Malaysians just letting off steam with #1MDB jokes, comedians say

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — If you use Twitter or Facebook, chances are you have seen jokes on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy or the trending hashtag topic #1MDBMovies. Why are these jokes and parodies so popular?

Local comedian Dr Jason Leong describes humour as a “coping mechanism” for Malaysians to deal with the 1MDB controversy, noting that the huge amount of jokes was due to it being a large scandal which everyone can relate to.

“Because I think comedy and humour is therapeutic. It's a way we deal with difficult topics and one of the difficult topics that the nation is facing currently is 1MDB,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted yesterday.

“It's like the only weapon we have, when Malaysians have the perception that that all other recourse to justice has failed and the only thing they have left is the power of humour and comedy,” he added.

Comedy producer Rizal Kamal told Malay Mail Online that Malaysians making fun of 1MDB are creating “consumer comedy”.

“To me, it's comedy that comes from the people, people have to make fun of serious situations because it helps us cope with these situations. These kinds of things have been very stressful, it’s just a way for us to manage them,” he said.

Rizal said that there is no way to stop people from making fun, noting the widespread availability of tools to create memes or digitally modify images, adding that such actions should be acceptable if there is no “malicious intention”.

“And it's not just the government we make fun of, we make fun of everything,” he said.

Stand-up comedian Andrew Netto pointed out that the 1MDB jokes are “not to insult anyone, it’s just for laughs”, noting that it was better to allow the defusing of tension through humour.

“With all the controversies with 1MDB and the missing money, I think people could really use a laugh.

“Malaysia does not have political unrest, the people are angry, but they haven’t taken to the streets. They have gone to social media, they are making light of the matter,” he also said, adding that Malaysians were at least laughing instead of following the lead of countries like Thailand and Egypt.

Netto said that those who have nothing to hide would not mind being made fun of over situations that are not true, adding that attempts to restrict humour would push the public further away.

For Dr Leong, the 1MDB jokes are “harmless” in nature and are just to “let off steam”, saying that any attempts to stop them would not look well on the government.

“I think it's one of the old saying in Malay, ‘Siapa makan cili, dia terasa pedas’,” he said, referring to the Malay saying that roughly translates as: Whoever eats the chilli will feel the heat.

“If a joke means nothing, then it's water off your back, but if the joke is threatening, then the government will give the perception that they have something to hide.”

“As long as people can laugh and make jokes about it (serious issues), Malaysia still has a chance,” he said.

Internet users have criticised Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)’s reminder earlier today against the sharing of altered images, false news or speculation on the ongoing investigation of 1MDB through social media — which the regulator said could be punished with a maximum one-year jail term or a maximum RM50,000 fine.

But MCMC has also given an assurance that the government would not clamp down on satire, parodies or fictionalised takes of issues, citing the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Content Code’s Part 7.3.

The #1MDBMovies hashtag topic recently trended on Twitter, where users changed movie titles and altered movie posters to make fun of 1MDB.

The strategic investment fund wholly-owned by the Finance Ministry is facing a huge debt burden of RM42 billion and is currently under investigation by the authorities.

Last Friday, US-based Wall Street Journal reported US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) from the state-owned fund ended up in bank accounts purportedly owned by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, with some of it transferred two months before the 13th general election.