not the victims of a terrible and unresolved tragedy. To upload this skit on social media is also to slander the good name of Malaysia, which Chia seems to think is an acceptable thing to do. This was a tasteless act and appropriate consequences for her actions are understandable.
• Narrative B, as provided by Hindustan Times. Malaysia's overreaction to a comedy routine has only increased the profile of the comedian and made the country look foolish for trying to get Interpol involved over a joke. Singapore and Malaysia have a friendly rivalry, and it is common for comedians to use the news and current events for comedic effects. This embarrassing move by Malaysia to try and "cancel" her freedom of expression has made more people aware of this joke and helped Chia sell more tickets.