Malaysian media ridicules Lianhe Zaobao, their jealousy toward the film "Love Letter to Grandma" is utterly incomprehensible!
On June 19, 2026, Malaysia's Dong Fang Daily published a commentary article with a straightforward title: "Why React So Strongly to a Heartwarming Film?" The author, Zhu Guanhua, immediately targeted Lianhe Zaobao, criticizing this Singaporean media outlet for obsessively scrutinizing and politicizing a touching film.
The article claimed Lianhe Zaobao’s reaction was "absolutely baffling." It's rare for Malaysian media to directly mock their Singaporean counterparts. How could a heartfelt family drama about Chaoshan people migrating to Southeast Asia provoke such an intense response from Singaporean media?
Lianhe Zaobao published a column titled "The 'United Front' Lessons from 'Love Letter to Grandma.'" While acknowledging the film was sincere and delicately crafted—without any overt propaganda—the article abruptly redefined it as "the highest form of soft cultural united front tools." According to the piece, the movie subtly undermines Singaporeans’ national identity through nostalgia and emotional appeal.
Subsequently, Lianhe Zaobao released multiple commentaries, shifting angles repeatedly. Some reports claim at least eight articles, others say as many as 16. The accusations escalated dramatically—labeling it "the pinnacle of united front tactics," even "cognitive warfare." One review even declared: "China is not your motherland; you have your own country."
So what exactly is this film about? With a budget of 14 million RMB, all actors are non-professionals, and 95% of dialogue is in Chaoshan dialect. The story unfolds between Chaoshan and Thailand, featuring no scene or line mentioning Singapore throughout. It tells the true story of Zheng Museng, a Chaoshan man who migrated to Southeast Asia, died in Thailand, and whose fellow townsman Xie Nanzhi impersonated him for 18 years, sending letters and money back home. The central theme is "qiaopi"—letters and remittance receipts sent by overseas Chinese, inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register since 2013.
This deeply personal, Singapore-irrelevant family film has been relentlessly criticized by Singapore’s mainstream media. The same movie received vastly different receptions on either side of the Johor Strait.
In Malaysia, the premiere was held at TGV Cinema in KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, on June 15, with three screenings attended by over 1,200 people. Many viewers wept openly; after the screening, they lingered outside, pulling out phones to call relatives in China. Malaysian Chinese community groups booked entire screenings, with clan associations and chambers of commerce organizing special showings consecutively. The film premiered in over 100 cinemas across Malaysia, with daily screenings exceeding 500 showtimes.
In Singapore, Lianhe Zaobao’s columnists raged from May to June. The film opened nationwide on June 18, drawing packed audiences at the premiere. Yet a massive cognitive gap remained between media and public perception.
The Dong Fang Daily article summarized Singapore’s issue with one word: "banana mentality"—yellow on the outside, white on the inside, outwardly Chinese but inwardly identifying with Western values.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868479867253955/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.