KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — When Dr Jason Leong spoke to Malay Mail a month ago leading up to the Kuala Lumpur leg of his Ambitious tour, the doctor-turned-comic promised a treasure trove of GE14 jokes which he said is comedy gold.

At his sold-out show last night in Brickfields’ The Temple of Fine Arts, Leong delivered just that and so much more.

Despite the chaotic ticket validation system at the foyer (show up early if you plan on catching the show), it was an evening that kept the audience in a steady stream of laughter.

Opening the show was Sulaiman Azmil, whom Leong introduced as "the funniest lawyer in Malaysia”. Racial jokes are hard to escape in race-obsessed Malaysia but Sulaiman takes it to the next level and slaps the frigid prude out of you: Who would have ever thought lazy stereotypes and sexual positions could exist in one sentence?

Next up, the main attraction of the night, Leong himself.

"When was the last time you saw a Chinese guy perform in Brickfields?” he asked the packed auditorium to drive his point home about new Malaysia.

Anyone who has followed the good doctor will know of the close watch he kept on GE14, like most Malaysians who wanted to usher in a new era.

Leong’s talent is undoubtedly the uncanny gift of tapping into the thoughts and experiences that urbanites identify with. Couple that with a sharp eye on the political scene, it’s a hard-to-beat combination.

Quick-thinking Leong even had time to squeeze in fresh jokes from yesterday’s news headlines.

It is easy to see why Leong is such a hit with Malaysian audiences — at the heart of it all, he is a gifted storyteller.

Whether it’s a vignette about the Hungry Ghost festival or his experience as an ethnic Chinese person given the cold treatment in New Zealand, there is a genuine quality in his delivery.

As Malaysia transitions into a new democracy, political satire is what this country needs to truly become a free society.

Dr Jason Leong performs today at 5pm and 9pm, and 9pm tomorrow at the Shantanand Auditorium, The Temple of Fine Arts. Tickets available at jasonleong.my.

Malay Mail’s review? Five stars!