KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 -- A Singapore television drama has drawn criticism in Malaysia over its depiction of the country as a base for scam operations, with its creator insisting there was no intention to tarnish Malaysia's image.

According to Mothership, the Mandarin-language Mediacorp series Highway to Somewhere, which aired from March 9 to April 7, follows two separate road trips into Malaysia, including one storyline where a group of friends fall prey to a scam syndicate. 

Filming took place across locations such as Ipoh, Kukup and Port Dickson.

Concerns were raised by several Malaysian Chinese associations, which said the portrayal could mislead international audiences and harm the country's reputation. 

One association ...