'Finally got time for movie?' Netizens roast David Neo's 'U-turn' as he joins residents for Dear You Teochew screening

Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo was ridiculed by netizens after attending a community screening of the Teochew-language film Dear You, with many poking fun at his earlier parliamentary remark that ministers had “no time to watch movies.”

Neo shared a Facebook post on 14 July 2026, detailing his visit to a screening in Tampines where he watched the film alongside senior residents.

While the post was intended to highlight community engagement and Singapore's cultural heritage, it instead reignited criticism surrounding comments he made in Parliament just a week earlier.

Some Singaporeans welcomed Neo's willingness to engage residents and experience the film first-hand.

Others, however, described the visit as a belated attempt to repair his public image following widespread backlash.

"There was laughter, there were touching moments, and perhaps most importantly, the film brought everyone together and sparked conversations about family and memories," Neo wrote in his Facebook post.

He said his personal takeaway from the film was the Teochew phrase "做人要有情义", describing it as living with loyalty and heartfelt regard for others.

Neo added that Singapore had been built on the hard work of earlier generations and said his ministry, together with heritage organisations, had encouraged younger Singaporeans to appreciate their dialect heritage alongside Mandarin.

"We do not have to choose one over the other, they each have a place in telling the Singapore story," he wrote.

He also thanked volunteers and the North East Community Development Council for organising the screening.

Neo earlier told Parliament 'ministers have no time to watch movie'

The Facebook post followed a Parliament sitting on 7 July 2026, during which Neo was asked by Aljunied GRC MP Kenneth Tiong whether he had watched Dear You.

In response, Neo remarked that ministers had "no time to watch movie".

Netizens question ‘U-turn’ after Neo appears at Dear You screening

The comment quickly spread online and became a subject of criticism across Neo’s Facebook page, Lianhe Zaobao’s social media platforms, Mothership, and Reddit discussions.

Some commenters argued that, as the Acting Minister overseeing culture, Neo should have been more familiar with a film that had attracted significant public attention and sparked widespread debate.

His attendance at the Tampines screening only days later prompted many netizens to accuse him of making a "U-turn".

Some questioned whether Neo had "suddenly got all the time in the world" to watch the film after previously claiming ministers did not have time.

Others went further, alleging that his latest appearance contradicted his parliamentary statement and questioning whether Parliament had been misled.

One commenter wrote: "Congratulations! You finally have time to watch movie. Happy for you la."

'Words and actions are contradictory'

Another wrote that Neo's "words and actions are contradictory".

"One moment he says he has no time to watch a movie, and the next moment he has time to watch one, even making a big show of going with senior residents. It feels like an attempt to make amends after the damage was done. But voters can see what is really going on."

Several netizens also speculated that mounting public criticism had prompted the minister to attend the screening, with some suggesting the decision may have been influenced by advice from senior Cabinet colleagues.

Others questioned whether Neo would have responded differently in Parliament had the question come from a People's Action Party MP instead of a Workers' Party MP.

One widely shared comment read: "Food for thought: It was a question from a WP member and he answered it in a sarcastic way and now went catching a movie, against what he mentioned in Parliament."

The commenter also questioned whether similar remarks from an opposition MP would have attracted stronger criticism or intervention.

Critics question whether screening was damage control

Several online users characterised Neo's appearance as a public relations exercise rather than a genuine change of heart.

Some argued the visit took place only after he had been widely criticised online, with one commenter writing: "Only did that after he got roasted publicly."

Others questioned whether the minister would have watched the film had there been no public backlash.

Several comments also suggested the screening amounted to a photo opportunity rather than a sincere effort to understand the issues surrounding the film and Singapore's dialect-speaking community.

Some users further observed that comments on Neo's original Instagram post appeared to have been restricted, adding to perceptions that criticism was being managed rather than addressed directly.

For many critics, however, the issue extended beyond whether Neo eventually watched the film.

Instead, they argued that his parliamentary response reflected poor judgement for a minister overseeing culture and heritage.

One commenter said Neo's remark "showed his capability as a minister", comparing it to "a mischievous primary school student telling a teacher that he urgently needed to go to the toilet", particularly since he later found time to attend the screening.

Others argued Singapore needed leaders willing to acknowledge mistakes, listen to public concerns and make objective decisions rather than avoiding embarrassment.

Another commenter said the controversy was never about watching Dear You itself.

Instead, they argued it centred on Neo's attitude and response, saying he should have apologised for his earlier remark rather than posting photographs from the community screening.

Netizens welcomed minister's engagement, but calls for broader dialect recognition

Some Singaporeans welcomed Neo's decision to spend time with residents and seniors, describing it as an encouraging gesture by an elected representative.

Several commenters said making time to join elderly residents demonstrated care and engagement with the community.

Others believed that although the visit came later than expected, it was still preferable that the minister eventually experienced the film and listened to audience reactions.

However, many of those supportive comments also argued that watching the film should be only the beginning.

Some urged Neo to address the limited number of screenings available for Dear You, noting that many elderly viewers had struggled to obtain tickets due to repeated sell-outs and limited availability.

They called for wider public screenings comparable to those available for Mandarin-language productions so that more seniors could watch the film in their mother tongue.

The discussion also expanded into a broader debate over Singapore's dialect policy.

Several commenters argued that dialects remained an important part of the country's cultural identity and should receive stronger institutional support.

One commenter wrote that many elderly Singaporeans grew up speaking dialects as their first, and in some cases only, language.

They argued that past language policies had gone "too far" in reducing the use of dialects and called for greater flexibility.

"It is time to take a further step by allowing dialects to be used more freely, without requiring special approval for settings such as movie screenings," the commenter wrote.

Others described dialects as an important bridge between generations.

One commenter shared: "I speak Cantonese with my old folks at home because it is the language they know best and the language that makes them feel at home."

"As parents grow old, they do not ask for much. They simply want their children close to them."

Others argued that preserving dialects complemented rather than competed with Mandarin, saying both languages could coexist as part of Singapore's multicultural identity.

Some also encouraged Neo to reflect on one of the film's central messages.

"Hopefully you catch the really fact on this movie. Spend some time to think what should said and what should talk. Take the words Ah Ma said '做人要有情有义' to serve the citizen which statistics or AI can help," one commenter wrote.

Some defended Singapore's long-standing bilingual language policy, arguing that English and Mandarin had strengthened national cohesion while still allowing families to preserve dialects privately.