Explore every episode of the podcast In Your Opinion

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	Title	Pub. Date	Duration
	S1E89: Denise Phua on motherhood, advocacy and support for people with autism	02 sept. 2026	00:56:33
Denise Phua raised an autistic son and spent decades championing greater inclusion. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. The Straits Times Deputy Opinion Editor Mubin Saadat sits with Member of Parliament and President of Autism Resource Centre Denise Phua to discuss her personal journey raising a son with autism and the lessons it has taught her about inclusion. The podcast explores the “post-18 cliff” faced by many adults with autism and their families, and what needs to change in learning, employment and living arrangements. Denise also discusses the anxieties caregivers face about their children’s futures, especially when parents are no longer around. The conversation examines whether Singapore’s disability policies are keeping pace with the needs of people across their entire lives – and what a truly inclusive society should look like. Highlights (click/tap above): 0:55 Motherhood and personal advocacy journey 5:55 Evolving support systems and challenges 15:55 Bridging gaps in learning, working and living 22:55 Creating inclusive employment opportunities 29:35 What would you say to employers to embrace inclusivity? 37:25 Will AI take over jobs meant for people with special needs? 40:35 Personalised support and living models 47:10 On straddling between advocacy and her role as MP 51:05 Grappling with life without parents for people with autism Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Mubin Saadat on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/brVx Host: Mubin Saadat (mubin@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT 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 --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E88: Sleep earlier: NUS scientist Dean Ho on the top thing people can do to live longer	26 août 2026	00:57:17
An NUS scientist reversed his own biological age after stress-testing his diet, sleep and exercise in a longevity study Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each week, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. Strict bedtimes, daily exercise and cutbacks to fat and sugar intake are usually gleaned from big data as standard advice for better health. But what if you could effectively tailor these rules for your own body? To find out more about how an individual’s biological baseline shifts over time, Dean Ho, director of the Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM) at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine), embarked on a two-year study on himself to develop a technology that analyses the data from wearables. Known as DELTA, this study had helped reverse the 47-year-old's biological age by 15 years, after undergoing a series of lifestyle interventions, including varying fasting durations, exercise routines and nutrition adjustments. Throughout the process, this biological response was monitored in real-time to track a biological baseline shaped by age, stress, sleep, food, exercise and illness. His intense regimen included around 20 hours of fasting each day, multiple 48-hour fasts, 90 minutes of strength or cardiovascular training every morning, and a structured diet centred on leafy greens, seeds, olive oil, lean protein, and other Mediterranean-style foods. His beverages were limited to water, electrolytes, and black coffee or tea without milk and sugar. In this episode of In Your Opinion, Lynda Hong, assistant podcast editor from The Straits Times, sits down with Ho, who is also provost’s chair professor at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. They delve into why he embarked on this study with just himself as the study sample, and how he can still eat everything from chicken rice, and pizza to five chendols in 2.5 days when he went on a trip to Penang with his son. Highlights (click/tap above): 7:48 Technology aspect to DELTA study in analysing vitals and biological age 10:00 How DELTA differs from Project Blueprint 12:52 Have your pizza and eat it too - understanding 'your delta' to optimise your biology 15:24 Ho’s interaction with Bryan Johnson 15:52 Ho on Bryan Johnson: ‘His dedication to sleep is inspiring’ 17:46 Did Ho take any testosterone replacements, HGH, supplements? 20:30 Why a sample size of one is enough for the DELTA study 27:08 The function of a ‘digital twin’ in tailoring strategies to improve health 30:05 ‘Human behavior is more powerful than the most powerful medicines on the planet’ 39:00 Taking small steps to drinking Kopi ‘O’ Kosong and sleeping more 43:00 Beyond the wrinkles and cutting sugar to the real reason why Ho pursues longevity 52:10 The Pursuit of Longevity vs. Quality of Life Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT 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 --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E87: Lee Kuan Yew arrowed me to face JB Jeyaretnam: Ex-SM S Jayakumar on being in LKY’s Cabinet	19 août 2026	00:54:52
The former senior minister unveils the robust Cabinet debates over three defining institutions published in a new book. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. Governing Singapore today is a tough task, made more difficult by frequent comparisons with the immediate post-independence decades - a period dominated by the towering figure of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Yet was Lee more open to persuasion than we realise? Was governing Singapore far more complex, nuanced and more akin to a team sport? What enabled the Singapore Cabinet to have vociferous debates on policy including the Elected Presidency, the Group Representation Constituency and the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament? And after recent developments and the power of hindsight, would one of their chief architects say they’re due for a refresh? These are the subjects of the book Creating Three Unique Singapore Laws: An Inside Story by S. Jayakumar, launched on Aug 12. In an exclusive hour-long podcast with The Straits Times opinion editor Lin Suling, he opens up on Cabinet deliberations and sheds light on a milieu in Singapore’s history after the 1981 Anson by-election, which sparked the creation of three powerful institutions that have become indelible parts of Singapore’s political system. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:44 Are recent resignations of minority Members of Parliament a setback for the GRC system? Is the GRC system due for a review? 12:58 Has public understanding on the limits of the Elected Presidency improved? 21:21 Was the NCMP scheme created to secure the ruling People’s Action Party’s dominance in Parliament? 29:26 Do PAP backbenchers pull their punches in Parliament? What was it like being J B Jeyaretnam’s “sparring partner”? 31:36 Was Lee Kuan Yew actually more open to persuasion than Singaporeans realise? 33:10 What allowed Lee’s Cabinet to have such vociferous debates? Does S Jayakumar worry about political correctness dampening discussions? What does it take to recruit capable Cabinet Ministers? 40:45 Why did a proposal on constitutional design go through DEFCO - the defence council overseeing national security? 44:00 Are any of Singapore's constitutional institutions due for a refresh? 46:59 How did S Jayakumar balance heavy ministerial portfolios with constituency duties in Bedok and family life? Creating Three Unique Singapore Laws: An Inside Story is published by Straits Times Press and available for $38.90 (excluding GST) at major bookstores and online at https://www.stbooks.sg/ Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lin Suling on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/hiLQ Host: Lin Suling (linsuling@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT 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 --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E86: Dinesh Vasu Dash on Singapore’s dependence on migrant workers	12 août 2026	00:50:41
Migrant workers - we discuss the unpaid wage saga and their role in our economy. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. The Straits Times columnist Tan Dawn Wei sits down with Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash to discuss his transition to the Cabinet and how his background in healthcare for vulnerable groups shapes his approach to labour policy. The conversation tackles a major wage crisis where over 400 migrant workers went unpaid, sparking a debate on whether Singapore’s system is adequate in picking up early warning signs. The Minister of State also outlines a future with fewer but better paid migrant workers and better living conditions, concluding with a call for stronger social integration and mutual empathy between Singaporeans and migrant workers. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:38 Transitioning to the manpower portfolio: Dinesh Vasu Dash discusses how his previous role in integrated healthcare shaped his focus on safeguarding low-wage and vulnerable workers. 10:06 The unpaid wage crisis: An update on the tripartite intervention that recovered salaries for the workers left stranded. 17:37 Why ground-level officers didn't pick up the unpaid wage case earlier. 26:43 NGO recommendations and their feasibility. 28:45 Regulating recruitment debt: Examining the high upfront fees workers pay in source countries. 35:13 Foreign worker levies: Has it achieved its objective? 39:04 What will Singapore’s manpower landscape look like in 20 years? 45:26 Social integration as a two-way street. Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Tan Dawn Wei (dawntan@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT 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 --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E85: Inside disguised retrenchments: An employment lawyer on how companies force workers out	05 août 2026	00:44:17
Retrenchment payouts, mental health claims & the Workplace Fairness Act: How S’pore’s new law rewrites the rules. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. With the landmark Workplace Fairness Act (WFA) set to take full effect in late 2027, the rules of the corporate game are about to change. But will the new laws actually protect the everyday worker, or just create new legal loopholes? In this episode of In Your Opinion, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with veteran employment lawyer Jonathan Yuen, Partner at Rajah & Tann. They peel back the curtain on the dark side of HR tactics, from weaponised Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) to the 24-hour ultimatum room. Plus, an insider look at the new $250,000 Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) limit, and why the upcoming legal changes might force unrepresented employees into a David and Goliath battle against corporate HR. Highlights (click/tap above): 8:46 Myth busted: The '1 month per year' severance rule 20:41 Should Singapore introduce a mandatory cooling-off period for severance offers? 25:30 What is the most practical change from the Workplace Fairness Act? 32:44 Genuine struggles vs weaponising mental health against employers 39:06 The $250,000 claim limit and the ban on lawyers under the new law Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT 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 --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E84: The surprising reason Singaporeans complain but don’t correct bad public behaviour	21 juil. 2026	00:25:00
While strict laws enforce behaviour, building a gracious society requires mutual trust rather than constant rules. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Singapore seems to be introducing more laws to police everyday behaviour - from tray returns to using mobile phones while driving. But can legislation really make people more gracious, or does it simply expose a deeper trust deficit in society? And when should citizens confront bad behaviour themselves instead of reporting it to the authorities? Opinion Editor Lin Suling speaks with sociologist Dr Tan Ern Ser, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, about whether Singapore is becoming a nation that relies too heavily on rules, complaints and punishment — and what it would take to build a genuinely high-trust, "We First" society. Highlights (click/tap above): 3:35 Why does seemingly ordinary, considerate behaviour disappear once people get behind the wheel? 5:40 Does criminalising phone use while driving mean public education has failed? 12:25 Have we outsourced everyday conflict resolution to the state instead of correcting bad behaviour ourselves? 13:55 Is Singapore's complaint culture undermining trust and creating online vigilantism? 16:46 When is reporting someone the right thing to do? When should it be the last resort? 19:52 Thirty years after the Singapore Kindness Movement, have we become kinder or simply better at enforcing rules? 21:28 How can Singapore encourage people to speak up against antisocial behaviour without leaving them to stand alone? 23:11 Can Singapore realistically become a 'We First' society? What would a genuinely high-trust society look like? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lin Suling on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/hiLQ Host: Lin Suling (linsuling@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 Watch The Mother Load on YouTube: https://str.sg/HnaV --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E83: Singapore footpath wars: Why reclaiming car space could solve the PMD and PMA problem	14 juil. 2026	00:42:45
While more car lanes induce congestion, reclaiming road space for micro-mobility would make for a highly efficient transport. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. New rules for Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs) kicked in on June 1, slashing speeds to 6 km/h and requiring medical certificates to crack down on able-bodied riders. But as pedestrians, e-bikes, and gig workers continue to squeeze onto narrow pavements, are we fighting over the wrong patch of concrete as Singapore embarks on a car-lite journey? In this episode of In Your Opinion, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with associate professor Yap Fook Fah from Transport Research Centre@NTU. They discuss why it is unsafe for micro-mobility devices to travel on Singapore’s roads, and his argument for allocating more space to transport modes that take up less room but have the capacity to ferry more people. Yap also discusses why regulations alone won't fix our active mobility woes, the illusion of induced demand for cars, and how aggressively reclaiming car lanes might be the ultimate, sweat-free solution to Singapore’s last-mile commute and congested feeder buses. Highlights (click/tap above): 6:27 The mobility gap: why able-bodied commuters are using PMAs 14:07 Cars take up more space but ferry fewer people 16:30 Why fewer cars would not slow the economy 17:57 How allocating more space for cars would induce traffic congestion 26:22 How integrating micro-mobility transport could save hundreds of millions of dollars in commute time 29:42 The weather isn’t hot for the first and last mile commute 34:19 Shifting the mindsets to view roads as public space instead of car space Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E82: Can the Lions deliver? SG football’s future, World Cup ambitions & career pathways	07 juil. 2026	00:37:37
Can the Lions unleash the roar in World Cup 2034? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. With the World Cup frenzy gripping nations, the performances of Asian powerhouses and small-population underdogs have sparked a familiar question: What will it take for Singapore to get there? For the first time in a long time, the conversation around Singapore football feels less about what we lack, and more about what we might yet achieve. Following a historic qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Finals, the Lions have given a football-crazed nation a renewed sense of optimism. But is this a genuine turning point, or are expectations running ahead of reality? In this episode, deputy opinion editor Mubin Saadat sits down with Lions’ head coach Gavin Lee. They kick off by extracting lessons from the global stage, analysing how countries with tiny populations are making World Cup history, and what that means for Singapore’s Goal 2034 ambitions. They also discuss Gavin’s rapid career rise, balancing brand-new fatherhood with national expectations, and his immediate priorities for the upcoming ASEAN Championship. Finally, Gavin dismantles the ultimate Singaporean dilemma, proving exactly why our youth do not have to choose between academic success and a career in professional sports. Highlights (click/tap above): 00:19 World Cup 2026: What Singapore can learn from South Korea & Brazil vs Japan 10:38 Coach Gavin Lee on fatherhood & national team duties 17:44 Should parents let their children pick football as a career in Singapore? 19:45 With DSA, is football still a social leveller in Singapore? 26:18 Gavin’s immediate priorities for Asean Championship on 24 Jul 2026 30:44 The goal for Singapore to qualify for 2034 World Cup 32:07 At 35, has Gavin reached the peak of his coaching career? 33:58 Do local football coaches need overseas exposure? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Mubin Saadat (mubin@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E81: Singapore's lonely seniors: Why the super-aged feel isolated even when living with family	30 juin 2026	00:48:42
Seniors are increasingly feeling lonely. Learn why preventing elderly loneliness starts in your 20s. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. The shift from open kampungs to closed-door HDB flats has left many Singaporean seniors socially isolated—often feeling invisible even while living with their own families. This chronic loneliness takes a severe toll on psychological well-being, acting as a major risk factor for cognitive decline and conditions like dementia. How can our seniors age with dignity, connection, and purpose? In this episode, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong speaks with Karen Wee, executive director of Lions Befrienders. The social service agency leverages both high-touch human interventions and innovative technology, like Gen AI, to rebuild the kampung spirit in its transformative, relationship-centred approach to eldercare. Crucially, Karen emphasises that preparing for a healthy old age cannot wait until retirement; it must begin decades earlier through the social habits and personal passions we develop in our 20s and 30s. This requires a societal shift away from purely economic achievements, toward teaching the younger generation how to form deep human relationships that will give them purpose long after they leave the workforce. Highlights (click/tap above): 13:00 Scams are one reason why seniors refuse to open their doors 18:14 Why social loneliness develops from a young age 21:48 How seniors are benefiting from talking to Gen AI 42:04 Why pursuit of personal passions improves ageing 45:58 How social isolation progresses and worsens over time Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E80: A focus on one-child couples is an easier baby booster than large families	23 juin 2026	00:56:33
Targeting one-child couples for a second child is lower-hanging fruit than pushing for a third under the Large Families Scheme, says a researcher. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Stopping at one or two children is such a norm in Singapore that a 'large family' now means having three or more children. This definition comes after the government launched the large families scheme in 2025, in a bid to encourage Singaporeans to expand their households. In its first year alone, the scheme has already stepped in to help about 5,000 Singaporean children. Each of them received up to $16,000 in additional grants to ease the financial load of multi-child parenting. But can money alone shift a couple’s mindsets to having more children? Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Kalpana Vignehsa joins assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong to discuss the modern realities, anxieties, and choices of raising children in Singapore. Highlights (click/tap above): 7:27 Why focus on one-child family instead of two-child families under Large Families Scheme 25:48 BTO Co-Living: Building a Child-Raising Community with 12 Families 28:16 $300,000? $500,000? The value of child-raising to society 36:04 Why a family with 3 kids is usually on a single income 50:14 Youth prioritising education, NS and BTO, leaving no room for marriage, let alone babies Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E79: Deepfakes, $50 intimate photos amid OSC launch	16 juin 2026	00:32:08
Singapore's new Online Safety Commission (OSC) rolls out to combat cyberbullying, deepfakes, and online harms. But will this law protect victims, or will trolls simply hide in darker corners? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Imagine discovering that your face and voice have been hijacked, manipulated into a deepfake, and broadcast across the internet. It is a chilling violation of privacy, and it proves a terrifying point: no one is immune to online harms. As digital abuse, cyberbullying, and image-based violence become increasingly normalised, the rules of engagement are also shifting. Enter the Online Safety Commission (OSC) that Singapore is officially rolling out in June 2026. This new regulatory watchdog is designed to force tech giants to take down harmful content and give victims some respite from the harassment and bullying. But will this new law actually have the teeth to protect us? Or will trolls quickly invent new ways to circumvent it? In this episode of In Your Opinion, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with legal expert and founder of SG Her Empowerment (SHE) Stefanie Yuen Thio. Yuen Thio shares her personal ordeal as a deepfake victim and uncovers the severe realities of digital abuse facing youths in Singapore today – including the alarming normalisation of teenagers selling intimate photos for $50. Highlights (click/tap above): 3:14 Her personal experience surviving a deepfake attack 7:43 How "trusted flaggers" like SHE get harmful content taken down faster than standard reporting 9:57 What the new Online Safety Commission (OSC) actually means for victims of cyberbullying 24:36 The disturbing reality of youths commodifying their bodies and selling intimate photos for $50 27:22 Beyond the law: The urgent need for age assurance technology and bystander intervention Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E78: P1 registration: How did the parent volunteer scheme become an arms race?	09 juin 2026	00:37:51
The scheme was meant to build closer ties between parents and schools. Has it achieved its intended purpose, or outlived its usefulness? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Would you volunteer your time and effort to get your child into a primary school of your choice? For many parents, it’s a no-brainer - even if it involves a huge commitment. Parent volunteering was introduced as part of the P1 registration system as a way to encourage parents to be more involved in their child’s education and build closer ties between parents and the school. Schools also benefitted from the extra help in their programmes and events. In 1998, it was announced that parent volunteers would have to complete at least 40 hours of service to the school to register their child in an earlier phase of P1 registration. But the scheme’s immense popularity among parents has caused it to become increasingly competitive. Some parents ballot to have a chance to volunteer. Others prepare detailed curriculums or send CVs to schools. Some schools no longer accept parent volunteers. It’s raised questions: Given that volunteering requires time, effort and skills, does the scheme really only benefit parents who have resources? And isn’t volunteering meant to be something done out of a genuine desire to do good, rather than expecting something in return? How did the parent volunteer scheme turn into an arms race? Has it outlived its usefulness? Is it time to scrap the scheme entirely? In this episode of In Your Opinion, Assistant Opinion Editor Lianne Chia speaks with Associate Professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education to understand the original intentions of the scheme, what happened along the way - and why choosing a child’s primary school has become such a high-stakes, high anxiety exercise. Highlights (click/tap above): 4:20 Has the parent volunteer scheme achieved its initial purpose? 5:59 Does the scheme turn volunteering into a transaction? 9:33 How did the P1 volunteering scheme become an arms race? 16:22 Can we really blame parents? 23:59 Is there a way we can return the scheme to its original intention? 27:32 Should we scrap the volunteering scheme - or double down on it? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lianne Chia (liannechia@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E77: ‘The more you know, the more wonderful it becomes’: Brian Cox on science and awe	02 juin 2026	00:59:49
In an age where information is readily available and where we're fed an unending stream of content, have we lost our sense of wonder? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. We live in a time where technology has made information more readily available than ever. Curiosity has been the main driver of human discovery since the beginning of time but when faced with a barrage of information, have we stopped wanting to know more? In this episode of In Your Opinion, senior columnist Rohit Brijnath speaks with celebrated physicist, educator and rock star Brian Cox. Currently on a world tour with his live show, Emergence, he takes us on a journey across the cosmos, civilisation and human curiosity all while attempting to answer the question: how do we find wonder? Emergence will be in Singapore on June 10. Highlights (click/tap above): 4:46 Should people be more curious? 8:51 Keeping a sense of wonder through life 10:36 Are there aliens out there? 15:38 There are things I don't actually know 19:55 Kepler, Galileo and Einstein around a table 29:13 Two weeks in space is ideal 32:46 Why world leaders should go to space 36:11 Are there mysteries that should remain? 38:29 What to look for in the night sky 41:31 Can you see planets in Singapore? 42:06 Is an uncurious person a failure? 47:21 Brian Cox's top musical highlight 55:06 The AI revolution and social change Books Brian Cox recommended: The Six-Cornered Snowflake by Johannes Kepler The Invention of Science: A New History of the Scientific Revolution by David Wootton The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle In The Dark Read Rohit’s columns: https://str.sg/wFu2 Host: Rohit Brijnath (rohitb@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Elizabeth Law and Danson Cheong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E76: Think you're safe from cyber crooks? Why 99% of companies are exposed	26 mai 2026	00:34:20
As AI supercharges cyber threats, how can the "missing 99%" of small and medium enterprises protect themselves? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Cybersecurity is undergoing a fundamental shift. For a long time, it was treated as a dark art – a deeply technical problem left to IT teams and discussed in jargon few others understood. But as the threat landscape has evolved, major breaches are forcing the conversation into the boardroom, turning cyber risk into a critical matter of corporate governance and liability. While multinational corporations can afford elite digital defences, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – the 99 per cent of our economy – are often left exposed. Increasingly, SMEs are targeted not just for their own data, but as backdoors into the larger corporate and national networks they serve. If our current security playbook only works for the biggest players, how do we protect the rest? In this episode, ST’s Deputy Opinion Editor Bhavan Jaipragas speaks with Gaurav Keerthi, co-founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm StrongKeep, and former Deputy Commissioner of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:55 Why does cybersecurity switch people off? 5:06 Are boards stepping up to AI threats? 7:25 Why are SMEs still exposed to threats? 10:05 The "Ikea model" for affordable cybersecurity 15:45 Can state-linked cyber threats be solved? 25:12 Cyber risks and opportunities of agentic AI 28:27 Critical actions for boards, SMEs, and users. 31:41 Balancing online security and everyday usability Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Bhavan Jaipragas (bhavan@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E75: Autonomous Vehicles in SG: Are we ready to surrender the wheel to AI?	19 mai 2026	00:30:43
In an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) crash, should AI save the young instead of the elderly? Germany banned this, but a pragmatist asks: why not let algorithms choose based on age? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Traffic accidents in Singapore have hit a 10-year high. Every day, motorists are caught speeding, running red lights, and looking at their phones. The proposed solution is radical: take the steering wheel away from humans and hand it entirely to Artificial Intelligence. But as Singapore drafts the legal framework to roll out autonomous vehicles (AVs), where are the dangerous lines we are crossing? From programming algorithms to decide who lives and dies in a split-second crash, to the terrifying threat of a hacked network, are we actually ready to surrender our safety to a machine we don't fully understand? In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with the man building the robot's brain: Professor Marcelo Ang from the Advanced Robotics Centre at the NUS Mechanical Engineering Department, a researcher who first tested an AV in 2013. They debate the ethics of the trolley problem about picking who to collide with in an unavoidable crash, the liabilities in the event of a driverless car crash, and the brutal reality awaiting thousands of middle-aged drivers whose jobs are about to be automated. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:47 Tesla vs. true driverless - the different levels of self-driving 9:04 The "Guardian Angel" - an underlying physics algorithm that overrides bad AI decisions 11:48 Why level 3 autonomous driving can be dangerous 14:20 Should the algorithm hit the 80-year-old or the 10-year-old in an unavoidable crash 23:55 The hardest engineering challenge: Predicting irrational human behaviour Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E74: 12-year-olds in therapy - the silent rise in youth porn addiction	13 mai 2026	00:20:55
The dopamine trap: Is Asia’s conservative culture driving a porn addiction crisis? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Asia holds the highest rate of problematic pornography use in the world at nearly one in five people, according to a study which researchers term 'Asian Paradox'. While casual viewing can be healthy for adults in some instances, this taboo weaponises the dopamine hit for tech-savvy youths. In this episode, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with Dr Peter Chew, Associate Professor of Psychology at James Cook University Singapore, to unpack this silent epidemic. They explore the neuroscience behind the digital dopamine trap, why a teenager's developing brain is vulnerable, and why symbolic website bans are failing. Dr Chew also dismantles common misconceptions, explaining the crucial difference between clinical addiction and religious guilt; how sex education should change; and why abstinence-only programmers cause higher unwanted pregnancies. Highlights (click/tap above): 4:25 Why is porn so devastating to a teenager? 6:40 Does porn addiction lead to sex crimes? 10:05 What does treatment entail? 12:38 Approaching the topic of sex and pornography with youths 16:24 Moral implications towards sex education Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E73: What's the property agent's role in this age of AI?	05 mai 2026	00:36:52
As AI changes everything, can the property agents’ most valuable asset - trust - keep them relevant? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at key issues of the day with newsmakers. Singapore's property market has transformed over the last few decades. From an opaque, relationship-driven industry, it has evolved into one reshaped by online listings, price transparency, and regulatory tightening. Yet the ethical tensions have endured, with commission conflicts, trust gaps, information asymmetry still persisting. And as property prices have climbed, so have agent commissions. With the advent of AI and digitalisation, some sharper questions have surfaced. As technology changes or replaces roles across industries, can it do the same for the property sector and finally resolve the conflicts and contradictions that have been constant bugbears? Will buyers and sellers still need to depend on an agent? How will the role of the property agent change? In this episode, opinion deputy editor Mubin Saadat speaks to real estate agency ERA’s CEO Marcus Chu. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:05 What’s fundamentally changed about the agent’s role? 7:06 Are property agents earning more now than they ever did? 10:36 Should we rethink agents’ commissions? 20:42 Should property agents be giving financial advice? 23:40 Will AI replace property agents? 30:40 Preparing property agents for AI 33:28 The important conversation the industry should be having Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Mubin Saadat (mubin@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E72: Is chilli the most important ingredient in Singapore cuisine?	21 avr. 2026	00:26:19
Is “not spicy enough” a legitimate criticism of a dish? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at key issues of the day with newsmakers. Across Singapore’s diverse culinary landscape, chilli is a common accompaniment to almost any meal — think sambal belachan, chilli paste mixed with garlic and ginger or freshly cut chilli padi. The unique chilli condiment paired with a meal can sometimes make or break a dish. Do we judge a dish by its chilli — and rightly or wrongly so? Do we wear our tolerance toward spiciness as an undeserved badge of honour? And with the influx of Chinese mala cuisine and Korean gochujang, has Singapore's chilli culture become more adventurous in the last decade? In this episode, opinion editor Lin Suling speaks to food influencer Alderic Teo and private chef Schira Hassan. Highlights (click/tap above): 7:20 Is “not spicy enough” a legitimate criticism of a dish? 8:10 Korean spicy noodles: Why the performative element? 9:30 How to make traditional dishes accessible to a wider audience while retaining authenticity? 11:10 Do people’s spice tolerances decline with age? 22:00 Can the accompanying chilli become the dealbreaker for a dish? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lin Suling (linsuling@sph.com.sg) Produced & edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E71: Fewer babies, slower boom? The future of Singapore’s real estate market	14 avr. 2026	00:32:37
Why Singapore’s low fertility rate last year could really redefine real estate from 2050. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with newsmakers. Singapore is producing fewer babies. Its birth rate, measured by the total fertility rate (TFR), plunged to a record low of 0.87 in 2025, continuing the downtrend of 0.97 in 2023. The citizen population may start to shrink by the early 2040s. In February 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong stressed the need to therefore have a “carefully managed immigration flow to augment our low birth rate”. As the population shrinks, who would be the buyers in the property market in the future? To delve deeper into this, Lynda Hong hosts Mr Alan Cheong, executive director of consultancy at Savills Singapore. They also discuss how fewer buyers in the future would push the property market to be rental-based, rather than ownership-driven. They chat too, about the future of the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (Vers) and how rapid changing technology could change immigration policy. Highlights (click/tap above): 7:54 How shrinking family sizes have concentrated wealth for young buyers 15:38 The AI threat also applies to immigrant skills 20:09 How Vers could be implemented 24:10 Why Singapore may be leaning towards Generation Rent in the future 25:28 Why youth of the future may not have the same desire to own property later on 27:25 The looming divide between appreciating freeholds and plunging ageing leaseholds Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E70: Why your electricity bill is going up when fuel reserves are full	07 avr. 2026	00:35:04
If Singapore has fuel reserves, why are electricity tariffs surging? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with newsmakers. From April to June 2026, electricity and household tariffs will be higher. And we’ve been warned to brace for even higher utility bills after this quarter, as the ongoing war in the Middle East squeezes global fuel supplies. But this always leads to a very common question from Singaporeans. To counter these exact types of supply shocks, does Singapore actually have enough national fuel reserves to last for months? So if we have our own stockpiles, why do we still have to pay more? In this episode, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong unpacks the impact of the war on inflation with Dr David Broadstock, partner at energy consultancy The Lantau Group. He explains the stockpile paradox when global conflicts hit the cost of living at home. Apart from cost of living issues related to the rise in energy prices, the episode also discusses whether it’s more cost-effective to buy an Electric Vehicle (EV) and the challenges to transition to decarbonised energy like nuclear and renewables. Highlights (click/tap above): 4:54 Survival vs. hedging: The two types of fuel reserves Singapore uses 14:10 Will Open Electricity Market (OEM) retailers collapse again? 20:35 When will energy inflation hit food and transport? 25:52 Why the war, even if short-lived, would have long-term impact on high prices 27:58 EV vs. petrol: Does switching to an electric vehicle actually save you money right now? 30:59 Is nuclear energy the ultimate solution to Singapore's price shocks? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E69: Does a degree still guarantee a good full-time job?	31 mars 2026	00:32:43
The first woman to lead a university in Singapore discusses how SMU is adapting to AI and different forms of employment. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with newsmakers. Facing a softer job market, fresh challenges wrought by artificial intelligence (AI) and growing scrutiny over the industry relevance of degrees, universities are coming under pressure to show degrees lead to good jobs, not just academic credentials. That requires stronger career services, more industry-linked learning and closer alignment between education and the job market. How are universities adapting to improve graduate employability? How do they ensure students gain practical, industry-relevant skills alongside academic knowledge? What yardsticks should universities use to judge if a degree is still delivering good value? In this episode, ST's opinion editor Lin Suling speaks with SMU President Prof Lily Kong. Highlights (click/tap above): 7:07 Can a student realistically juggle multiple competing demands of a holistic education? 9:33 Overseas exchange programmes: Leveller or a flex? 15:34 What responsibilities do universities bear for graduate employment outcomes? 20:58 The impact of internships and cross-disciplinary programmes on employment outcomes 28:54 How AI is changing teaching at SMU 32:50 More gig, temp and part-time roles: Do universities have a role in preparing students for this career reality? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lin Suling on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/hiLQ Host: Lin Suling (linsuling@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E68: Trading cards: Childhood hobby, investment asset or a gateway to gambling?	24 mars 2026	00:38:16
Are these cards really that bad? Could playing with them lead to gambling? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Pokemon. One Piece. Magic: The Gathering. These trading card games bring back nostalgic childhood memories. But the government's plans to regulate them raise questions. In this episode, assistant opinion editor Lianne Chia speaks to psychiatrist Lim Boon Leng from Gleneagles Medical Centre, and Chew Zhan Lun, co-founder of card marketplace CTRL Collectibles, who recently made headlines for rejecting a $1.3 million offer for one of his Pokemon cards. They delve into the nature of the trading card scene and how such cards - initially meant for children to play with - have turned into a hyped-up investment asset. But with social media and livestreaming fuelling this boom, there are practices that could cross the line into gambling. Could regulations, therefore, be a good thing for the scene? And what could they look like? Highlights (click/tap above): 7:28 When a hobby becomes lucrative, what do we lose? 13:08 What makes people spend thousands of dollars on a single card? 17:29 Is there something inherently wrong with trading cards that could cause one to be addicted to gambling? 20:31 Are we exposing our children to gambling? 26:41 Is regulation going to take the fun out of the hobby? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lianne Chia on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/gTta Host: Lianne Chia (liannechia@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E67: Gen AI won't take your job away. Here's why	10 mars 2026	00:27:17
Why older workers with deep domain expertise have a unique advantage in the AI era, how companies can fix the "broken rung" for fresh graduates. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Ten years ago, the message to the workforce was: "Learn to code." Today, the mandate has shifted to learning AI and prompting chatbots. But as the goalposts move again toward autonomous AI agents that can take over complex workflows, is the Singaporean workforce ready? In this episode, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong explores the realities of the AI transition with her guests: Laurence Liew, director of AI innovation at AI Singapore, and Koh Chee Kiong, deputy CEO of WizVision. The 66-year-old recently took up a course in Gen AI and uses AI agents at work. They also discuss why older workers with deep domain experience have a unique advantage, how to fix the broken rung for fresh graduates entering an AI-assisted corporate world, and why adopting AI is much less daunting, and much more conversational, than you might think. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:04 Why workers have a bigger advantage over fresh graduates with Gen AI 8:05 Gen AI understands broken English 9:53 How young professionals can build industry judgment if AI automates entry-level work 17:39 AI has been implemented decades ago, and will continue to be deeply integrated in work flows by 2035 21:12 Debunking the plumber myth: Why blue-collar jobs aren't AI-proof Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E66: Who says Singapore is hot, boring and expensive?	24 févr. 2026	00:44:03
Booming arrivals, stubborn humidity – but dull and overpriced? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Singapore’s tourism pitch is not just about selling its picture-perfect skyline; it’s also about showcasing its rich multiculturalism, leaning into its talent in hosting world-class events, and taking visitors on a journey to discover how a young nation is defining its own identity. In this episode, senior columnist Tan Dawn Wei speaks with Ms Jean Ng, assistant chief executive of Experience Development at the Singapore Tourism Board, and Mr Matin Mohdari, head of Public Policy for Southeast and South Asia at online travel company Expedia Group about Chinese traveller sentiment, events as demand drivers, cooling the city, and how AI could reshape tourism by 2040. They unpack Singapore's 2025 performance, why “hot, boring, expensive” perceptions among some Chinese travellers matter, and how STB is adjusting for younger, social-media-led free-and-easy visitors through partnerships, IP, and precinct storytelling. The conversation also looks at practical ways to soften the tropical heat, what Singapore offers versus rival Asian cities, and the balance between premium experiences and everyday affordability. Finally, they explore Tourism 2040 – the roadmap to hitting between $47 and $50 billion in tourism receipts by then – and how AI can boost productivity behind the scenes, while keeping the human stories that make a place emotionally resonant. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:54 “Too hot, too boring, too expensive” 13:14 Singapore can’t change its climate, but it can make the outdoor experience more enjoyable 16:54 Singapore’s edge over other Asian cities 24:48 Going after “quality tourism” in Singapore’s Tourism 2040 roadmap 38:10 What Singapore needs to loosen control over, to be emotionally resonant Read more: https://str.sg/okfhy Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Dawn's columns: https://str.sg/3xR7 Host: Tan Dawn Wei (dawntan@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E65: Temporary or permanent relief? The future of CDC vouchers	10 févr. 2026	00:26:31
Government support measures such as CDC vouchers were meant to cushion soaring inflation. But are they fiscally sustainable? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Temporary government handouts like the CDC vouchers were meant to cushion the impact of Covid-19 and soaring inflation due to supply shocks that were caused by global events like the war in Ukraine. But with inflation cooling to trend levels, can Singaporeans wean off the ‘free money’ reliance from CDC vouchers that were meant to be temporary? In this episode - which comes out a day ahead of Budget 2026 - ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong speaks to independent economist Song Seng Wun; and sociologist Clara Lee, research fellow at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy’s Institute of Policy Studies. Apart from how the CDC voucher scheme has since become a staple of the government’s support package, they delve into different forms of welfare Singaporeans now receive, and the impact on small businesses should the scheme be withdrawn. Highlights (click/tap above): 4:11 Impact on heartland merchants should CDC vouchers be withdrawn 9:42 Why are we using 'emergency' vouchers in a recovering economy? 15:49 Exiting from the policy of handing out CDC vouchers 20:43 Digital infrastructure to distribute CDC vouchers are now well-established: Clara 22:45 Redefining welfare state? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E64: Dr Becky, millennial parent whisperer, on screentime and modern parenting	03 févr. 2026	00:16:05
Are we using phones constructively to help kids to learn or assist adults in coping? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. One of the most fraught challenges of modern parenting is our love-hate relationship with screen time. From school bans on phones in school, to the everyday reality of dual-income working parents who just need their child to eat dinner in peace, how much is too much screentime and who should be responsible? Are we using phones constructively to help kids to learn or assist adults in coping? And in a dopamine fuelled always-on world where we are expected to be 24/7 ready for work, are we asking our offspring to do something we ourselves fail at? Opinion editor Lin Suling gets answers from Dr Becky, who’s been called the millennial parent whisperer by Time Magazine, on the sidelines of the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos in January. With millions of followers on Instagram tuning into her snappy videos, Dr Rebecca Kennedy is also a bestselling author, a clinical psychologist, the CEO of Good Inside, and mother of three. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:59 Is there a place for phone bans in schools? 3:45 What’s wrong with kids watching videos during mealtimes? 5:10 Parents are always on their phones for work so why should kids listen? 8:06 Is society intolerant towards misbehaviour in restaurants, airplanes and public areas? 9:58 Might we be over-parenting? 11:23 Is there a minimum age when kids can sit by themselves? 12:40 Dr Becky’s message to people unsure about having kids Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lin Suling (linsuling@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E63: Forced to kowtow until he bled: Why some men stay in abusive marriages	27 janv. 2026	00:38:03
A counsellor of a support group reveals why some men choose to tolerate physical, emotional and psychological abuse in their marriages. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Spousal abuse cases in Singapore rose significantly in 2024 to 2,136, up from 2,008 such cases in 2023, according to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). While official figures did not give a breakdown of these cases by gender, the defamation case of Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard and post-Covid-19 awareness have encouraged more men to step forward, said a counsellor who runs a specialised support group for battered husbands. To find out more in this episode, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong speaks with Josiah Yeo, a counsellor at Lutheran Community Care Services (LCCS), who started its support group for abused husbands in 2022. Mr Yeo details how one of the abused husbands in the support group was beaten with golf clubs and made to slap himself in public. He was even locked out of the house and made to kowtow in front of the door 30 times, before he could get into his home. Apart from abusive marriages, Mr Yeo also gives some pre-marital advice on what are some red flags to look out for, especially in the dating stage. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:49 Impact of Johnny Depp’s defamation suit on men in Singapore 9:31 When do abused husbands finally walk away from a marriage? 14:05 Why men don’t confide in their friends 18:40 Three reasons men stay in abusive marriage 19:11 Breaking the "bro code": How to check on a friend without making it awkward 32:39 Dating red flags - how to spot a potential abusive spouse Read more on abused spouses: https://str.sg/aqjX Helplines Family violence National Anti-Violence & Sexual Harassment Helpline: 1800-777-0000 (24 hours) AWARE Helpline: 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm) Care Corner Project StART: 6476-1482 (weekdays 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm; except public holidays) TOUCH Family Support: 6317-9998 Lutheran Community Care Services: 6441-3906 / connect@lccs.org.sg 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 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 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) Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E62: Education vs. AI - Can schools balance ChatGPT and character-building?	13 janv. 2026	00:36:35
As AI reshapes work and life, schools are changing too. But before we redesign education, should we ask what it’s really for? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Education is one of the few institutions almost every Singaporean passes through - and one of the most contested. From debates about declining attention spans to rising anxiety, we now wonder about the role of artificial intelligence in classrooms. Questions about standards, equity, excellence and inclusion continue to surface. Schools are expected to prepare students not just for jobs, but for citizenship and for lives that feel meaningful. Sometimes these expectations are in tension with one another as we grapple with the AI revolution that’s underway. In this episode, we ask a more fundamental question: What purpose does education serve in a world increasingly driven by technology and AI? And how should our answers change when the world students are entering - shaped by AI and rapid technological change - may look radically different from the one schools were designed for? Joining the discussion with Deputy Opinion Editor Mubin Saadat are Ms Elisha Tushara, The Straits Times education correspondent who spent a decade teaching before moving into journalism, and Dr Liu Woon Chia, Director and researcher at the National Institute of Education and co-founder of its Motivation in Educational Research Laboratory. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:30 AI impact on education 11:55 What do PISA and OECD studies tell us? 15: 03 Friction in learning 19:35 A focus on human qualities in learning 26:35 AI as a teacher’s tool Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Mubin Saadat on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/4KZYq Host: Mubin Saadat (mubin@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E61: Can Singapore ever stop being a 'Fine City'? The psychology of etiquette on public transport	09 déc. 2025	00:40:26
New laws were passed to penalise littering, eating and drinking, as well as playing loud music or videos on public transport. Is legislation effective in regulating inconsiderate behaviour? Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Behaviours of inconsiderate commuters on public transport and interchanges are set to be regulated under new laws passed in Parliament in Oct 2025. Examples of inconsiderate behaviour include littering, eating and drinking, as well as playing loud music and videos on mobile phones. The latest legislation follows a slew of laws that regulate behaviours in Singapore, raising the question if we can ever shake off Singapore’s reputation of being a ‘fine’ city. To find out more, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong speaks to two sociologists. They are Assistant Professor of Sociology (Education) at the School of Social Sciences at the Singapore Management University, George Wong; and Research Assistant Professor and head of the Urban Psychology Lab in the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, Samuel Chng. Highlights (click/tap above): 11:24 How people demonstrated civic behaviour during the Covid pandemic 18:25 The technological reason for seniors blasting videos and music 22:28 Empowering bus drivers to deal with inconsiderate commuters 26:10 How other countries regulate civil behaviours in public transport 29:46 The lady commuter that ‘broke’ the system Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Chen Junyi Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E60: Are teachers in Singapore multi-tasking too much?	11 nov. 2025	00:41:31
Apart from their vocation, teachers also handle administrative work and counselling. Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Teachers in Singapore work longer than their peers in other advanced economies. They spend less time teaching but more on planning, counselling and communicating with students’ parents, according to the Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis) released on Oct 7, 2025. In total, the Talis survey polled 194,000 teachers in 55 education systems across Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Teachers in Singapore work an average of 47.3 hours a week, higher than the overall average of 41 hours. Approximately 3,500 teachers and respective school principals across all 145 public secondary schools and 10 randomly selected private secondary schools participated in the survey from April to August 2024. In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong examines why this is happening, and whether there is any way their workload and stress can be reduced. In the studio with her is Ms Sarah Tan, a former secondary school teacher with 17 years of experience and taught till 2020, but now gives tuition. She is also a mother of two children aged 13 and 15. Mr Manogaran Suppiah was formerly the principal of Anderson Serangoon Junior College. He first started out teaching for 16 years, before moving to different departments within the Ministry of Education, including becoming the founding executive director of Academy of Singapore Teachers (AST). In 2022, he retired from his career spanning over 40 years. Highlights (click/tap above): 7:23 Teacher workload: Why it has gone up 11:08 How technology adds to and can also lighten workload 14:10 Learning to use AI tools? 18:18 Administrative duties, parents' expectations 23:20 On teachers having to 'parent' students? 28:43 Mid-career switches from other professions to teaching: Different perspectives 30:00 Why education leaders must find out from teachers what is meaningless 33:08 School leaders, heads of departments and teachers: What's lacking? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E59: How iPhones, fast fashion spur the throwaway culture	07 oct. 2025	00:43:07
Buying new iPhones, wardrobe makeovers and single-use products have become social norms. But what happens to the old, replaced items? Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Annual launches like Apple’s iPhone have spurred the desire to own the latest piece of technology, as consumers face up to marketing tactics from smartphones to fast fashion. Usually, older items that are replaced are being tossed away to make way for the new. What else can be done to the replaced items apart from sending them to the landfill? In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong examines whether we have a throwaway culture that’s grown despite years of public education and outreach and whether we are too quick to chuck stuff to make way for new ones. She also explores if the iPhone 17 is worth the upgrade from the iPhone 16. Her guests are Mr Tan Ching Hwee, founder of myhalo, a platform allowing users to trade-in, repair, sell, and buy used digital devices; and Mr Lionel Dorai, executive director of Zerowaste SG, an NGO that advocates for Singapore to go zero waste through public education. Highlights (click/tap above): 9:03 Upgrading from iPhone 16 to 17 12:53 Batteries in phones can be replaced 17:03 Pairing earbuds from different sets - does it work? 23:44 The repairing culture in curbing throwaways in fast fashion 31:46 How to decipher green washing tactics 35:34 Would CDC vouchers to subsidise repair costs encourage more to repair? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E58: What’s love gotta do with waiting for a BTO flat from HDB?	09 sept. 2025	00:28:27
Could less waiting time reduce stress on a marriage and how can couples strengthen their relationships in the face of life challenges? Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. With HDB planning to introduce more Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, buyers can expect to collect keys in under three years, reducing the amount of stress on the couple relationship, say an economist and a counsellor. How can young couples decide if they have found the right life partners to take on the wait for a BTO flat? In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong hosts two guests. The first is National University of Singapore's Professor of Real Estate and Economics Sumit Agarwal. He penned a study on the correlation between early marriages, a higher propensity for divorce and waiting times for a BTO, that was featured in the third book in a series - Kiasunomics 3: Economic Insights For Everyday Life. The book overall, analyses the influence and consequences of economic decisions in Singapore. The second is Mr Neo Eng Chuan, Psychologist and founder of CaperSpring. He has 20 years of experience in helping couples. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:10 Post-Covid: BTO one of the few affordable options for young couples 4:00 The effect of BTO-waiting on marriage 14:11 Is it good to have 'effective fighting' between couples? 18:07 When is it time to cut short your losses? 24:15 Money matters in a marriage Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Natasha Liew and Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E57: How Gen AI like ChatGPT enhances critical thinking, instead of making us lazy	12 août 2025	00:42:57
We even invite ChatGPT to be a 'guest' in this episode with our host and two human guests. Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Preliminary findings from a recent MIT study in June in the US, concluded that people using just generative AI (Gen AI) tools such as ChatGPT, became lazier with each subsequent essay they wrote. The study, conducted in Boston, categorised three groups of test subjects aged 18 to 39 according to the tools that they used: ChatGPT, Google or no tools. The brain activity of these writers were scanned across 32 regions of their brain. The result found that ChatGPT users had the lowest brain activity, and “consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioural levels,” according to the study. But the way ChatGPT is used was critical, as the study found that test subjects who used ChatGPT only after writing the essays on their own, had significant increases in brain connectivity. Just how can ChatGPT be used to enhance productivity without making us lazy? In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong unpacks the issues and looks at how her human guests maintain the balance between optimising the use of ChatGPT and becoming over-reliant on it. Her guests are Shahrman Nayan, creative director of OneDash22, a local video production company and an avid user of Gen AI for his work; and Cheryl Chia, founder of BrainFit, an education centre for children and young adults, building their cognitive, thinking, and study skills through programmes grounded in scientific approaches. We also invite ChatGPT to be a 'guest' in this podcast discussion. Highlights (click/tap above): 6:00 How can youths use ChatGPT without becoming lazy 13:14 "I can make people lazier if they use me to avoid thinking critically": ChatGPT 15:21 Cognitive functions like memory and concentration have been going down: Cheryl 29:04 How young people can use Gen AI to improve critical thinking 37:03 How Shahrman uses Gen AI like ChatGPT to get his colleagues to produce creative work Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim, Rebekah Chia and Natasha Liew Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E56: Body image issues, mental health problems: Why are men afraid to seek help?	08 juil. 2025	00:38:34
Gender stereotypes and toxic masculinity may point to body image issues in men. Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Outdated stereotypes of what a man should be like continue to exist today, with a new generation of social media influencers like Andrew Tate and Adin Ross producing content that posits to teach men how to be men. But does it make someone any less of a man if they decide to speak up about the issues they face? For years, ST journalist Aqil Hamzah, 28, has grappled with body image issues, but was too afraid to seek help, thinking it wouldn’t be the manly thing to do. Years of skipping meals took a toll on his health, and it was only after losing clumps of hair that he decided to seek help for it. In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong unpacks the issues that have plagued her co-host Aqil alongside psychiatrist Adrian Loh, who specialises in child and adolescent psychiatry. The trio then discuss if toxic masculinity has a role to play in men’s unwillingness to speak up about their issues. Highlights (click/tap above): 00:56 Why Aqil chose to open up about his issues 03:27 Is BMI an accurate indication for weight management? 08:50 Obsessing over the scales 21:21 What is toxic masculinity and how should people deal with it? 24:51 How role models repeat a vicious cycle & the different reactions to therapy 33:35 The importance of feeling things Read Aqil’s article on body image here: https://str.sg/kuf8 Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Aqil Hamzah on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ttUo Read his articles: https://str.sg/i5gS Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Natasha Liew Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E1: Explore The Straits Times’ podcasts	19 juin 2025	00:03:29
Listen to our news commentary podcasts on the go every week. Podcasts have become part of the global media landscape these days. The audio-on-demand format allows many listeners to often do other chores or hobbies, while hearing the shows in the background over headphones or bluetooth speakers Almost every weekday, check out our discussions on Singapore current affairs and social issues, geopolitics through an Asian lens, health, climate change, personal finance and career. Follow our shows on your favourite audio apps Apple Podcasts, Spotify or even ST’s app, which has a dedicated podcast player section. Trailer narrated by: Podcast editor Ernest Luis (ernest@sph.com.sg); edited by: Elsa Goh --- Discover more ST podcast channels: 'All-in-one' ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Headstart On Record: https://str.sg/wB2m Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Wheel Insights: https://str.sg/iTtE ST Podcasts website: https://www.straitstimes.com/st-podcasts (*New) The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg --- Special edition series: Green Trails (4 eps): https://str.sg/bMyx This series clinched the gold award for Best Podcast at the Digital Media Awards Asia 2025 on April 23, organised by the World Association of News Publishers (Wan-Ifra). True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T This series clinched the gold award for Best Podcast at the Digital Media Awards Asia 2024 in April, and third place for Best Podcast at the Digital Media Awards Worldwide 2024, both organised by Wan-Ifra. The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 This series also won The Best Podcast/Digital Audio Project category at the 2022 Digital Media Awards Asia, organised by Wan-Ifra. Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX --- 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 #stpodcasttr See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E55: Inside an animal abuser’s mind: What drives such cruelty & why some say the penalties aren’t enough	10 juin 2025	00:38:45
Four cat deaths recently have re-ignited calls for tougher enforcement against animal abusers. Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Just before the crack of dawn in early May, the mutilated carcass of a community cat was discovered on a road in Yishun. In the days that followed, three more cats were reported to have been seriously injured or found dead in housing estates around Singapore, stoking fears of animal abusers at large. While three of the cases have since been attributed to road traffic accidents rather than deliberate acts of cruelty, they have re-ignited calls for tougher enforcement against animal abusers. In this episode, correspondent Ang Qing unpacks the psyche of an animal abuser in Singapore with psychiatrist Lim Boon Leng and criminal lawyer Josephus Tan. They discuss the gaps in Singapore’s animal protection system, how to fix them, as well as why society’s failure to protect vulnerable creatures can have worrying consequences for the nation as a whole. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:45 Inside an animal abuser’s mind 5:29 Understanding psychopathy and spotting red flags 10:19 Gaps in enforcement and how criminals exploit them 15:30 Do some abusers have a sadistic desire to get caught? 18:58 What animal abuse says about Singapore and its people 24:06 Can tougher laws and caning make a difference 32:59 What the ordinary citizen should or shouldn’t do Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Ang Qing (aqing@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV 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 The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E54: Do Gen Zs really tackle life, work differently compared with their parents?	13 mai 2025	00:42:08
A recent ST-Milieu survey has found some striking similarities Gen Zs and their parents have, in the way they view their life priorities and challenges. Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. In this episode, we’ll revisit the old stereotype that the younger generation has it all too good, that they’ve gone soft and are not resilient enough to withstand hardships or even hard work. Young adults on the other hand, often lament that their parents don’t understand them enough. But how true are any of these often-held views? A recent survey commissioned by The Straits Times found that Gen Zs, like their parents before them, feel disheartened and frustrated when they cannot find work. This generational gap is also reflected in the findings of an online survey, conducted by Milieu Insight for ST. In October and November 2024, the poll of 800 Gen Zs between ages 16 and 27, and 600 parents of Gen Zs explored the two generations’ views on goals, stress, money, self-esteem and joblessness. The parents were asked to answer based on recollections of their views when they were in their 20s. But there are slight differences between how they approach work and gain wealth, and we discuss this with a father-son pair in this episode. Lawyer Michael Han, 55, is an occasional columnist. He is joined by his son Jazer Han, 22, now an economics undergraduate at the Singapore Management University (SMU). Highlights (click/tap above): 5:22 Mr Han on sacrificing work-life balance for career growth? 10:35 Mr Han: Not about generational gaps; more like different seasons in life 14:05 Jazer on time outside of 'school and work', extra commitments, fulfilment 16:15 Jazer's view on urgency to complete tasks 26:20 How Jezer got scammed $15,000 from his savings? 38:29 Is the younger generation really 'strawberry' or 'snowflake'? Read ST’s article on how Gen Zs and their parents approach work and life differently: https://str.sg/FCkq Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E53: Game of life: Must success always be about good grades and jobs?	23 avr. 2025	00:31:10
Success used to mean good grades, and then landing a good job. But is this changing? Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. In this special edition of In Your Opinion - filmed in front of a live audience - two youths share their experiences in starting up a business, and whether school grades would determine success at the workplace. About 100 people attended two recordings at indie cinema The Projector at Golden Mile Tower on the evening of April 15. The special live recording was organised in partnership with the National Youth Council (NYC), in support of the SG Youth Plan – an action blueprint created by youths, for youths and the world that they will lead. Hosted by ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong, this episode features two young entrepreneurs - Ms Adella Yeo and Mr Nabill Shukry. Currently an account manager at a software company, Ms Adella Yeo Rae-Nyse had co-founded MatcHub, a startup that matched fellow NUS students to find suitable job roles based on their personality. A part-time student with SUSS studying marketing, Nabill Shukry Johary juggles school with a business he started up in 2021 with his father - Cheekies, a home-based delivery service of healthy meals for the Muslim market - in a bid to help his family move out of their one-room rental apartment in Tampines. Is Singapore ready for diverse pathways to success so that young people can feel accomplished in their own ways? Highlights (click/tap above): 2:00 Journey to entrepreneurship 7:39 The point of going to university is not just for the paper qualifications 10:32 How academic grades play a part post-school 16:19 Challenge the conventions of success 27:14 Advice for youths to forge their own success Every voice matters, and if you want to share ideas and have your voice heard, you can do your bit in the SG Youth Plan Quest at: https://go.gov.sg/sgyp-mc Find out more about NYC’s upcoming engagement sessions: https://www.YouthPlan.gov.sg Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) Produced by: ST Podcast Team & ST Outreach & Engagement Team Edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E52: Using music to better reach out to seniors	11 mars 2025	00:31:22
How younger social workers and social service entrepreneurs are exploring the use of music in the eldercare space. Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests. In this special edition of In Your Opinion - filmed in front of a live audience at The Foundry - a social service entrepreneur and social worker share how music can transform the eldercare space. Be it for their loved ones or as part of their advocacy, youths can now find more avenues to reach out to seniors, using the powerful tool in music. When it comes to engaging the elderly, music can reinvigorate and empower them - all while closing the gap between different generations. Studies have shown that music can amplify connections between the brain’s auditory and emotional regions, encouraging memory encoding and recall. In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong and her co-host - STNow reporter Christie Chiu - speak with two guests who are harnessing the power of music to transform eldercare in Singapore. The two guests are: SanCare Asia founder Johnson Soh, who uses music-based technologies and services to help dementia patients; and Fei Yue Community Services programme executive Amanda Soon, who taps on music to get seniors more involved in their communities. Having studied in the UK and worked in the film industry there before returning to Singapore, Amanda now uses her creative skills to empower seniors and youths. At Fei Yue, she uses music to pilot various programmes and workshops with youth volunteers, youths and seniors. After working in the music industry for almost 30 years, Johnson founded SanCare Asia in 2016. The first elder-care service in Asia to offer person-centered reminiscence music programmes came about when Johnson's father developed dementia. "I actually used my dad as a guinea pig," he said, adding that he put together a playlist of songs which would resonate with him, songs which he grew up with during his formative years. "And yeah, it worked wonders, you know, to see him light up, to see him in a different mood just gave me the impetus to start the company." Over the years, Johnson has used reminiscence music to develop various programs as well. With his extensive research and deep music expertise, Johnson developed many programmes including Strike A Note©, a proprietary personalised music playlist programme for seniors. He also launched Return To The Tea Dance©, a silent disco-inspired music and movement programme, which became a finalist at the 2020 Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards. Highlights (click/tap above): 6:41 How Fei Yue creates community for seniors by reviving lost dreams 7:20 How Fei Yue youth volunteers bring energy and ideas to do community work with seniors 9:03 Bridging inter-generational gaps through SanCare Asia’s person-centred care, creating a personalised music playlist for each senior 12:06 When music can also elicit adverse reactions; a delicate task for youth volunteers with seniors 15:50 Return to the Tea Dance, a silent disco programme for dementia seniors 22:41 Youth volunteers, social services and social enterprises empowering each other 25:20 How the Crdl can help the less-functioning dementia seniors Find out more about: SanCare Asia: https://str.sg/kEvE Fei Yue Community Services: https://str.sg/sAxH Listen to the other filmed live podcast at The Foundry: Saving our old buildings from obscurity: What can young people do? - https://str.sg/FKRb Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Christie Chiu’s articles: https://str.sg/3ESxU Hosts: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) and Christie Chiu (christiec@sph.com.sg) Produced by: ST Podcast Team & ST Outreach & Engagement Team Edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E51: Pet-care leave - do costs outweigh benefits?	11 févr. 2025	00:20:43
Why are some Singapore companies willing to bear the expense to implement pet-care leave as a form of benefit? Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. While fewer people are keen on having children, more are becoming pet owners, based on statistics from the Animal and Veterinary Service and an Euromonitor International report. But what happens if you have a full-time job and your pet is sick? Instead of requiring their employees to take urgent leave, some firms in Singapore have begun rolling out pet care leave, for "pawrents" who need to take their furkids to the vet. Only a small number of firms have started implementing it, but the response from employees has so far been overwhelmingly positive. In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong and her co-host - journalist Aqil Hamzah - ask their two guests whether having a separate leave category the caring of pets is ultimately a good thing, and whether it’d affect the morale of those without pets. The two guests are: Emilyn Ang, founder of public relations and marketing agency Brave Communications, which provides three days of “pawrental” leave a year; and Diane Lee, a senior HR business partner for South-east Asia at recruitment firm Robert Walters. Highlights (click/tap above): 01:34 Considerations behind implementing pet care leave 06:45 Advantages of having pet care leave 09:12 Why employees with no pets shouldn’t feel resentment 14:30 Leave days as an expense, and how firms can balance out the cost 17:30 Are more Singapore firms ready to roll out pet care leave Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Aqil Hamzah’s articles: https://str.sg/Cc85 Hosts: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) and Aqil Hamzah Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E50: Is Singapore ready for more male pre-school teachers?	21 janv. 2025	00:27:14
Can stereotypes of male pre-school teachers be reduced to ease more men into the profession that is seeing shortage in Singapore? Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. There is less than one man for every 10 early childhood educators in Singapore - surprising given that the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) estimates the need for another 1,500 more educators to support the sector’s expansion in the coming years. As male pre-school teachers conventionally face more scrutiny, could MSF’s new set of guidelines spelling out appropriate boundaries help ease tensions? The new set of guidelines for primary caregivers include expression affection, bathing practices and exposure to nudity. Amid a spate of abuse cases at various pre-schools in Singapore being reported in 2024, these guidelines could help pre-school teachers and parents set their mind at ease, especially when it comes to male pre-school teachers, said guests in this episode. The two guests are: Sajit Sesikumar, 30, a senior English pre-school teacher, who shares his six-year experience at MindChamps Preschool; and Yeo Shufang, 42, a mother of four kids, with her youngest attending preschool at age 4. In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong and her co-host - STNow reporter Christie Chiu - ask their two guests whether setting guidelines can ease the tensions male pre-school teachers have to navigate at work, and encourage more to the early childhood education profession. Highlights (click/tap above): 6:50 How pre-schoolers can learn better from a diversity of teachers 11:24 How MSF’s healthy family guidelines can ease the work of pre-school teachers 13:25 How Sajid deals with physical affection from students 16:37 How Shufang teaches her children about personal boundaries 21:28 Is Singapore ready to normalise male preschool teachers and how can stereotypes be reduced? Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Christie Chiu’s articles: https://str.sg/LfQG Hosts: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) and Christie Chiu Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E49: No deaths from Fukushima, but will SG ever accept nuclear energy?	10 déc. 2024	00:35:24
It is safer to live near a nuclear power plant than to ride a plane, says an expert. Do we have a Not In My Backyard (Nimby) syndrome? Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Nuclear energy: Why not? That is the response from an expert on why Singapore is exploring it. The radioactive release from the Fukushima meltdown in 2011 did not kill anyone, but thousands of workers at coal mines die every year, says Dr Alvin Chew, a senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in NTU. Dr Chew’s research focuses on the usage of civilian nuclear energy. He was previously with the civil service, working on energy security and energy transition issues. “When you compare the (nuclear sector) to airline industries, there are more airline crashes and lives being lost. But yet, people are still flying,” he adds. Still, the horrors of nuclear disasters such as the meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima appear to have scarred mankind. To go nuclear or not is a highly polarising topic in many countries. To gain the public’s trust on nuclear energy in Singapore, Dr Chew emphasises the importance for authorities to explain a country’s need for nuclear energy, educate the people about radiation safety, and also ensure the population is prepared for a worst-case scenario. Most of the time, the best form of protection is to stay at home, shut the windows and wait for the authorities’ instructions, he adds. Singapore, like several other countries mired by the triple threat of climate change, energy security and rising electricity costs, is taking a hard look at a controversial energy source – nuclear power. The authorities have been exploring advanced nuclear technologies, such as small modular reactors (SMRs), that are promised to be safer. In this episode, Lynda Hong and co-host Shabana Begum find out what drives the fear of nuclear power. Will Singapore residents allow a nuclear plant to be built in their 'backyard'? Highlights (click/tap above): 3:32 No deaths from Fukushima meltdown itself, but more deaths from coal-mining 7:34 Evacuation is not the best protection from radiation leaks 9:36 Why small modular reactors (SMRs) are suitable for Singapore 17:00 Nuclear and the 'Nimby' syndrome 26:02 How nuclear waste becomes a social issue Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Shabana Begum’s articles:https://str.sg/LfQG Hosts: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) and Shabana Begum (nshab@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producer: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E48: Mandatory mediation over noise - neighbourly relations are still key	26 nov. 2024	00:16:23
How Singapore intends to settle noise disputes more effectively. Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Settling noise disputes will be easier with mandatory mediation as the Community Disputes Management Framework (CDMF) is enhanced, under the Community Disputes Resolution (Amendment) Bill. Involved with how the framework can be enhanced is grassroots leader Raymond Poh. In this episode, Lynda Hong and co-host Christie Chiu speak with him to hear about his 14 years of experience in dealing with noise disputes, and how mediation has been effective in resolving disputes between neighbours (with an 80 per cent success rate with voluntary mediation cases). Mr Poh also shares how the Community Advisory Panel’s (CAP) recommendations, along with the proposed CDMF enhancements, may help neighbours better understand one another and find middle ground. If the dispute remains unresolved after mediation with the Community Mediation Centre (CMC), neighbours may consider approaching the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) to file a claim as a last resort. This is equivalent to taking legal action against your neighbour, and parties involved are required to attempt mediation before filing a CDRT claim. The new laws will also mean that officers under the new Community Relations Unit (CRU) have powers to investigate and take action in disputes where a neighbour severely disrupts the peace, such as cases where the neighbour deliberately makes loud noise throughout the day. Officers can investigate, such as taking statements from neighbours, and with the resident’s consent, install noise sensors in homes to collect evidence. The authorities also intend to allow the Housing Board to consider compulsory acquisition of flats as a deterrent and “the absolute last resort for severe, recalcitrant nuisance-making”. This measure will be considered only when all other levers have failed, and acquisition is needed to protect the interests of other residents, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and the Ministry of Law and Ministry of National Development said in a joint statement in August, adding that this will be similar to how HDB can consider compulsory acquisition of flats for those convicted of throwing killer litter under the Penal Code. This podcast is brought to you by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY): https://www.mccy.gov.sg Highlights (click/tap above): 1:25 CCTVs, house visits and detective work - a memorable dispute that Mr Poh had mediated 7:38 Different forms of mediation 8:17 The difference between the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) and the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) 11:37 Why settling neighbour disputes amicably is still a priority over mandatory mediation 12:40 How simple 'give and take' neighbourly acts can help avoid mediation as much as possible More on the Community Disputes Management Framework: https://go.gov.sg/cdmf-enhancements Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Christie Chiu’s articles: https://str.sg/3ESxU Hosts: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) and Christie Chiu (christiec@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim Executive producer: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E47: Tan See Leng: How tough talks resulted in job seeker support	13 oct. 2024	00:30:55
The SkillsFuture JobSeeker Support aims to help the retrenched tide over financially, while between jobs, after tough talks with unions, employers and the Government. Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. As the global economy changes more rapidly and unpredictably, workers may face more risk from job loss despite best efforts. Yet, going out of a job can pose a hit to household finances. In an era of rising cost of living, lower- and middle-income workers are more likely to jump on the first job offer without considering their aptitudes. To give these workers more time to find the ‘right’ job for them, the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme will be launched in April 2025, with financial support structured to spur an active job search without incentivising prolonged unemployment. The scheme, estimated to cost the Government $200 million every year, comes as a result of tough talks among employers, unions and the Government. In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong and journalist Tay Hong Yi host Manpower minister Tan See Leng to learn how the scheme has taken shape behind the scenes. Highlights (click/tap above): 5:38 On the Government relooking its position on financial support for those who have lost jobs 11:11 On the scheme’s gestation: What took place behind the scenes 17:51 What are the safeguards in place for the scheme and why? 21:48 Eligibility criteria: Too complex to understand for job seekers? 25:36 Will the scheme help workers at higher risk? 28:58 How does this scheme reflect the 4G leadership’s approach to policymaking? Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Tay Hong Yi’s articles: https://str.sg/dSAE Hosts: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) and Tay Hong Yi (hytay@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Studio+65 and Hadyu Rahim Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E46: BNPL: Buying power or financial trouble?	08 sept. 2024	00:35:50
The 'buy now, pay later' (BNPL) scheme allows for purchase on zero interest instalment plans with less credit requirement. Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. In 2023, Singapore consumers spent $3.4 billion online and in-store using 'buy now, pay later' (BNPL) services from third-party providers like Atome and Grab PayLater, banks and retailers - without the need for minimum income as required by credit cards. And members of Gen Z, those between 18 and 24 years of age, and young millennials between 25 and 34, were among the bigger users of this method, according to the Worldpay’s 2024 Global Payments Report. With BNPL strengthening the purchasing power of youths, are there worrying social and financial implications from this new payment method, despite seemingly having more purchasing power? To discuss more about this, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong co-hosts with business correspondent Sue-Ann Tan to speak with their guests about the possible implications of the BNPL scheme on youths. Once in financial trouble with a $75,000 debt, Khairul Abbas Hamzah is now heading a consultancy to help debtors who are in the same boat - that he managed to get out of. Also on the show is financial literacy expert Aaron Chwee, head of Wealth Advisory at OCBC Bank. Highlights (click/tap above): 3:03 Instant gratification impulse among younger generation? 10:55 When BNPL becomes a slippery slope; what types of financial habits BNPL inculcates 21:18 Phantom debt and the recourse to get out of debt troubles 26:24 Abbas’ $75,000 debt trouble 32:14 Social implications from BNPL Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Sue-Ann Tan’s articles: https://str.sg/KpUx Hosts: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg) and Sue-Ann Tan (suetan@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E45: Are you paying too much for your resale HDB flat?	11 août 2024	00:18:54
Two HDB resale flats had listing prices of $2 million in May, which were debunked by the authorities for being misleading and unrealistic. Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. The authorities sat up and paid attention when a jumbo flat in Sengkang was put up for sale with an asking price of $2 million in May. Then there was a listing for a DBSS flat in Toa Payoh asking for $2 million. But with a record number of HDB transactions above $1million each - a phenomenon that started around 2012 - is a HDB resale flat with a price tag of $2 million permanently unrealistic? In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong and business correspondent Sue-Ann Tan look at the percentages and context of HDB resale flats in the market with Nicholas Mak, who is now chief research officer of property search portal Mogul.sg. He has over 25 years of experience in the Singapore and regional real estate markets. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:35 Why did the agents push these $2 million HDB resale listings, which have been debunked by the authorities as unrealistic or misleading? 3:30 Avoiding ripple effects and creating the wrong impression among other sellers and buyers 9:54 What should potential buyers do? 12:05 Can the government divert demand away from the resale market and delay reaching a $2m mark there? 16:35 How do buyers discern if a HDB resale listing price is unrealistically high? Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Sue-Ann Tan’s articles: https://str.sg/KpUx Produced by: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg), Sue-Ann Tan (suetan@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis & Hadyu Rahim Edited by: Hadyu Rahim Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E44: Singapore’s worsening road culture: What’s behind it and what can be done?	07 juil. 2024	00:39:52
The tension between drivers and motorcyclists in Singapore is longstanding, ugly and increasingly a fatality risk - but what lies at the root of this strained relationship? Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Traffic accidents claimed the lives of 54 people within the first four months of 2024. Motorcyclists and pillion riders accounted for more than half those deaths - a trend that continues from the previous year. With traffic accident fatalities in 2023 at an all time high since 2016, it’s time to ask what can be done to make Singapore’s roads safer. In this episode, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong and co-host and STNow reporter Christie Chiu speak with their two guests to find out if Singapore’s roads are truly as hostile as these numbers depict, and what factors are driving it. On the road for at least six hours a day with aspiring motorists, Aman Aljunied is an experienced motorbike and car instructor who previously taught at the Singapore Safety Driving Centre for nearly 40 years. Joining the discussion is Dennis Quah, who heads the Singapore chapter of the Harley Davidson Owners’ Group, a motorcycle club renowned for its safe riding practices. When he’s not riding motorcycles, Dennis drives on a daily basis. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:59 Is Singapore’s road culture uglier than other South-east Asian countries? How the effects of a high-pressure society bleed into our roads 7:54 “High cost of these toys called cars”: Are the stark differences in COE and ERP fees a main factor of hostility between motorcyclists and drivers? 11:40 The pros and cons of social media as a tool to circulate footage of road incidents 18:29 Why Aman thinks Basic Theory Course lessons should go back to in-person classes 24:03 Dennis and Aman on why speeding up, does not actually save motorists much time 37:04 The human touch that has been lost on Singapore’s roads Produced by: Christie Chiu (christiec@sph.com.sg), Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis & Hadyu Rahim Edited by: Hadyu Rahim Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Christie Chiu’s article’s: https://str.sg/3ESxU --- Discover more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX --- ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Special edition series: True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E43: Is parenthood a sacrifice young Singaporeans aren’t willing to make?	09 juin 2024	00:28:48
Children can invoke feelings of joy, gratitude and fulfilment, but also thoughts of fatigue, financial stress, and lack of personal time? Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. For the first time ever, the resident total fertility rate (TFR) dropped below 1, hitting 0.97 in 2023. Singapore's replacement TFR rate meanwhile stands at 2.1 - the level of fertility at which the population replaces itself from one generation to the next. The instincts to procreate, it seems, are varied and personal, as hosts Sarah Koh and Aqil Hamzah - journalists from The Straits Times - find out from their guests. For Ms Charisse Grace Agustin, 29, being childless was a decision that she made at the age of 18, while still a junior college student. Mr Sng Shan En, 27, on the other hand, is already a father to a three-year-old, with plans for more children in the future if his wife wants them. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:00 The advantages to having children younger rather than older 6:00 Heartwarming moments vs. material sacrifices of having children 10:17 The future regret in not having children 16:22 Would the government’s push for babies change your decision? 18:46 Is parenting a 50/50 effort between mom and dad? 21:04 Would higher cash incentives nudge more towards parenthood? Produced by: Aqil Hamzah (haqil@sph.com.sg), Sarah Koh (sarahkoh@sph.com.sg), Lynda Hong, Ernest Luis & Hadyu Rahim Edited by: Hadyu Rahim Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified of new episodes: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Read Aqil Hamzah’s articles: https://str.sg/i5gS Read Sarah Koh’s articles: https://str.sg/CzpH --- Discover more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX --- ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Special edition series: True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB Singapore’s War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa --- 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 --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
	S1E5: Are young people breaking up with dating apps?	05 juin 2024	00:42:29
Swiping for love used to be the way for millennials to find a connection, but there seems to be growing dating app disillusionment among the young. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives. Bernice Fong, Dhareeni Shanmugam and John Lim are three under-30s who have had different experiences with dating apps over the years. John, who runs a content agency, finds that with everyone having many options, he feels “like a piece of meat” - an experience the 28-year-old finds can be dehumanising. Meanwhile Bernice has sworn off dating apps. The 28-year-old brand and marketing manager felt jaded and tired from swiping through but not quite finding the match she wanted. Dhareeni, a 26-year-old account executive for a public relations agency, shares why she swiped right on her boyfriend, and why she was drawn to his “niche preference” for fish. Host Natasha wants to find out why there’s no love lost between young people and dating apps. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:16 Are younger people ditching dating apps? 7:52 Making dating intentions clear 16:20 Getting dating app fatigue 27:54 Have young adults lost the art of conversation? 38:38 Is it more difficult for young people to date these days? Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg) Edited by producers: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh and Zachary Lim Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong Filmed by: Joel Chng and Marc Justin De Souza, ST Video Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Natasha Zachariah's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN --- Discover more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX --- ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Special edition series: True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa --- 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.
	S1E4: Titus Low: From SG's most famous OnlyFans creator to real estate agent?	15 mai 2024	00:26:17
Singapore’s most well-known OnlyFans creator Titus Low is slowly moving on from the platform that has brought him fame, money and drama. Lots of it. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ Natasha Ann Zachariah explores contemporary societal choices and youth perspectives and digs deeper into issues of the day. Sitting down with The Usual Place’s host Natasha Ann Zachariah, Titus opens up about asking to work with his family’s business and pursuing his childhood dream of becoming a real estate agent. He shares the lessons learnt and the fallout from baring all online. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:10 What is Titus up to these days? 9.00 His post-pandemic popularity has dipped, no thanks to today's economic situation 14.26 Dealing with mental health issues 23.30 Why he has become more cautious about sharing his life online Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav Host: Natasha Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg) Edited by producers: Eden Soh and Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong Filmed by: Joel Chng and Marc Justin De Souza, ST Video Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg Read Natasha Zachariah's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN --- Discover more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX --- ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa --- Special edition series: True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa --- 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.

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