David Neo watches ‘Dear You’ a week after ‘no time’ quip in Parliament
A week after he quipped in Parliament that ministers “have no time to watch movies”, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo has watched the hit movie “Dear You” with seniors in Tampines.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (14 July) night, he took the opportunity to add to the debate by saying that both dialect and Mandarin have a place in telling the Singapore story.
Source: David Neo on Facebook
David Neo watches ‘Dear You’ in packed theatre
According to the photos he shared, Mr Neo watched the movie at Our Tampines Hub with fellow Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng and dozens of seniors, who filled the Festive Arts Theatre.
Source: David Neo on Facebook
He appeared to have enjoyed the movie, saying there was “laughter” and “touching moments”.
“Perhaps most importantly, the film brought everyone together and sparked conversations about family and memories,” he said.
He thanked community volunteers, the North East Community Development Council and partners for the opportunity for Tampines seniors to enjoy the screening.
Source: David Neo on Facebook
David Neo reminded of hard work of earlier generation
Musing on the movie, whose original version is in Teochew, he quoted the line “做人要有情义” (translation: Humans should value loyalty and friendship).
He took this as “a simple reminder to cherish the people and relationships that shape our lives”.
Source: David Neo on Facebook
As he watched it with seniors, he was also a reminded of the hard work of an earlier generation, which built the Singapore of today.
Both dialect & Mandarin have a place in telling S’pore story
The stories of older generations add to Singapore’s culture and heritage, Mr Neo noted.
This is why the Ministry for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and heritage organisations have been encouragning younger generations to get to know Singapore’s “dialect heritage”.
At the same time, Mandarin is still being promoted, he said, adding:
We do not have to choose one over the other — they each have a place in telling the Singapore story.
David Neo replied to questions on dialects in Parliament
Mr Neo’s post came on the heels of his parliamentary response on 7 July, when MPs asked whether MCCY would review the Speak Mandarin Campaign’s approach to dialects, including locally screened dialect movies.
He acknowledged that dialect use in Singapore has continued to decline and dialect artistic materials such as films are increasingly seen not as competing against Mandarin, but as “part of our heritage and cultural practices that deepen Singaporeans’ appreciation of our cultural heritage”.
Thus, the Government welcomes ideas to preserve dialect cultures while upholding the importance of Mandarin, and will continue to accept feedback and work with the community to consider the appropriate steps to support and promote “our distinctive Singapore Chinese culture”.
However, when Aljunied GRC MP Kenneth Tiong asked whether ministers had watched the Teochew or Mandarin-dubbed version of “Dear You”, Mr Neo joked that ministers had “no time to watch movies”, to laughter from the House.
Source: MDDI Singapore on YouTube
He then said that the Government works with clan associations often, and they will be “more than happy” to extend their classes on dialects and cultures if there’s a demand.
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Featured image adapted from David Neo on Facebook.
