Youth has called on the government to ban comedian Jocelyn Chia from entering the country following her comments about Malaysia regarding the missing flight MH370.
Its chief, Dr Akmal Saleh, said that Chia’s comments did not fall under the limits of freedom of speech, as the principle should also come with sensitivity.
“Jokes are jokes, but they should also be based on facts. We must know the sensitivities around them, it should be done with courtesy,” he said outside the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur today.
Some 100 Umno and MCA Youth members gathered outside the embassy to protest Chia’s comments which reportedly mocked Malaysia and made fun of the MH370 tragedy in a recent comedy show titled ‘Singapore vs Malaysia’ held in New York, United States.
Clips of the show have gone viral online in recent days.
Flight MH370 disappeared under mysterious circumstances on March 8, 2014. Searches have so far been fruitless and all 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board the flight are presumed dead.
In a protest letter to US Ambassador to Malaysia Brian D McFeeters, Akmal said that Chia’s comments had caused “distress and damage”.
He called on the embassy to convey the letter to the relevant US authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident and appropriate measures to rectify the situation.
“It is regrettable that such a derogatory remark was made, as it undermines the principles of mutual respect and cultural understanding that should prevail.
“As an embassy representing the United States, a country known for its commitment to diplomacy and inclusiveness, it is imperative to address this issue promptly and take appropriate action,” read the letter, sighted by Malaysiakini.
“I trust that the US embassy will take steps to address this incident, foster cultural sensitivity, and uphold the values of mutual respect and understanding that are essential to the relationship between our two nations,” it added.
Akmal said that Umno Youth had also lodged a police report against Chia yesterday.
Sinar Daily reported yesterday that Chia’s video has since been removed by Tiktok as it fell under the hate speech category.
Her Instagram and Twitter accounts were also deactivated yesterday. She, however, returned to Instagram today denying claims of being "cancelled".
Taking to Instagram stories, she said that she was temporarily suspended on the site for “impersonating a celebrity” but has since regained access.
Chia, who was formerly a Singaporean citizen, now resides in the United States. - Mkini
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