Joke using tragedy is most unbecoming

Talk shows are often about having fun using offense. Even so, American-Singaporean Jocelyn Chia seems to have gone too far with her insensitive joke alluding to MH370, the ill-fated Malaysian Airlines flight that went missing in 2014 and has never been found.

She cracked the joke in New York's Comedy Cellar Club in April. It was when the club posted a video of the joke on social networking sites that it sparked an uproar in Malaysia, forcing Singapore's foreign affairs minister to issue an apology "to all Malaysians for her hurtful remarks".

Talk shows are a welcome stress buster for people who lead high-pressure lives. Yet that doesn't mean such shows should not be governed by rules to ensure the players do not offend someone.

Making jokes about the inhabitants of Capitol Hill or the White House is never a problem as these are powerful people who couldn't care less. In fact, it might sometimes force them to see where they are going wrong and try and make amends.

However, it is unbecoming of a comedian to be insensitive to tragedies such as the MH370 case while cracking jokes. How would a relative of a passenger who was on that flight react to the "joke"? It would reopen old wounds and make them relive the trauma. What exactly was Chia's intention while cracking the joke? She sure needs to be cautious with how she uses words in the future, and avoid rubbing salt on people's wounds.

Chia, who refuses to apologize for her joke even after Twitter suspended her account, should learn from Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who stressed that Singapore cherishes its relationship with Malaysia. The minister showed a way of how to handle sensitive relations. Chia needs to learn that skill.