Comedian hit with backlash after telling 'unacceptable' MH370 joke

A comedian has suffered huge backlash after she told an 'unacceptable' joke about Flight MH370 during a stand-up routine.

Jocelyn Chia was doing a routine on the relationships between Singapore and Malaysia when she made the edgy joke.

Chia, who is Singaporean, called out to a guy in the audience who was Malaysian.

Chia remarked: "Malaysia? F**k you, a**h**es.

"When my prime minister went on TV to announce that you guys had dumped us, he cried cause he thought we weren't gonna survive without you.

"Then forty years later, we became a first world country.

"And you guys, Malaysia, what are you now? Still a developing country!"

Continuing on her bit, Chia remarked: "Isn't that the best break up revenge?

"Now Malaysia is trying to come around like 'Singapore, you're looking good'.

"And we're like 'I know, why haven't you come visit me in forty years?'

"And you're like 'I tried, but you know, my airplanes cannot fly!'"

This joke was, obviously, in reference to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which went missing in March 2014, with all 239 people on board presumed dead.

Four months later, another plane from the airline was shot down whilst flying over Eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people.

Given these high fatality figures, the subject of plane crashes is a sensitive topic for many Malaysians.

Chia even got in an additional joke regarding the subject, as she quipped: "Some jokes don't land."

When an audience member remarked that she'd be getting a bad Yelp review, she remarked: "That's okay, they [Malaysians] don't have internet."

These remarks, despite being jokes performed by a comedian, have provoked widespread condemnation, with even Singaporean officials apologising on her behalf.

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Vanu Gopala Menon, Singapore’s high commissioner to Malaysia expressed remorse 'to all Malaysians for her hurtful remarks'.

He also clarified that Chia was no longer a Singaporean citizen: "The Singapore government does not condone words or actions that cause harm or hurt to others and Chia, who is no longer Singaporean, does not in any way reflect our views."

As a result of the backlash, Chia's Twitter page has been suspended and her Instagram has been taken down - a move that has not been viewed as excessive.

According to Singaporean newspaper The Strait Times, Chia is a US citizen and regularly performs at New York comedy clubs.

There are reports of a planned demonstration in front of the US embassy in Malaysia, with some groups calling for Chia to be banned from entering the country.

A Malaysian member of parliament referred to Chia as a 'bad seed' in a tweet, as he wrote: "I must say that turning a tragedy into a source of entertainment is just ‘bad taste’.

"But I have good faith in my fellow Singaporean friends, and I’m sure we all deeply cherish our close relations as nations.

"Whatever it is, let’s not allow one bad seed to tarnish our outlook to our neighbour. Take it as a lesson by not taking lightly other people’s misfortunes."