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Will the increase in ministerial salaries cost the People’s Action Party (PAP) votes at the next General Election?

On Sept 8, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that political office-holders will get a one-off pay increase of up to 9 per cent.

This will take effect from Oct 15 - an entry-level grade MR4 minister getting the full adjustment will see his annual pay rise from $1.1 million to $1.2 million.

The changes to salaries come after the Government accepted the recommendations of a committee convened to review political salaries. One of its recommendations is that the MR4 benchmark will also be updated from $1.1 million to $1.8 million.

Existing ministers’ salaries will continue to be adjusted based on performance, and PM Wong expects most MR4 ministers to earn about $1.35 million – the lower end of the new salary range – by the end of this term of government.

In this episode of The Usual Place, Natasha speaks with Straits Times’ senior columnist Bhavan Jaipragas, and Rebecca Grace Tan, a senior lecturer in Political Science at the National University of Singapore.

We discuss whether there is the “right” formula to calculating ministers’ salaries, and whether alternative performance reviews of ministers’ and MPs work is now necessary to account to the public for the pay raises.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:24 How did PM Wong fare in explaining the salary increases?

5:38 Was the debate “subdued” as compared to 2012?

8:44 Have S’poreans come to accept the million-dollar salaries?

13:45 Why didn’t the Workers’ Party oppose more strongly?

18:00 Growing divide between political elites and the rest of us?

21:09 Is the top 1,000 earners benchmark still fair?

26:20 Money, motive and minimising opportunity costs

32:15 How can we assess ministers’ performance?

41:44 Has public office become unattractive?

47:22 Is S’pore just another corporation?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Hadyu Rahim & Teo Tong Kai

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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If you own a private condominium unit and are looking to downgrade, or a family considering buying a BTO flat, the two recent housing policy changes would have brought some relief.

In July, the 15-month wait-out period for private residential property owners who want to buy a non-subsidised HDB resale flat was lifted.

In his National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that the income ceiling for BTO flats and new executive condominiums will be raised, and more ballot chances for first-timers with children.

How will these moves affect housing prices, and will there be more million-dollar flats as demand goes up? Also, with more people qualifying for a BTO, will it be harder to get a flat?

Chief researcher and strategist at Realion (Orange Tee & ETC) Group Christine Sun, and chief research officer at Mogul.sg Nicholas Mak, share their views on what moves we could possibly see in the property market.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:55 Three groups who will benefit

6:40 Will BTO application rates surge?

9:00 Why million-dollar flats still sell

12:55 Did the income ceiling for ECs need to be raised?

17:14 Should the Govt claw back EC subsidies?

25:48 Will BTOs get more expensive?

30:35 Why Nicholas doesn’t see the singles eligibility age dropping

37:36 Will there be an oversupply in ‘ulu’ areas?

41:32 Why so many 2-room flats?

44:53 No 3-room flats is ‘a bit too extreme’: Nicholas

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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If you’ve been thinking about having kids, last night’s National Day Rally might have given you something to rally about.

Parents - and those who are considering having children - were the focus of PM Wong’s address on August 23.

In a nutshell, parents will get more help: more childcare leave and financial support, along with lower pre-school fees and more ballot chances when buying their first BTO flat.

But will this move the needle on our Total Fertility Rate, which now stands at 0.87?

Natasha asks Senior Parliamentary Secretary Goh Hanyan from the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth why the Government shifted its stance to consider every child equally.

Dr Reuben Ng, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and a father of four, shared his thoughts on when the Government needs to roll out more measures for this reset to count.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:17 Were the parenthood measures good enough?

6:56 Why tackle the cost concerns first?

12:15 Should mothers get medals for having more kids?

17:24 Why not taking leave is sometimes seen as a “badge of honour”

20:41 Hanyan’s experience juggling political office and being a mother-of-three

25:14 What about colleagues who cover parents on leave?

28:20 Are singles getting the short end of the stick?

33:41 Politically risky to invest so much public funds into parenting?

38:21 How fast does the Government need to roll out the measures?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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What kind of involvement do Singaporeans want in policymaking?

The Maju Forest-Gillman Barracks issue has seen Singaporeans making their voices heard, offering counter-proposals, and demanding more transparency from the Government.

This isn’t the first time Singaporeans have made their views known - remember issues including the Dear You bilingual policy debate, the SimplyGo roll out, and the scrapped NTUC Income-Allianz deal.

Are we in a new era of civic participation, and does the way the Government engages Singaporeans need to change? Also, would too much consultation hamper policymaking?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with:

• Assistant Professor of Sociology George Wong, who researches grassroots organisations in urban governance and politics in Asia at Singapore Management University, and
• Jonathan Ng, an independent consultant with more than 20 years of experience in policy advocacy and regulation, and a former civil servant. He also creates social media content about how government and businesses work.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:17 Reactions to S’poreans speaking up about Maju Forest

6:33 Has the Government responded well?

9:38 Citizens must trust that their voices matter: Jonathan

11:00 S’poreans want to “see how the sausage is being made”: George

13:54 Should policies satisfy every stakeholder?

16:18 Presenting trade-offs without being defensive

18:54 No more “Trust me bro!”

24:09 How does the Government choose whom to listen to?

28:18 Is active citizenry fuelled by social media?

31:43 Do name-calling, political labels hurt engagement?

34:34 Can S’poreans disagree agreeably?

36:19 Is another iteration of Our Singapore Conversation needed?

39:46 Why you shouldn’t scream to be heard

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Would you read regularly if you were paid to do so?

The National Library Board (NLB) is hoping that people will develop a consistent reading habit by giving readers virtual coins that can eventually be exchanged for cash. They need to spend at least 15 minutes on the activity each day.

But why does the library have to incentivise us to read for fun? What do we lose when we no longer read, especially if we’re choosing to doomscroll instead?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with:

• Associate Professor Loh Chin Ee from the National Institute of Education, who researches people’s reading habits, and

• Chris Koh, the programme director of the National Reading Movement

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:47 How was ReadSG conceptualised

3:41 Why do we have to be paid to read?

7:41 Is reading for 15 mins actually realistic?

10:45 Does reading daily create a habit?

19:16 Why we should stop calling kids “non-readers”

21:10 Will book clubs get people reading?

27:39 What do we lose when we don’t read?

32:19 S’pore’s most borrowed library book?

33:34 Book recommendations from Chris, Chin Ee and Natasha

Books recommended in this episode:

• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb

• The Complete Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

• Bang My Car by Ann Ang

• Ministry of Moral Panic by Amanda Lee Koe

• Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Hadyu Rahim

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Millennials are the generation that changed the conversation around mental health. They normalised mental health talk, encouraged self-care and made going to therapy less taboo.

So what caused the 50 per cent jump in suicide deaths among adults in their 30s in 2024?

Recently released data from the annual report on registration of births and deaths by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority showed there were 441 suicide deaths in Singapore in 2024.

Suicide among adults aged between 30 and 39 increased from 66 cases in 2023 to 99 in 2024.

In this episode, Natasha speaks with Dr Jared Ng, a psychiatrist and medical director at Connections MindHealth, and Anthea Ong, co-lead for a white paper for national suicide prevention strategy Project Hayat, about what’s affecting this group.

We also talk about why men are still reluctant to seek help, and whether AI chatbots are valid sources of mental health support.

Watch the previous TUP episode on how to help someone having suicidal thoughts: https://str.sg/3KHRV

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:28 Why did millennial suicide deaths spike by 50 per cent in a year?

6:14 “I failed at something.” vs “I’m a failure.”

11:08 The challenges of living in a pressure-cooker society

13:23 The “treatment gap” problem

16:48 Do you feel safe in your workplace?

20:38 Why staff don’t trust Employee Assistance Programmes

25:13 The gender paradox about suicide

29:53 Why do men stay suicidal

34:32 Where AI chatbots can help, and where they don’t

39:57 Struggling isn’t the same as being suicidal

41:30 Not all helpline callers are in distress

Helplines

Mental well-being:

National Mindline: 1771 (24 hours) / 6669-1771 (via WhatsApp)

Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928

Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1

Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)

The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm)

Tinkle Friend (for primary school-age children): 1800-2744-788

Mindfull Community HQ (for caregivers, families and persons in recovery): 6460-4400 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm)

Counselling:

Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252

Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555

Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366

We Care Community Services: 3165-8017

Shan You Counselling Centre: 6741-9293

Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990

Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180

Online resources:

mindline.sg/fsmh

eC2.sg

chat.mentalhealth.sg

carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)

limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Will the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link sound the death knell for smaller, home-grown businesses when it opens in a few months?

A new study, which was released on July 16, highlighted how Singaporeans are slated to spend $1.05 billion more across the Causeway in 2027. But visitors from the other side aren’t expected to send as much business our way. JB visitors are projected to spend about $756 million more.

The Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the Restaurant Association of Singapore and the Singapore Retailers Association jointly commissioned the study to look at how the RTS Link could reshape consumer spending, tourism flows and business competitiveness in Singapore’s retail and food and beverage sectors.

Can local retail and F&B businesses, which are already struggling with rent and manpower costs, cope with the added pressure?

In this episode, I speak with:

• Musa Fazal, the chief policy and operating officer at the SBF, and

• Ang Yuit, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, who moved to JB 18 months ago.

We discuss whether expanding the eligibility and amount of the CDC Vouchers Scheme is just a Band-Aid, and if the Government will step in to control rents.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:35 Are SG businesses excited about the RTS Link?

6:28 How will S’pore’s consumer spending change?

10:34 Is it too late for retail, F&B?

17:24 You can’t risk making a mistake here: Yuit

19:42 CDC vouchers: A band-aid but still useful

23:15 Topline statistics might not give us the actual picture

27:05 Can we move events to the heartlands?

28:41 Why hasn’t the west built its own Katong?

32:43 Why we need spaces for businesses to try - and fail cheaply

39:53 Why S’pore needs a “nighttime mayor”

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

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It has been quite a week in Singapore politics, with adjustments to the Cabinet line-up and the surprise resignation of Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim.

In this episode, Natasha takes a deep dive into the implications of blooding younger politicians such as Jasmin Lau into the Cabinet and junior ministerial roles now, and if the PAP’s high moral standards will cost them future talent.

Singapore Management University law professor Eugene Tan and independent political observer Dr Felix Tan weigh in on the diversity of the new Cabinet and why politics is not priesthood.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:26 Was the new Cabinet line-up surprising?

5:45 Newbie politician Jasmin Lau’s fast rise

9:00 Is the 5G leadership team taking shape?

13:05 Does politics need politicians with private-sector experience?

16:38 Know how to communicate ideas, says Felix

19:16 Is Ng Chee Meng out of the “political wilderness”?

23:39 What’s the public “obsession” over Ng Chee Meng?

28:25 Who will eventually succeed Shanmugam at MHA?

32:30 Does having different generations in the Cabinet matter?

35:26 Should the Government reveal more about Faishal Ibrahim’s exit?

39:37 Why do conduct breaches keep happening despite the code?

45:47 “Politics is not priesthood.”: Eugene

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

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Should young job seekers start their careers with contract roles?

With stiff competition for full-time roles, a tight job market and employers being more selective about new permanent hires, perhaps contract roles shouldn’t be off the table.

In Singapore, such roles have become more common over the past few years. What can young people do to build their careers? Also, is contract work truly the ‘lesser cousin’ of permanent work?

In this episode, I speak with:

• Francois Lancon, the regional president of Asia Pacific and Middle East for ManpowerGroup, a global expert on labour market and employment trends,

• Tyrina Toh, a contract content creator for businesses, who left a full time position to work only contract and freelance jobs

•Seth Ng, a fresh university graduate who is currently looking for a job.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:34 Should the GovTech retrenchments be a cause for concern?

3:43 Why the surge in contract roles?

6:42 Tyrina’s first contract role at 16

10:26 Is contract work financially feasible?

12:01 Contract work a “launchpad” to full-time role: Seth

15:56 Do contract roles make you look like a job hopper?

19:10 Taking charge of your professional growth

23:26 Is contract work exploitative?

29:01 What happens when a contract role gets cut unexpectedly?

33:12 Should you do many internships to land a permanent role?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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Are Singapore’s lawyers doing ok?

The Legal Profession Sustainability Study, which was released on June 23, suggests that lawyers were leaving the profession because of toxic bosses, inflexible court timelines, punishing deadlines and the constant need to be available 24/7.

These are just some of the grievances aired in the study, which had 31 in-depth interviews with former judges, legal academics and lawyers from diverse types of firms. There was also a survey done with 855 practising and former lawyers.

What is the cost of becoming a lawyer in Singapore, and is it worth it any more? If these issues have been raised for more than 30 years, will this study change anything?

In this episode, I speak with:

• Zhang Yu Fu, a junior lawyer at Dentons Rodyk, who was called to the bar in April 2026 and took part in the study, and

• Wong Yi, the General Counsel for construction company Lum Chang Holdings, and previously worked for one of Singapore’s Big Four law firms. He was also the chairman of the Young Lawyers Committee for The Law Society of Singapore from 2014 to 2019.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:23 A decades-old problem that hasn’t changed

4:50 “What’s so wrong with being a strawberry?”: Yu Fu

10:28 Trained through “sheer obedience”

15:08 How young lawyers navigate bad bosses

17:06 Any incentive for senior lawyers to change?

21:13 Generational gap between older and younger lawyers

28:34 Judge wants lawyers to drink from a straw

32:55 “Role models” for working through childbirth

34:44 No real consequences for workplace bullying

37:18 Why lawyers leaving the profession matters

40:40 “Why can’t we do better?”: Yu Fu

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh fobbed off talk that he would face a challenge to his position at the party’s proceedings on June 28.

The results from the party’s internal meetings showed that most party members are still very much behind him.

What does this mean for the WP, and has the party turned the page on the saga involving Raeesah Khan?

In this episode, I chat with Tham Yuen-C, senior political correspondent at The Straits Times who has covered WP for about a decade, and Dr Teo Kay Key, a senior research fellow at IPS Social Lab at the Institute of Policy Studies, who studies public opinion, and political and social attitudes.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:54 Is Pritam Singh invincible?

5:50 Who are the unhappy cadres?

8:27 What the “supermajority” vote says

10:46 Cult of personality around Pritam Singh?

16:10 Party stability comes first

20:15 “Pretty much business as usual.”

23:57 End of Raeesah-gate?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

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YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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The Chinese film Dear You, shot almost entirely in Teochew, is not only a box office hit - it has ignited intense debate among Chinese Singaporeans.

From film-makers to politicians, many people have weighed in on the authorities’ decision to limit screenings of the Teochew version, and instead have a wider general release for the Mandarin-dubbed version.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said that this move supports the bilingual policy which aims to promote Mandarin as the main language among Chinese Singaporeans.

But the strict policing of dialects, when other foreign language films have been allowed to be screened, has the local audience asking: is it time to relook how we treat dialects?

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:08 Why strong reaction to limited Teochew screenings?

6:22 Is it a film that touches only Teochews?

9:27 What's lost in dubbed movies?

13:11 Is the outrage fair?

15:27 Time to relook policy on dialects in film?

20:40 Has the Speak Mandarin Campaign been too successful?

23:48 Can Chinese dialects and Mandarin coexist?

29:08 “We’re not comparing like for like.”

31:34 Are dialects less valuable than Mandarin?

35:45 Who’s learning dialects now?

38:17 Beyond the uproar, what happens next?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Independent content creators in China are making online posts disparaging Singapore, its politicians and minorities.

The latter, in particular, has made the authorities here concerned enough to block access to 14 online posts earlier in June, which targeted the Indian community and contained inflammatory narratives about Singapore’s cultural diversity.

If the content isn’t state-sanctioned, what’s driving Chinese content creators to make such posts, and why did it find an audience here?

In this episode, I chat with:

• Benjamin Ang, the head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security, Future Issues and Technology at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. He researches cybersecurity, digital security and disinformation, and

• Straits Times senior columnist Tan Dawn Wei, who writes about China and its relations with the rest of the world. She was in Beijing for seven years from 2018 as ST’s China bureau chief, covering all aspects of the country, from its domestic politics to its economy.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:58 Difference between state-directed vs organic disinformation

3:56 Clicks for “outrageous” content

9:05 All about the clicks

10:23 "We just happen to be a hot topic.”

13:06 Why did the content focus on race?

18:05 Does the racist content reflect how some Singaporeans think?

21:21 How polarisation can happen

26:10 Why doesn’t the Chinese government take down such content?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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A recent Straits Times survey of 1,000 unmarried people explained why the dating scene is so bleak: it’s hard to meet new people, dating can be expensive and there are unrealistic expectations of love and relationships.

In this episode, Natasha chats with:

• Liu Zhiqun, co-founder of Kopi Date, a dating platform that curates one-on-one coffee dates, and

• Dr Kenneth Tan, an assistant professor of psychology at Singapore Management University, who studies relationships from end-to-end - that is from singlehood to why relationships end.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:53 Has dating become harder?

5:29 21 years old, no dating experience

10:10 The ‘perfect partner’ problem

11:33 Has social media warped our idea of romance

14:21 Dating 101: teaching rejection in schools?

18:29 Why people don’t bring their best self on dates

21:46 “Why do I have to work for love as well?”

27:15 Is school the best place to look for love?

31:20 Fear of being alone leads to settling

32:34 Red flags, icks: are they just excuses?

36:25 Old-school gender rules in a modern dating world

41:52 Can the Government fix our love lives?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah and Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Do fathers in Singapore get a bad reputation for being hands-off?

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, who chairs the new Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup, drew some flak for speaking about career “detours” as something that should be normalised for mothers - with little mention of a fathers’ role in the parenting journey.

Why do we frame the parenting experience as mainly a woman’s role?

In this episode of the podcast, I put that question to two fathers: new stay-at-home dad Jeggan Rajendram and Kevin Goh, the Group Head of engagement and programmes at the Centre for Fathering.

We discuss who dads benchmark themselves to and whether mothers are preventing fathers from being more hands on.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:05 Are fathers missing from the parenting conversation?

3:30 “Regret minimisation”: Jeggan’s decision to be a stay-at-home dad

7:10 “People still look at me like I was crazy.”

11:27 Mums get a ‘head start’ on parenting

15:08 What’s holding fathers back from being more hands-on?

17:20 Mums, please involve dads, and let go

21:20 Whose standard is the right one?

24:05 The loss of identity as a stay-at-home parent

30:30 Being the stay-at-home parent doesn’t have to be forever

33:27 Encouraging dads to be more active parents

37:11 When dad’s your personal hairstylist

40:08 Will we have more babies if dads and mums are equals?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Hadyu Rahim

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah and Elizabeth Law

Assistant producer: Stacey Ngiam

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

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Will a new bystander campaign by the police get more people to speak up for victims for molest and voyeurism?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I chat with Ms Lim Shoon Yin, the executive director of Singapore women’s rights group Aware, about what holds bystanders back and what they can do.

Also on the podcast is Dr Julia Lam, a forensic psychologist, who assesses people who have committed offences like sexual crimes. She studies impulse control disorder and behavioural addiction, among other areas.

She explains why perpetrators cross the line and act on urges, despite knowing it’s a crime.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:51 Are more people reporting sexual assault?

4:20 Why do bystanders freeze?

6:01 Could you become a molester or voyeur?

9:15 Why perpetrators choose to cross the line

10:36 Why take the risk of getting caught in public?

13:42 How bystanders can safely intervene, if unsure

17:33 Perpetrators not deterred by warning announcements, posters

20:22 Do conservative societal attitudes contribute to such behaviour?

26:02 What victims need when they report harassment

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Hadyu Rahim & Amirul Karim

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah and Elizabeth Law

Assistant producer: Stacey Ngiam

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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By 2027, every school will have to follow standard disciplinary measures such as detention and conduct grade adjustment for different types of misbehaviour.

But the measure that divided parents, teachers and parliamentarians was that bullies can get up to three strokes of the cane.

Caning in schools is not new, so why were so many people upset that school bullies will be caned?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with ST education correspondent and former secondary school teacher Elisha Tushara, and chief executive officer of the Singapore Children’s Society Ang Boon Min, about what caused the scrutiny over caning for bullies.

At a time when bullying cases are increasing - albeit by a small number - will caning change behaviour among recalcitrant students? Also, if parents step in to take on their child’s bullies, will it make things worse?

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:35 Does caning students work?

4:55 Do children learn from being caned?

8:22 Creative ways students try to escape caning

11:20 How do children become bullies?

13:34 Reframe the language around bullying

16:35 Most children don’t want their bully punished

19:11 Natural for parents to “feel an ache”

20:42 What is restorative justice?

22:35 Will teachers be stretched further?

26:45 How to help bullied children feel safe?

29:35 Parents involvement can be “unproductive”

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah and Elizabeth Law

Assistant producer: Stacey Ngiam

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Never mind that it’s way out west - Tengah’s first private condominium development sold out almost all its units over its launch weekend at the end of April.

At an average price of $2,120 per sq ft and a location that’s under the Outside Central Region (OCR) classification, the affordable suburban condominium is starting to feel more expensive.

But despite all our complaints about high property prices and the uncertain global outlook, these sales show that Singaporeans are still willing to fork out serious money for new, unsubsidised private residential properties.

Is this the new normal buyers have to get used to?

In this episode of The Usual Place, Natasha speaks with veteran property analyst and chief research officer at MOGUL.sg Nicholas Mak, and CEO and Chief Investment Officer at financial advisory firm MoneyOwl Chuin Ting Weber.

We chat about who are the buyers driving the sales of these properties, and what’s driving these record new launch condo prices?

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:20 What's driving up condo prices?

4:55 FOMO in buyers driven by agents

7:25 HDB upgraders not main condo buyers

9:56 Who's renting if everyone's buying?

15:28 The myth of constantly rising prices

19:28 Making compromises to make mortgage

31:40 Good debt and what you can afford

37:22 Parents digging into retirement funds for kids

48:00 Why isn't the government stepping in more?

51:36 The similarities between healthcare and property

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Fa’izah Sani & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah and Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Would changes to Singapore’s education system fix our low fertility rate?

A new work group, comprising political office holders from various ministries, has been set up to encourage Singaporeans to marry and have children, with broader support from society.

In this podcast episode, I chat with Minister of State for Education Jasmin Lau and stay-at-home mother Vivien Lim, who has three children.

We discuss the “education arms race” and whether the Primary School Leaving Examination really needs to be a such high-stakes exam for 12-year-olds.

With the big question looming - whether we can get the total fertility rate back up - Jasmin and Vivien talk about steering children on the best pathways, the pressures of juggling careers and motherhood, and finding joy in parenting.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:53 Will this new work group change anything?

5:45 Jasmin on the education arms race

9:04 Preschool: the “honeymoon’ years

14:33 Stressful education system or anxious parents?

17:53 “This is not something to look forward to.”

23:12 PSLE reflects on everyone from children to teachers

27:02 What’s the point of the PSLE if it doesn’t test real-world skills?

34:05 The PSLE parent: why some women leave their jobs

36:10 Jasmin would leave her role if her kids aren’t doing well

43:07 Are we raising kids for the future?

47:40 Will changing the education system encourage couples to have kids?

50:46 What’s stopping couples from having kids?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah and Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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An ongoing SMRT campaign, meant to inspire a gracious commute culture, has laid down the law on what’s acceptable, or not, on the train.

Two bubble-like characters – named “Dotties” by SMRT – are accompanied by the caption, “Don’t groom in public”. One is shown clipping their toenails and the other, applying make-up.

It got the internet talking about the boundaries of personal grooming in public.

But after decades of public etiquette and courtesy campaigns across Singapore, why is there still a need for this conversation? And if Singapore is a first-world city, why don’t we have a handle on what’s acceptable and what isn’t in public?

In this episode of the podcast, I chat with Elysia Tan, a clinical psychologist, and Shila Naidu, a trauma therapist, to work through how to behave on public transport?

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:08 Why have we not learnt from decades of courtesy campaigns?

9:54 Why don’t people realise they are irritating others?

14:29 Are these behaviours a reflection of a stressed society?

18:08 How did we become a “shame-based” society?

21:59 Commuters with mental health issues

24:41 Should we confront people on the train?

28:24 No PDA, no nose picking and distance please!

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Amirul Karim & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Over the last couple of years, several of Singapore’s well-known boys’ schools have opened their doors to girls.

The latest to join the list is Montfort Junior School. In March, it was announced that the primary school will become co-ed from 2028, while Montfort Secondary School will follow suit by 2034 or earlier.

As such announcements often do, it got people talking – about heritage, cultural identity, and what may be lost when single-sex schools go co-ed.

In this episode, I speak with a former deputy principal at Raffles Girls’ School, an academic from the National Institute of Education, and a mother of three boys who sits on two school boards and an alumni board.

With shrinking student numbers and competing demands for space, is there still a case for teaching boys and girls separately?

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:20 Why do alumni get upset when their schools go co-ed?

6:59 “It didn’t feel like it was mine anymore.”

10:05 How girls flourish in the single-sex school environment

15:56 Why a school’s history is powerful

17:57 Do single-sex schools reinforce gender stereotypes?

22:00 Finding balance in the school experience

24:00 Less prepared for the real world?

27:22 “Eh bro, that’s really toxic.”

31:34 Focus on quality curriculum

33:07 Shut down single-sex schools with falling enrolment?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Hadyu Rahim & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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After US President Donald Trump walked back his threats to wipe Iran off the map, there’s now a two-week ceasefire in place.

Hours before this kicked in, the Singapore Government announced in Parliament on April 7 support measures to help cushion the cost increases resulting from the Middle East conflict.

These include disbursing $500 in CDC vouchers half a year early and a $200 increase in the Cost-of-Living Special Payment.

Six weeks into this war, the question now is: Will things get better from here, or are we just having a moment of respite before the knock-on effects continue to worsen?

In this podcast episode, I chat with economists Danny Quah, Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Sheana Yue, a senior economist at global economic advisory firm Oxford Economics, about what else we should brace ourselves for.

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:12 Iran war uncertainty’s impact on Singapore

10:53 Singapore’s 1973 oil crisis lessons

17:21 Better placed to handle this war?

20:12 “We have a bit of breathing space.”

23:30 Do we need more handouts?

29:21 Is Singapore headed for a recession?

32:01 Stagflation a worry for all countries

35:55 Should we throw out the old diplomacy rulebook?

43:39 The worst-case Iran war scenario

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Amirul Karim & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

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If you have private medical insurance, April 1 would have been on your radar.

Private health insurers have put out new Integrated Shield Plan (IP) riders, which comply with requirements by the Ministry of Health (MOH) that were announced in November 2025. 

This move was aimed at curbing rising insurance premiums and private healthcare costs. The major effect on policyholders? They will now be required to fork out more in deductibles and co-payments.

The upside is that new IP riders are more affordable than the previous ones. What does this move spell for private insurers, doctors and policyholders?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with Mr Eddy Cheong, CEO at insurance advisory Havend; and Mr Yip Hon Weng, Yio Chu Kang SMC MP and the deputy chairperson for the government parliamentary committee on health.

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:18 Changes to IP riders and plans

8:01 What led to the ‘buffet syndrome’?

12:56 Doctors charging indiscriminately?

14:03 Paying more for your rider than the base plan

18:04 Delaying medical checks?

24:06 How medical inflation got to 16.9%?

26:00 Do you need to ‘insurance-max’?

30:36 Fewer insurers, fewer problems?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Hadyu Rahim

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Will lucky draws, monetary rewards or ‘sticks’ work when it comes to getting Singapore residents to recycle?

A new recycling initiative called the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) launches on April 1, but with household recycling rate in 2024 fell to a record low of 11 per cent, will this move the needle?

Mr Heng Li Seng, founder and director of social enterprise Green Nudge, and Associate Professor Victor Seah, director of the Behavioural Insights Centre of Excellence at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, drop by The Usual Place to help sort out our recycling woes.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:29 Will the BCRS work?

5:41 Is a 10-cents refund a good enough sweetener?

7:11 ‘Sticks’ to change behaviour

10:49 Transparency of recycling process

16:14 Tiong Bahru residents have had enough of blue bins

18:29 Shaming others into recycling?

21:39 Recycling is not as simple as before

24:29 Can recycling be sexy?

28:39 No silver bullet to get people to recycle

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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More than 1,000 private residential developments in Singapore are hitting their 30s, and some are starting to show signs of wear and tear.

But if residents have not been prudent in saving for these big-ticket items such as upgrading lifts and fixing spalling concrete, should the Government step in to help?

Mr Andrew Lioe, president of the Association of Strata Managers, and Mr Daniel Chen, a lawyer and partner at Lee & Lee, with a practice focused on Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) disputes, weigh in on the challenges with managing sinking funds and the tension among different types of owners.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:44 How are sinking funds for condos managed?

4:44 Sinking fund kitty management woes

6:48 Why do owners want to delay adding to the sinking fund?

10:30 Why can’t MCSTs force owners to pay?

14:27 “The en bloc situation is not that common.”

15:24 The owner-occupied vs investor-owned mindset

18:33 What changes to the law could fix this problem?

22:36 Are problems caused by a selfish few?

26:00 The tension in mixed developments

29:45 Should the Govt step in to bail out condos?

33:50 Red flags when buying resale condos

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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The way the Iran war began has reinforced the growing feeling that the rules-based international order, which Singapore stands by and bases its foreign policy on, is under serious strain.

But could Singapore’s measured and consistent response actually be an asset in these volatile times?

In this podcast episode, Mr Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib, founding director of Dialogue Centre, a non-profit consultancy focused on cultural and racial diversity and inclusion, and Straits Times deputy opinion editor Bhavan Jaipragas, discuss what’s at stake for Singapore’s foreign policy.

On the home front, there are concerns about how binary thinking can alienate or fracture communities here, when people choose to villainise those who disagree with them.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:30 What does the Iran war mean for S’pore?

4:15 S’pore’s consistent position is our strength: Imran

8:58 What’s stopping bigger powers from taking liberties with S’pore?

11:30 No appetite for this war in Iran

16:17 Don’t see others with different povs as “villains”

19:05 The Novita Lam controversy: “She didn’t read the room.”

24:18 It’s dangerous when people feel helpless: Imran

27:39 Get off social media, talk face-to-face

32:30 Why Parliament debates aren’t for elites consumption

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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A recent report card of our behaviour on the road has shown that we’ve become worse motorists.

Traffic deaths have hit a 10-year high, the number of people injured in accidents has risen from 2024, and speeding violations jumped by 25.9% in a year.

These figures were detailed in the annual road traffic statistics for 2025 by the Traffic Police, which were reported on Feb 26.

We have smart cars, tons of traffic cameras and strict laws to regulate good behaviour on the road, but why have the statistics become worse? Are we just bad road users or are there other factors involved?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with

• Ms Bozy Lu, a lawyer and partner at Han & Lu Law Chambers LLP, specialising in road accident claims and community law, and
• Mr Jason Lim, chairman of the Riding Safety Association of Singapore, a motorcyclist interest group. He also co-owns Roads.sg, a platform that, at its heart, advocates for road safety.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:16 Why are our roads like that?

5:16 Our devices are making us distracted

7:06 “Please make this guy famous.”

10:39 Do drivers see speed limits as a suggestion?

13:43 “My passenger is chasing me like there’s no tomorrow.”

18:54 Why skills and decision-making key to bikers’ safety

26:46 Firmer legal action needed against jaywalkers?

32:15 What kind of driver or pedestrian are we on the road?

36:48 Are we an entitled bunch on the road?

38:42 Think of another person’s point of view: Bozy

43:57 What needs to change to fix our road culture?

46:00 Why road safety is everyone’s problem

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Will the recent changes to the preferential additional registration fee (PARF) rebate and the current COE prices turn away car buyers?

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced in his Budget speech on Feb 12 that the PARF rebate will be lowered by 45 percentage points.

The maximum rebate a car owner can expect to receive will be halved from $60,000 to $30,000.

If you're looking to buy a car, should you go for a new car, a second-hand ICE vehicle, or just give up that dream altogether?

In this episode of The Usual Place, ST’s senior transport correspondent Lee Nian Tjoe and veteran automotive consultant Say Kwee Neng share their thoughts.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:21 What is the significance of the PARF? 

4:21 Is the PARF rebate reduction a “stick” to get buyers to choose EVs? 

8:56 A stealthy wealth tax? 

14:53 The implications of older EVs on the road

19:11 The iPhone vs older EVs comparison 

24:11 What’s happens to the used car market now?

27:06 Most cost-efficient option now

30:36 Are your dreams of owning a car over?

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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The conversation over the key announcement from Budget 2026 continues.

On Feb 12, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong unveiled a record $154.7 billion Budget, how the Government is doubling down on its AI push. For Singaporeans worried about the cost of living, there was household relief in the form of payouts and CDC vouchers.

In this episode of the podcast, Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah discusses the reason for the big AI push and how the Government planning to deal with the downsides of AI like job losses and its environmental impact?

Also joining the conversation are Singapore Management University’s Assistant Professor of Political Science Nathan Peng and the SGTech co-chair of AI, Cloud, and Data Chapter Mr Gunasekharan Chellappan.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:22 Will CDC vouchers be a permanent fixture of the Budget?

5:34 Could Budget 2026 have helped lower income families more?

10:05 “Some people don’t feel like their lives have gotten 2.5 times better.”

12:58 Why do people perceive they aren’t doing well?

18:27 Don’t look at AI as new technology: Guna

21:25 ‘E-nannying’ should stop: Nathan

25:00 Anxiety over being made redundant by AI

30:20 Healthy concern vs unwarranted anxiety?

35:25 Losing the human connection over AI

40:17 Will there be more regulation with stronger AI push?

42:24 Mitigating the negative environmental effects of AI

45:42 How to pick which AI course to take

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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The strong push towards artificial intelligence and support for vulnerable groups such as lower-income families were two big themes that emerged at Budget 2026.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who is also the Finance Minister, just delivered his first Budget since the new government was elected last year.

How will businesses be affected by these measures, and how will the Singapore workforce adapt? In our push for new avenues of growth, are there worries about Singaporeans being left behind?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with National University of Singapore political science lecturer Rebecca Grace Tan and Singapore Business Federation chief policy and operating officer Musa Fazal about what they made of this year’s Budget.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:12 First reactions to Budget 2026

3:57 What did this year’s Budget miss?

6:12 Using CDC vouchers for strawberries

9:15 Are we dependent on handouts?

14:25 How can AI benefits be spread across society

19:45 The reality of businesses using AI now

24:30 High global talent wages will raise business costs

28:38 Are we ensuring no one’s left behind as S’pore purses growth?

34:51 Growth in the economy, but fewer jobs?

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

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Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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When it comes to charting their career paths, it’s likely most young Singaporeans would opt for white-collared jobs.

Hands-on skilled trades? Not so much.

Yet, The Straits Times reported in January that a growing number of younger people are choosing to go into traditional skilled trades such as plumbing and landscaping.

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with two millennials who have chosen not to follow the conventional script and have built businesses with their own hands.

Ms Geraldine Goh, 31, is a licensed plumber, who started her own business Agraffe in 2017 after a stint as a facilities management officer at a town council. She was studying mechanical engineering at a university, but dropped out after two years.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahmad Alhabshee, 36, started his own furniture company Urban Salvation about 11 years ago. He designs and handcrafts bespoke wooden furniture using sustainably sourced materials.

He branched out on his own after he was slighted by a former employer, who judged him for not having enough academic qualifications.

What convinced both of them to take on blue-collared work and become their own bosses? What does it mean to go against expectations in a society that still measures success with grades and paper qualifications?

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:50 The misconceptions of being a female plumber 

8:53  Why I dropped out of NTU to work at a town council

12:32  The harsh reality of the furniture business

20:05  30 years of experience vs. a licence   

28:35 Why modern men can’t fix a $1 door hinge

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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After the World Economic Forum in Davos, it’s clear that global diplomacy has grown more confrontational and transactional. So what’s the game plan for Singapore now?

In this episode of The Usual Place, Natasha speaks with ST opinion editor Lin Suling, who was in Davos last week, and Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy dean Joseph Liow about how we can work with American president Donald Trump’s conventional style of foreign policy.

The consensus was that ignoring the US is not an option, and that Trumpism is here to stay, even after the US president steps down.

As for Singapore, it’s not our style to “tahan”, said Suling, using the Malay word for endure. “Our mantra is to adapt and find new opportunities, and to get on the train.”

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:34 What was it like watching Mr Trump speak at Davos?

4:39 Is the world order “rupture” exaggerated?

8:23 How to avoid getting in the crosshairs of the US

14:14 Why it’s not possible for S’pore to ice out US

21:14 S’poreans need to be flexible in outlook and purpose

26:48 Will Trump’s moves influence other big powers to invade other countries?

29:48 “Might is right” has been normalised: Suling

32:54 Great powers have “no qualms” shoving rules aside: Joseph

35:19 Trump called out the dysfunction of the United Nations

37:19 Are countries FOMO about not being on the Board of Peace?

42:10 Should we just wait out the next three years of Trump’s presidency?

45:28 Trumpism is here to stay, even if Trump isn’t here: Joseph

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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There has been a buffet of discussion as pre-packed food for students have been in the spotlight recently.

Some schools have had to turn to prepared meals from centralised kitchens because of shrinking student numbers and a lack of canteen stallholders.

But this has not been to everyone’s taste.

Bento boxes from airline caterer SATS made the news after pictures of unappetising servings at Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) surfaced online in early January.

It prompted a flurry of discussion both on and offline, as everyone weighed in with their thoughts from the colour of the boxes – turquoise – to the dishes served to what pre-packed meals takes away from the recess experience.

The media was later invited to HCI to taste the food and speak to students, who gave reviews about the SATS pre-packed meals. The school’s principal said the menus will be refined, and SATS will relook recipes and food presentation.

Then on Jan 14, concerns emerged over food safety after 60 primary school pupils came down with suspected food poisoning after consuming food prepared by Gourmetz, the school’s caterer.

In this week’s episode of The Usual Place, I chat with two canteen stall operators, Ms Nurkusmawati Kasim, who runs a Western food stall in a primary school, and Ms Grace Lim, who operates a snack stall in a primary and secondary school, about their experience providing meals for students.

Jalan Besar GRC MP Shawn Loh, who is the group managing director of food conglomerate Commonwealth Capital Group, joins us to discuss whether there are alternatives to the central kitchen model.

Highlights (click/tap above):

​0:55 Were the reactions to Hwa Chong Institution bento boxes overblown?

6:17 Why Grace and Wati chose to work in school canteens

9:22 Crafting menus for students

11:54 Healthy meals affects operating cost

14:43 Can you make money as a canteen stall vendor?

18:25 I just wanted to kill time when my son’s at school: Wati

20:47 Why central kitchens work for schools

22:13 Why Shawn champions a model where prepped ingredients are cooked on-site

25:35 Wati’s experience as a former air stewardess is handy when feeding masses

27:24 Do we romanticise recess time?

32:24 Cafeteria model offers control over nutritional value of food

34:50 What would entice people to become canteen vendors?

37:03 “Meal prep is the least efficient way.”: Shawn

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producers: Elizabeth Law & Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh has been removed as Leader of the Opposition by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, a day after Parliament debated his suitability for the role.

PM Wong has invited the WP to nominate another elected MP. But the person put forth has to be an MP who has not been implicated in the earlier findings of the Committee of Privileges that looked into former MP Raeesah Khan’s conduct in Parliament.

The saga started in 2021 when Ms Khan lied in Parliament. It led to an inquiry by the COP to uncover the sequence of events of who knew what, and when. Mr Singh was later convicted by the courts for lying to the COP.

What happens now, and are cracks beginning to show within the party, especially as some cadres have called for a special conference?

On this episode to discuss the Parliament debate and the implications of Mr Singh losing the role are:

• Mr Peh Shing Huei, a regular commentator on Singapore politics and a former ST news editor. He is also the founding partner of content agency The Nutgraf, and author of several books about politicians and people in government, and
• Singapore Management University’s Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan, who is a political analyst. He was also a former Nominated Member of Parliament.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:47 Lifting of the WP whip for debate about Pritam Singh

5:08 “It wasn’t a good day at the office for Parliament.”: Prof Tan

9:57 Pritam vs Tharman: What’s the difference in cases?

14:22 Will there be a political cost to the PAP for this motion?

17:14 Was it the right move for WP MP to bring up PAP MP’s indiscretion?

22:23 Fatigue about the matter

25:23 “This is closing the loop.”: Prof Tan

27:55 Are the cracks showing in the WP, despite show of unity in Parliament?

30:15 Possible leadership challenge within the WP?

34:29 This issue an “albatross” around the WP’s neck: Prof Tan

41:51 Peh on why Pritam didn’t resign first

42:57 What does removing the LO office mean for S’pore politics?

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producers: Elizabeth Law & Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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Finding a new job may be on your resolution list this year, but will it be the right move in 2026?

Much of the job market in 2025 was dominated by uncertainty and mixed signals.

Fresh university graduates shared – and documented on social media – their struggles landing interviews and jobs, despite sending out multiple resumes.

Retrenchments climbed in the third quarter of 2025 after dipping in the previous two quarters, while job vacancies continued to fall, according to the Ministry of Manpower’s third-quarter labour report. There were 69,200 job openings in September, down from 76,900 in June, the report said.

Meanwhile, the workforce was constantly cautioned about how artificial intelligence could reshape – and potentially displace – many roles.

Will it be more of the same in 2026, or will the market turn in favour of job seekers?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I want to find out how job seekers can navigate the market and what kind of upskilling we need to make career changes.

Joining me on the podcast are:

• Ms Serla Rusli, a LinkedIn career expert who advises job seekers on career matters based on hiring and job market trends, and

• Ms Joyce Bijl, business development director for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East at ManpowerGroup, a global company that deals with workforce solutions.

We’ll also discuss whether more employees will continue with “quiet quitting” or “job hugging”.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:50 Why companies are ‘cautious’ with hiring despite better GDP growth

6:36 Use existing network instead of mass applying for jobs 

12:44 How to use LinkedIn to gauge the job market 

18:04 How to future-proof your job against the AI disruption

35:03 Trending in 2026 - move over “quiet quitting,” here comes “quiet cracking” 

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producer: Danson Cheong 

Editorial producers: Elizabeth Law & Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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At least four three-room resale Housing Board flats were sold for between $900,000 and $935,000 in the first 11 months of 2025. What’s driving these eye-watering prices for smaller units, and how does this affect buyers who see three-room units as an accessible way to own a first home? 

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

In this episode of The Usual Place, host Natasha Ann Zachariah speaks with Mr Nicholas Mak, chief research officer at property portal Mogul.sg, and Mr Patrick Chee, property agent and founder of real estate portal Homeseller SG.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:49 Million-dollar 3-room HDB flat to happen “in the next ‘bull run”: Patrick Chee

6:13 Who buys pricey 3-room HDB flats? 

8:34 Majority of 3-room HDB flat are still transacted in the range of $500,000

15:14 Property prices outlook

21:36 Previous property bubbles 

30:32 Does sentiment play a role in flat prices

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Elizabeth Khor

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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It’s been about 10 days of excitement at the SEA Games, and Team Singapore has been going all out to make their mark.

Hurdler Kerstin Ong and swimmer Amanda Lim have returned home after their events and will join The Usual Place podcast to talk about their experiences in Thailand.

One is just getting started, and the other has bid farewell to the SEA Games stage.

Kerstin, 28, finally made her debut at the regional meet after a decade of trying to qualify.

But the race came with its own hurdle. The national records that she and fellow hurdler Ang Chen Xiang set in their respective events on Dec 12 were considered invalid due to timing system issues.

Meanwhile, Amanda won gold in the women’s 50m freestyle event.

Post-race, the 32-year-old announced that this would be her last SEA Games. It was her 10th outing at the regional meet, where she has won 21 golds, five silvers and two bronzes.

In this episode, I chat with Kerstin and Amanda about what went down during their events, what’s next for them, and the challenges of juggling training with work.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:51 Kerstin's pov on the technical issues that affected her race timings

9:46 Amanda was gunning for gold at her last SEA Games

15:26 Amanda remembers her late father's impact on her swim career 

26:46 How these athletes juggle work, training and even nosebleeds 

36:40 We basically trying to survive: Kerstin and Amanda on funding most of their training

40:42 Why is it difficult for athletes to get funding?

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Elizabeth Khor

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Frequent police advisories, daily news stories, a repeated “Add, Check, Tell” mantra – Singaporeans should be better at recognising scams by now.

Yet many continue to fall prey to scammers who keep adapting and refining their approach.

So far in 2025, more than 31,200 cases of scams have been reported, with victims losing over $750.3 million. Last year, the amount lost to scams crossed the $1 billion mark.

In this episode of The Usual Place podcast, I speak with Mr Jeffery Chin, deputy director of the Singapore Police Force’s Scam Public Education Office.

Set up in 2023, the office is staffed by police officers, civilian officers and psychologists who work closely together to drive anti-scam public education efforts.

We’ll discuss how scams have evolved over the years, what makes a person an “ideal” scam victim, and why people end up becoming money mules.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:47Jeffrey’s personal brushes with scams and having nearly lost £500

9:59 Why young people fall for job scams

21:22 How Jeffrey exposed a love scam in seconds using a simple trick in reverse image search

24:05 When victims get their self-image threatened

28:59 Is there anti-scam fatigue?

32:56 Why sharing information about scams is a form of community service

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Elizabeth Khor

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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How far would you go to get your child enrolled at a primary school of your choice?

One woman repeatedly lied about her home address to get her daughter a spot at the primary school the mother wanted in 2023.

But the school discovered the truth, and she was handed a one-week jail sentence in November for subverting the admissions process.

While her sentence has raised eyebrows, she’s not the only one to have attempted this, with other parents over the years having been fined between $4,000 and $5,000 over similar attempts.

In a 2007 case, a parent was jailed after lying about his residential address in order to get his daughter into a certain school in Bukit Timah.

Data from the Ministry of Education showed that between 2020 and 2024, there were about nine such cases each year.

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with three guests about why some parents think they need to game the system to get their child a good education.

They are:

• Pooja Bhandari, founder of non-profit EveryChild.SG, which looks to raise awareness about the need for education reforms and the well-being of children in Singapore,

• Esther Foong-Tan, a family life education specialist, who helps families work on their interpersonal relationships by equipping parents with up-to-date resources and training, and

• Assistant Professor of Sociology Jacqueline Ho, who teaches at Singapore Management University. Her research is focused primarily on the Singaporean education system.

In this pre-recorded episode, we discuss: Is this just ‘kiasu’ culture taken to extremes? And what’s driving parents to go to such lengths for a place at a “good” primary school?

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:16 Emotional impact on the child whose parent was jailed for lying about their address

4:54 Unfairness in the P1 registration system 

11:26 How inequality in society builds anxiety in parents

23:32 Bullying in an elite school 

35:54 How the lack of information about school culture has spurred anxiety among parents 

38:20 Could an automatic allocation to primary schools create a fairer admission system? 

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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It has been about six months since Jasmin Lau and Goh Hanyan stepped into politics after careers in the civil and public service.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

Now they are both political office holders across several ministries, taking on new responsibilities and getting used to being in the public eye.

They are also the co-chairs of the Committee on Technology and Innovation – one of five committees that are part of the Economic Strategy Review.

In a nutshell, the review looks at how Singapore can stay economically relevant and competitive amid geopolitical tensions and tech disruptions.

They will be dropping by The Usual Place podcast to chat about what the past couple of months have been like and the biggest adjustments they have had to make.

We’ll also discuss the committee’s plans on how to accelerate artificial intelligence transformation across the economy and encourage enterprises to adopt AI, as well as feedback they have garnered from speaking with business owners.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:43 Reallocating time spent after landing political office positions 

4:29 The most challenging portfolio 

6:48 Switching between national and municipal issues 

12:09 “Never a dull day, even for the family” - how their children are adjusting 

20:58 Last-mover advantage in adapting AI - feedback from CEO closed door session 

26:36 Don’t panic, the AI wave is not coming tomorrow for your jobs: Jasmin 

35:29 How AI cannot replace the human touch 

38:11 AI companions are scary

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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Dig deeper into why Singapore's food sustainability targets have changed.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

The original goal was for farms here to produce 30 per cent of the country’s nutritional needs, which include fish, eggs and vegetables. Now it's 20 per cent of Singapore's fibre and 30 per cent of protein needs by 2035.

Natasha speaks with Ken Cheong, chief executive of the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation and Ray Poh, founder of Artisan Green, an indoor farm that grows pesticide-free crops – about what measures are needed to help local farms grow and why egg farmers are doing well.

What will help every farm become a "good farm" and should we have CDC-type vouchers to get consumers to buy local produce?

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:31 Why was the  initial goal so difficult to achieve?

4:37 Economies of scale lowers operational costs

7:55 Why transport is the biggest bugbear for local produce

21:56 Why local eggs are safe to be eaten half-boiled

28:52 Will CDC vouchers push more to buy local produce?

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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This follows a debate over a school's alumni reaction to an ST report on a major scam operation.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

It was a crime report meant to highlight the suspects behind a major scam operation, but a nugget of information sparked an uproar over a school’s image.

Last week, The Straits Times reported that two brothers and their cousin were the alleged masterminds running the operation from Phnom Penh.

The group ran a government official impersonation scam that was allegedly responsible for 438 scam cases involving losses of at least $41 million.

The 27 Singaporeans suspected of being members of the organised criminal group are now wanted by the Singapore police.

But that was not what readers were talking about online.

What drew attention was a detail in the Oct 30 report that one of the wanted men, Finan Siow, was said to be a former Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student who once played for the school’s rugby team.

That information – featured in both the article and an infographic – didn’t sit well with the Anglo-Chinese School Old Boys’ Association, which said the school had been singled out.

ST explained its editorial decision.

But the furore around that piece of information, especially from the school’s alumni on social media platforms, was curious.

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak to two well-known social commentators – comedian Rishi Budhrani, and comedy writer and communication strategist Benjamin “Mr Miyagi” Lee – to find out why we are so fixated on brand-name schools?

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:01 Mr Miyagi and Rishi disclose which school they used to attend

3:39 On the ACS Old Boys’ Association’s forum letter

6:56 Rishi and Benjamin on their own reaction to the ST report

8:34 Brand name schools: Baggage and expectations

13:50 Mr Miyagi on his son’s choice of schools

11:49 Judge on merits and achievements, not school links

16:29 School alumni networks have worth too

22:58 Different experiences of school life

30:14 Education is so valued in Singapore, hence such debates

30:48 Old boys: Making the news for wrong reasons

Read more: ACS Old Boys’ Association’s forum letter and response from ST: https://str.sg/pG4E

Read Natasha Ann Zachariah’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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Megan Khung would have turned 10 a few weeks ago, if she were still alive today.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

Instead, five years after her death, the findings by a review panel detailed how, within a year, there were several lapses at various agencies that could have helped her.

The panel’s report came after the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said in April it would conduct a review of Megan’s case.

The girl died in 2020 after suffering physical and emotional abuse by her mother Foo Li Ping and her mother’s then-boyfriend Wong Shi Xiang.

The report’s timeline detailed what happened from the time staff members at Megan’s pre-school found bruises on her body to when the couple were arrested for murder, highlighting gaps in communication among agencies, lags in escalating the matter and a lack of follow-ups.

These agencies include Child Protective Service and the police.

In this episode of The Usual Place, I will discuss what the panel’s findings and recommendations tell us about accountability in the system, the complexities of navigating child abuse cases, and how we can do better to protect the most vulnerable among us.

I speak with ST’s senior social affairs correspondent Theresa Tan and director of clinical services at social service agency Pave Integrated Services Soh Siew Fong.

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:26 When abuse is dealing with life and death

8:12 Did the many helping hands framework fail?

10:00 When child protection is more than just hiring social workers

10:47 Supervising case workers

17:40 Why do social workers hesitate to make police reports?

30:06 How to attract new case workers

33:42 When physical punishment becomes abuse

41:35 Keeping children safe goes beyond case work

Read Natasha Ann Zachariah’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Pave Integrated Services: https://str.sg/fgUd

National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH): https://str.sg/JPwNL

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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Many people switch from smoking to vaping for different reasons.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

For Mr Muhammad Dandiar Rosli, he saw vaping as a cheaper alternative to smoking, so he decided to give it a try.

But it nearly cost him his life. Just a month after he started vaping in 2020, he ended up in hospital after feeling breathless and coughing up thick, yellow phlegm.

He thought he had contracted Covid-19, but a bronchoscopy revealed that he had pulmonary alveolar proteinosis – a rare lung disease where the air sacs are clogged with protein and fatty material, making breathing difficult.

That marked the start of a long recovery that included two hospital stays and four procedures to “wash out” his lungs. What he underwent is called a lung lavage, where sterile saline is used to wash away the abnormal build-up of protein from the lungs. 

Five years on, the memory of the treatment – and the hefty medical bill – still affects him today. Mr Dandiar, a private-hire driver, drops by The Usual Place podcast to talk about undergoing the lung lavage procedures and the difficulty of quitting vaping.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:08 The failed attempt to save money by vaping 

9:08 “It was too painful, I had to shutdown,” Dandiar on being hospitalised with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. 

10:29 The process of lung washing

16:07 Restarting to vape after his first hospitalisation

25:54 Why quitting is so difficult

Read Natasha Ann Zachariah’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

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Parliament convened in September, but a familiar face from the previous term wasn’t there.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

Progress Singapore Party’s secretary-general Leong Mun Wai was a notable presence as a Non-Constituency MP during the 14th term of Parliament, sometimes having heated exchanges with ministers and PAP MPs.

But he and fellow party member Hazel Poa did not retain their NCMP spots following the General Election in May.

Their PSP team for West Coast-Jurong West GRC lost to the PAP slate, which won the five-man GRC with 59.99 per cent of the vote to PSP’s 40.01 per cent.

In this episode of The Usual Place, I speak with Mr Leong about steering the party in its next phase post-GE2025 and the challenges of not being in Parliament.

How will PSP evolve its practices and policy communications without a Parliamentary presence, and remain relevant?

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:06 Increasing online presence to explain party positions

6:05 Mr Leong on heated exchanges as NCMP

10:45 How PSP will explain its policy ideas to the public post-GE2025 

19:19 What will PSP really stand for "after Dr Tan Cheng Bock"?

20:20 Wanting to lead national conversation on economy

22:55 How does PSP stand out differently from other parties?

25:00 Will PSP move beyond the electro west?

28:00 "I learnt a very hard lesson about the powerful PAP machinery": Mr Leong

Read Natasha Ann Zachariah’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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Hybrid work arrangements were once widely seen as the future of work, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic upended the daily grind we were used to.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

Now, some businesses and employers appear to be changing course.

Last week, the National University of Singapore raised eyebrows when it was reported that all full-time staff were required to work from the office five days a week, starting Oct 1.

The move follows similar return-to-office mandates by big companies, both in Singapore and abroad, including Grab and Amazon.

The discussion over where work should happen has been going on since the pandemic.

However, if staff are pushing back on a full return, why do some employers still insist on moving ahead with these mandates? If returning to the office becomes a requirement, how should the workplace accommodate different work styles?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I spoke with:

• Ives Tay, a learning and development consultant who has experience with adult education, training quality assurance and workforce development, and
• Nicole Chua, director in workplace consulting and People Strategy Lead in Asia-Pacific for global real estate services company JLL

Highlights (click/tap above):

6:57 We can be productive in the office - and at home

9:12 WFH allows workers to break their day into focused blocks

13:52 Have the courage to speak with managers about policies

18:07 Are some ruining WFH for the rest?

19:45 Employees should be transparent about their movements

22:57 Government should address tensions over flexible work arrangements

29:31 Ensuring the WFH benefits remain

31:53 Is WFH short-changing fresh graduates?

35:27 Consequences for employers enforcing RTO measures

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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A marathon Parliament session unfolded last week, as MPs debated the President’s Address over five days.

A total of 81 MPs spoke in support of the motion, including the 32 newly elected members who delivered their maiden speeches. They raised issues ranging from job and wage anxieties to bridging the wealth inequality gap and the disruption caused by artificial intelligence (AI).

In this episode of The Usual Place, I spoke with Workers’ Party MPs Fadli Fawzi and Kenneth Tiong about their Parliament debut.

I chatted with both Aljunied GRC MPs about their speeches, and what life has been like after the 2025 General Election.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:25 Prepping for their Parliament debut

4:01 “It’s like the teacher calling your name.”

6:45 Social mobility is the true test of meritocracy: Fadli

9:24 Pitfalls of idealising meritocracy

12:03 An elderly woman and her pigeons

14:13 Leading the Meet-the-People sessions

16:11 Speaking in Parliament versus at GE2025

20:46 The supportive wives behind these MPs

22:46 Challenging the PAP-lite claims

27:20 A need for direct answers from the Government

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Public transport operators SMRT and SBS Transit have been catching some heat lately, following a spate of at least 15 instances of rail delays and interruptions since July.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

In the first three weeks of September, there were six incidents occurring due to train faults or signalling issues.

Meanwhile, the Land Transport Authority figures show the MRT network’s reliability over 12 months ending June 2025 fell to its lowest level since 2020.

It’s understandable why commuters are frustrated.

Upgrades have been made to refresh ageing MRT lines, and new lines have been added. Plus, MRT and bus fares for adults went up by 10 cents in December 2024.

Yet, troubles persist.

Earlier this week in Parliament, Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow answered a range of questions from MPs about the matter, and spoke about follow-ups that the operators and LTA were working on together.

Was it an adequate response to the spate of disruptions, which have included hours-long disruptions on the East-West Line and Sengkang-Punggol LRT system in August? What else can be done to restore commuters’ confidence in our public transport systems?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I chatted with:

• Former ST senior transport correspondent Christopher Tan, who has covered Singapore’s transport scene since 1989, and

• Dr Samuel Chng, a research assistant professor who heads the Urban Psychology Lab in the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

Highlights (click/tap above): 

2:16 A review of Mr Siow’s parliament debut

5:36 New trains, refreshed lines, so why the disruptions?

11:16 Is it fair to say the incidents are unrelated?

17:56 Plan Bs and Cs when trains go down

20:19 Not an apple-to-apple comparison with other cities’

25:13 What does MKBF mean for a commuter?

30:22 Expectations of the new rail reliability task force

35:28 With most trips running smoothly, is our frustration justified?

38:36 Mr Siow’s report card so far

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai, Natasha Liew and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pickleball has been a smash hit in Singapore over the past couple of years, but not everyone’s a fan.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

The game has attracted players of all ages looking to learn a new skill, keep active or meet fellow ‘picklers’.

On the flip side, pickleball has sparked complaints from residents living near Housing Board courts, who say the games are too noisy and disrupt the peace.

Last week, a Straits Times report looked into the tensions that have arisen amid pickleball’s growing popularity.

Complaints have surfaced on online forums, while angry residents have aired their grievances on social media and written in to ST’s Forum page.

MPs and town councils have stepped in with measures, though these vary across neighbourhoods.

They include restricting playing times for games, switching off the lights at courts after a particular time, and even banning pickleball from badminton courts, thus reducing the opportunities for play. (Pickleball courts are nearly identical in size to badminton courts, but smaller than tennis courts.)

The backlash against the game has been frustrating for players, who are competing to book spaces at ActiveSG facilities, as demand balloons. There are private courts, but they are a more expensive option.

In this episode of The Usual Place, I spoke with:

- Jeremy Soh, founder of pickleball club Performance Pickleball who picked up the sport less than two years ago; and

- Assistant Professor Nurul Amillin Hussain, a social scientist from Nanyang Technological University.

What made the game popular, and can pickleball players and residents find common ground? Also, why do tensions keep arising over sports in the heartlands?

Highlights (click/tap above): 

2:00 Is pickleball a real sport?

7:13 A good sport to repopulate urban spaces

10:03 How much does it cost to get started?

12:43 Facing complaints when playing in public courts

17:40 Are we more intolerant than before?

19:35 Silent balls can help, so why don’t players use them?

27:48 Is noise in the ear of the beholder?

29:41 Is pickleball just a fad?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai, Natasha Liew and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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Gen Zs are out here skipping the alcohol, but not the party.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

In daytime or earlier-evening parties, a growing number of young people in Singapore are heading to raves, cafes and clubs to vibe to sick beats – with matchas and coffees in hand.

I’m not a clubber by any means, but I’m curious why Gen Zs are embracing this sober partying movement wholeheartedly.

Back in my day, pre-gaming with alcohol before the club, checking out different venues, and ending the night at a supper joint at 3am were the highlights of those nights out.

What changed for Gen Zs and what does this mean for the nightlife scene here?

In this episode of The Usual Place, I spoke with:

• Kavan Spruyt, co-founder of Rasa Space, who has worked with renowned venues like Berghain in Berlin, and Kyo in Singapore; and

• Shahan Shah Shawn, one of the Gen Z co-founders of Exposure Therapy, a company that organises events that redefine what a party can look like.

Highlights (click/tap above): 

1:42 What does partying sober mean?

3:56 How high costs kill the party

12:20 What’s driving the rise of day time parties?

15:50 Is this trend mirrored in the nightlife scene overseas?

19:20 The Gen Z flex: going to the gym at 5am

25:25 Do Gen Zs find alcohol uncool?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

--

#tup #tuptr

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.