By Lin Wenjian

Mitsubishi Electric Asia, for whom film-maker Jack Neo has been endorsing the popular StarMex air-conditioners, has decided to end its working relationship with him.

The announcement came after news of Neo's adulterous affair with a 22-year old model broke last Saturday.

A spokesman for Mitsubishi Electric told Life yesterday: 'The company is in the midst of withdrawing all advertising materials using Jack Neo in them.'

Neo has been advertising the air-conditioners for at least two years. The advertisements have appeared on television and taxis.

The Mistubishi spokesman added: "We will not be renewing our engagement agreements with J Team Productions." J Team is Neo's production company which also does talent management.

But other advertisers who have worked with the 50-year-old Cultural Medallion recipient are keeping their options open. Maid and foreign worker agency Jack Focus Helpers is still using his photographs on the main doors of its three offices in Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, Katong Shopping Centre and Hougang Green Shopping Mall.

When Life! called the company's main office yesterday, the person on the line - who declined to be named - confirmed that Neo is the company's official spokesman but would not say if the company would stop using his services.

Likewise, local companies Bee Cheng Hiang and Goh Joo Hin, which had product placements in Neo's earlier films such as I Not Stupid and Love Matters, declined to comment.

But it seems that the beleaguered director still has his supporters. Hair replacement specialist iAremyhair has sponsored hair pieces and wigs for some of Neo's movies and its owner, Mr Peter Lim, said he would continue to work with the director if approached.

The 40-year-old, referring to Wendy Chong's expose, said: "A lady should not have reacted so aggressively, because what she did practically killed Jack's career and reputation."

Actor Mark Lee, 42, who is Neo's good friend and has acted in many of his movies, concedes that the scandal will harm the director's reputation and that "he might need two or three years to prove to people that he can still produce good movies and, more importantly, be a good husband and father".

Lee, who has known Neo for close to 24 years, said he was supposed to start work on a new movie with Neo at the end of next month but "I am not sure if that will be affected now". The movie, which Neo is slated to be producer, was to be Lee's directorial debut.

Fellow J Team artiste Henry Thia, 57, said he was shocked when he first heard the news last Saturday because "Neo works so hard that he barely has time to sleep, let alone have time to have an affair".

Nevertheless, Thia, who started working with Neo in the mid-1990s, expressed confidence that "my mentor" will bounce back from the bad press.

He said: "These things have happened before, in Hollywood for example, and I believe people will stop talking about it after a few weeks."

wenjian@sph.com.sg

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