The scriptwriter as well as director for Highway To Somewhere have responded to criticism surrounding the show.
The 20-episode Mediacorp Chinese drama aired on Channel 8 and concluded its run on April 7, and is also streaming on Mewatch.
The story follows a couple (played by local actors Jeanette Aw and Romeo Tan) whose marriage is on the brink of collapse.
They go on a road trip in Malaysia and cross paths with a group of friends (Herman Keh, Seow Sin Nee, Bonnie Loo and Jasmine Sim) who are also on a getaway.
The quartet’s trip turns harrowing when they are abducted by a scam syndicate and taken to a remote compound.
This particular arc in the show drew criticism from Malaysian organisations such as Malaysia Ma-Zhong Tradition Culture Association (MMZTCA).
In a Facebook post on April 7, the association’s founding president Lee Yong Kwee said the drama features several Malaysian tourist attractions yet simultaneously misrepresents the country as a scam hub.
Andrew Tan, president of the Malaysia Professional Skill Development Education Association, said in the same post he hopes relevant authorities in Singapore will take note of the series and requested them to consider halting the broadcast.
The drama appeared to have been shown on Malaysian satellite channel Astro as well.
Screenwriter and director responds
In an interview with Shin Min Daily News published on April 8, screenwriter Ang Eng Tee said he did not intend to portray Malaysia as a scam base.
“At the beginning, I wanted to write about scams mainly because I saw news of scam syndicates specifically targeting people in Singapore and Malaysia. In fact, scams occur not only in Malaysia, but also Singapore and many other places,” he said.
“I also wrote that the leader of the syndicate came from abroad and disguised himself as a professional to enter Malaysia, and the story ended in a positive way. The scammers were eventually arrested by police and punished by the law.”
He added that he hopes the series “serves as a reminder” that scams are becoming more prevalent and people should be more vigilant no matter which country they visit.
He also claimed the series received a lot of positive feedback after it aired, with friends around him planning to do the same road trip as the characters in the show.
Director Oh Liang Cai told the Chinese daily that the scam syndicate arc was only a small part of the series and they had also aimed to show the beauty of Malaysia, especially the lesser-known attractions.
He said it would be a shame to take down the show and hopes that viewers will give it a chance before coming to a conclusion.
Highway To Somewhere also stars Nick Teo, Gladys Bay and Sora Ma. All 20 episodes are streaming on Mewatch.
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syarifahsn@asiaone.com
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