Xinyao song now 'unbanned' after 23 years

SINGAPORE - A local Mandarin song containing Cantonese lyrics has apparently been "unbanned" after 23 years.

Ma Que Xian Zhu Zhi (Sparrow With Twigs) by singer-songwriter Liang Wern Fook is one of the songs featured in the local movie That Girl In Pinafore, now showing in cinemas. According to the Facebook page of the movie, the song has been "unbanned" after 23 years and can now be played on the radio.

The supposed ban was because the xinyao song contains lyrics in the Cantonese dialect. According to the Media Development Authority's guidelines on radio content, "songs in dialects in a programme may be allowed provided the context justifies usage and is used sparingly".

To celebrate the airing of the song, the post added that the radio stations Y.E.S. 93.3FM, Love 97.2FM and Capital 95.8FM played the song together at 6.45pm on Thursday.

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