Comedian Jocelyn Chia refuses to apologise, cites alleged harassment over MH370 routine
She also addressed concerns about potential legal repercussions, geopolitical minefields in interview with TMZ.
SINGAPORE — Under-fire comedian Jocelyn Chia has alleged harassment and bullying from Malaysians, even as she has yet to apologise for making jokes about the MH370 Malaysia Airlines plane tragedy.
The American stand-up performer - who was born in Singapore - found herself at the centre of controversy earlier this month, with her routine sparking outrage in Malaysia and Singapore, with calls for an apology and condemnation from government officials.
She took to Twitter on Sunday (18 June) to express her frustration at being subjected to alleged harassment from Malaysians, while they simultaneously demanded an apology from her.
"Some Malaysians have been brow beating and harassing me, my friends, my family, my colleagues, while at the same time demanding an apology," she wrote in her tweet.
"Do they really think I would feel like apologising after getting all this s—t from them? I will not be bullied into giving an apology. An apology needs to come from the heart, and should not be coerced."
The controversy erupted after a short clip of Chia's stand-up routine was posted online, attracting global attention to her comments about Malaysian planes and the MH370 incident.
Navigating legal risks and geopolitical minefields
In an interview with TMZ published on Tuesday, Chia expressed concerns about potential legal repercussions. She highlighted the case of another Malaysian comedian who was arrested and faced trial for offensive online content, citing the existence of laws targeting such material in Malaysia.
"They have arrested a comedian who is Malaysian and had posted jokes online, and that comedian has to stand trial based on his online jokes because they have had precedence for breaking a law that they have for offensive online content," she said.
She also mentioned the possibility of being targeted if she were Singaporean due to the strong ties between Singapore and Malaysia, adding, "Singapore kind of needs Malaysia for things like water. They definitely have more political leverage if I was Singaporean."
When asked about the potential risk of being detained while traveling to Singapore and then being sent to Malaysia, Chia responded, "I definitely think there is a real risk there, and I need to reach out to the US Embassy in Singapore... probably have to talk to some lawyers."
Chia expressed how her life as a comedian used to be simple, focusing solely on making people laugh. However, she now faces the additional burden of considering potential geopolitical ramifications that could land her in jail in another country.
"My life as a comedian used to be so simple. Does it get a laugh? It ends there. That was the extent of my consideration," she said.
"Now it is, I gotta write a joke, does it get a laugh, and does it have geopolitical ramifications that could end me up in jail in another country?"
Routine's intention
In an interview with CNN this month, Chia clarified that she had performed this routine over a hundred times without any issues, and it was meant to play on the friendly rivalry between Singapore and Malaysia.
She also noted that it is common for comedians to engage in "roasting" and that audience members often approached her after shows to express their enjoyment, indicating that they did not take offence.
However, the joke's viral spread on social media led to widespread controversy. In Malaysia, the youth wing of the UMNO, one of the country's major political parties, organised a protest at the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur to voice their displeasure. They considered Chia's joke an insult to the nation and handed a memorandum to the US diplomatic outpost.
Singapore, on the other hand, has distanced itself from Chia, with foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan expressing his disapproval of Chia's remarks and apologising to Malaysia, affirming that she certainly does not speak for Singaporeans.
The backlash against Chia has resulted in the removal of her Facebook and Instagram accounts, which are no longer accessible.
Chia stressed that comedians do not harbour malicious intent behind their jokes and that the goal is ultimately to bring smiles to people's faces.
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