On May 25, George Floyd, a black man in the U.S., died after getting pinned to the ground by a police officer with his knee.

Soon after the video of Floyd's death went viral, people in the U.S., as well as others around the world, have come out to protest against police brutality and racism.

However, one particular influencer in Malaysia has sparked outrage over her insensitive remarks.

Uploaded controversial posts

Former Miss Universe Malaysia, Samantha Katie James, 25, uploaded a series of controversial posts on her Instagram story on Jun. 1.

In her first post, she wrote:

"I don't live in America, it has nothing to do with me, but to me, it seems like the 'whites' won. Because if you're angry, you respond in rage and anguish. That means it has power over you. They have power over you."

"Chose to be born as a coloured person in America"

In another post which particularly angered many people, James said:

"To the black people, relax, take it as a challenge, makes you stronger.

You chose to be born as a 'coloured' person in America for a reason. To learn a certain lesson.

Accept it as it is, till now hunger and poverty still exists. It is what it is. It is inevitable. Best you can do is remain claim, protect heart, don't allow it to crumble. That's your responsibility."

When one of her followers asked what she meant, James explained that "our souls chose this life, this country, this race, this human form specifically for a reason".

"Being a white girl in local Malaysian school"

In a subsequent post, James explained that she had been "insulted" her whole life for being a white girl in a local Malaysian school.

She added that the headmistress of her school had told her to "not bring western culture to the school".

"I've always wondered all my life why I'm born here in Malaysia with a Chinese mother and a Brazilian father and raised by an Indian family. So I speak from first hand experience, not from what I read online."

Heavily criticised by others

Soon after her posts were uploaded, online commenters flocked to her Instagram posts and called her out for being tone deaf.

James also became a hot topic on Twitter.

Samantha Katie James said ‘ you chose to be born as a coloured person in America’.

the most dumbest thing I’ve ever read in my life. One thing for sure is-if I have the choice to choose how I would want to be born, it’s definitely not to be born as you, Samantha Katie James.

— Thenesh Skip (@theneshskip) June 1, 2020

https://twitter.com/enyaasun/status/1267432309076049920

https://twitter.com/GNimundele/status/1267425301195182081

https://twitter.com/DAVID_ZAFER/status/1267427068083503105

The words "Samantha" and "Miss Universe Malaysia" soon reached the top five Twitter trends in Malaysia on Jun. 1.

A check on James' Wikipedia page showed that it had been edited several times.

Want her stripped off her Miss Universe Malaysia title

In response to James' controversy, the Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation (MUMO) put out a public statement on Jun. 1 saying that her comments were "inappropriate, offensive, unacceptable and hurtful".

It added:

"The views expressed on James' personal Instagram account are her own personal views, and are neither the view nor position of Mumo."

You can read the full statement here:

An online petition was created urging the organisation strip James off her Miss Universe Malaysia crown and title.

As of Jun. 2 morning, the petition had nearly 10,000 signatures.

Makeup company cut ties with her

A Malaysian makeup company, Velvet Vanity Cosmetics, has announced that it is no longer affiliated with James.

James had previously modelled for one of the company’s lipsticks in an Instagram post.

The company said in an Instagram post: "The whole team of Velvet Vanity would like to clarify that we don't endorse this kind of discriminatory behaviour... As a brand, we support #blacklivesmatter and we would never associate ourselves with racist behaviours in any way."

You can read the full post here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5I8inBCBJ/

Mothership has reached out to James for a comment.

Top images from samanthakayty/IG.