#625 - Turbocharging Inflation: GST Debate Heats Up & Pickleball Noise Wars

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:01:05 00:00:01:05 - 00:00:24:09 Unknown What's up everybody? Welcome to another episode of Yalla, your thrice weekly podcast where we talk about the hottest news with a touch of what turns good old humor. Good old humor, man. So end of week, man. How does it feel? Been a long week. Yeah. It's good. Another three episodes this week. Yeah. 00:00:24:09 - 00:00:43:03 Unknown And other episodes. And next week Kristen will be back and Justin will be back. I see why it's been such a long. Yeah. So I mean, he'll be back to, you know, being the one to post on Reddit and do the uploads and kind of like, take a load off us. So, Tristan, if you're listening to this, yeah. 00:00:43:05 - 00:01:02:10 Unknown We good to have you back. Back from the, holiday and all our defending Onision man defending our nation. Crucial rule. But, I mean, interesting stuff happening lately in Parliament. It's been a busy week, which you will get to this week, and next week is going to be them busy. Next week we also have our live show. 00:01:02:13 - 00:01:13:22 Unknown Yeah, all coming up, all coming at the same time. To everyone who bought your tickets, you know, thank you so much. It's going to be a great time. And, Yeah, fun times 00:01:13:22 - 00:01:30:14 Unknown But, yeah, before we get into things, you know, as usual, like, share and subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen to it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or on YouTube. Because that tells the algorithm that you really like listening to this content, and you want to know every time a new episode drops. 00:01:30:16 - 00:01:52:06 Unknown Hell yes. And if you want to work with us, you can reach us at, Ministry of funny.com. That's our website. Where you can drop us a message, or you can email us directly at contact and Ministry of funny.com. Cool, man. Yeah. You know, we can Parliament. Yes. A lot of the discussions that have come to spill over, into the online sphere. 00:01:52:10 - 00:02:15:10 Unknown Yeah. Yeah. A lot to be. And, all the public are coming forward to say something about it. Yeah. What is this topic doing? It is a reaction to a speech in Parliament that got another reaction by a particular someone that together got many reactions. So, I mean, this week is the budget debate, right? 00:02:15:12 - 00:02:37:16 Unknown Off the back of Lawrence Wong presenting the budget 2025, last week on 18th February. There was a speech. I mean, there were many speeches given by many people. Many MPs who, I mean, don't often speak. But it was one speech in particular, Pritam Singh speech that, talked about the GST, hike and this term that, that it turbo charged inflation. 00:02:37:18 - 00:03:00:20 Unknown So in response to that, and us professor of computer science, I believe, Benjamin Leong, who has who who does typically comment on social and political issues. He, he posted on Facebook that, you know, he was irritated by the speech, and wanted to post some clarifications, to kind of debunk what Pritam Singh was saying. 00:03:00:22 - 00:03:26:17 Unknown But the thing the notable person who reshared Ben Longs post was none other than Minister Shanmugam. And what he posted was something along the lines of, what did you see? A great wait. He said, it is an excellent Facebook post. Excellent Facebook post. Yeah. Correct. Excellent Facebook post. And yeah, it was Ben Long's post. 00:03:26:19 - 00:03:47:05 Unknown And I mean, Kelvin Cheng also was kind of like, add some comments about it. And then of course, the whole internet reacted to the IB Internet brigade. Quite polarizing. But that's, that's I mean, we we will dive into it. But what made you want to talk about this? Because there's so much happening in Parliament. 00:03:47:06 - 00:04:12:22 Unknown Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we're all just of the announcement of the budget, right? Yeah. You know, the big thing move over from talking about how much money would be given on TV vouchers in this 360 vouchers. So to here I'm saying, you know in Parliament then after that so talk about saying that, you know, bad decisions were being made that have made things worse for low cost inflation. 00:04:12:24 - 00:04:34:02 Unknown It's quite an indictment. Right. You know, spilling cold water onto what was seen as like generally positive news. Right. Yeah. So I think this is the and I would say that, yeah, his speech and the language used at all was a lot more pointed than what I usually, what what I'm used to hearing from him. 00:04:34:04 - 00:04:56:00 Unknown You know, sometimes. I think it's. I mean, we are getting close to election season. Yeah. It's nothing to do, you know, shoot the shot, right? Yeah. Yeah. So it was interesting that this then triggered, you know, a lot of discussion and debate between the academics and public figures and all. And, yeah, it's interesting to hear different perspectives. 00:04:56:02 - 00:05:20:03 Unknown I think also because a lot of times in particular Ben Leong as an academic as well. Yeah, a lot of people online were very shocked that him and Shunmugam were, agreeing on, on something, because I think, Ben, you only see this sometimes like he speaks up against, establishment, topics on. Right. So I think this was quite, refreshing for people online. 00:05:20:05 - 00:05:45:17 Unknown And then he also kind of referred to critical spectator post by critical spectator that backed up his claims. So yeah. So I think as an overall summary, I think we, we need to just outline what was said by, Pritam. I mean, he had a 20 plus minute speech. But the one thing that caused all this kerfuffle was his, his speech, component about the government's decision to raise GST. 00:05:45:19 - 00:06:04:19 Unknown So some of the things he mentioned, I mean, one big thing that came up in the budget that was raised by other MPs as well is that for the past few years, we've had big surpluses at the Inla. And apparently the target for each year was always quite models, quite conservative. And the surpluses were always a lot higher for the past four years. 00:06:04:21 - 00:06:37:13 Unknown Is either the deficit was smaller, or there was no deficit and a small surplus or projected small surplus of a few hundred million, but then boom, 6 billion. So in view of that, a lot of MPs gave different accounts, gave different perspectives. But, one thing that, Pritam pointed out was that, if there was a fiscal surplus, of 6.8 billion in 2020, projected for 2025, 6.4 billion for 2024, and the original estimate was 778 million. 00:06:37:15 - 00:07:00:23 Unknown Why was there a reason to do the GST hike at that point in time? And that there was ample policy space, which is something he said to delay the second GST hike when the country was in the thick of inflation. So this is something he said also, and I quote, why the paper went headlong and hit strong into raising GST and thereby turbocharging inflation further. 00:07:01:00 - 00:07:23:09 Unknown It's something only the people itself can answer. And yeah, 1% hike in GST does not necessarily mean a 1% rise in expenses like the price of coffee due to incremental costs. And that the handout, the CDC vouchers, may cushion it, but the increased GST will stay like, forever. So that was the crux of his GST discussion. 00:07:23:11 - 00:07:45:22 Unknown And then when the very crucial which was where he had, he said that the government had shown for fiscal months. Oh yeah. Yeah. But we should, Yeah. Yeah. I mean, anyone who's been through this, you know, like, you get your with thing, but then, you know, there's always the one who's after multiple tries just can't get as much as one. 00:07:45:24 - 00:08:02:16 Unknown So basically he was saying that for me the term was quite interesting up for fiscal marksmanship, but I think is a term that's been used before. I think they they quoted their previous speeches. But yeah, generally like what you said, a lot more pointed to a BP you need to do better. What you did was not good, right? 00:08:02:21 - 00:08:29:01 Unknown So then Ben Long responded. And how would you sum up his response? I think his response actually was more convincing. First response. True. Then he then Ben Long responded to Kelvin Cheek. Yeah. Comment. And then subsequently posted it. So I think Kevin Chen said that he actually agrees with one point that the freedom suit said and disagreed with another point. 00:08:29:03 - 00:08:50:15 Unknown So the point that he, disagrees with them about is essentially why you need to collect Whitehaven need to raise GST. Right. Because I think he, it and he gives a lot of examples of how Singapore's future expenditure. We need to be giving you save for a lot of challenges that come up with aging society etcetera. 00:08:50:17 - 00:09:15:16 Unknown So he thinks it's wrong to say that there's no need to raise GST because the other income taxes all have different, consequences. Yeah. And different types of taxes. Plan for the response. Yeah. But he agrees that, the GST should not have been increased during a time of record global inflation. It makes, Yeah, it's basically a very bitter pill to swallow for everyone. 00:09:15:18 - 00:09:36:16 Unknown The vouchers and also not would have changed his feeling. Yeah. He said we've done some a very big blow with the government and it's up to the baby not to persuade or otherwise. So that was challenging. Yeah. And then Ben Young responded to that. Right. Yeah. And how do you how do you take that characteristic when you say I mean he use an analogy. 00:09:36:18 - 00:09:55:16 Unknown He literally said, you know, I mean he also was quite pointed. I did find freedom speech in Parliament pretty irritating. And here I see Kelvin Ching spouting nonsense that I don't agree with. So I thought I would only share my $0.02. And, then he said, you know, let's let's look at the math. Basically, if I were to sum up the analogy, he used that, okay. 00:09:55:16 - 00:10:23:04 Unknown So let's say there was no Ukraine war. Which was one big reason for, the, supply chain going to shit and rising costs. Right? Global inflation? Yeah. Like, if there was a GST increase of 1%. Coffee stall owners are not going to increase it to one from $1 to $1.01. They would increase it to 110 because, they want to just, end up making more money as a business. 00:10:23:06 - 00:10:44:07 Unknown And he said that, you know, they shouldn't be blame. And what if there was a percentage of inflation he labeled as X and no GST? Well, because of the war, because of the global factors, the price of coffee would have increased to 110 regardless. Is the, inflation plus GST going to change the price of pork? 00:10:44:09 - 00:11:09:13 Unknown But again, if the coffee shop uncle wants to increase its price of coffee, that is profiteering, which as a business you should expect them to do so little sooner or later it will increase. So then, then he said that, if if there was a small chance that there was inflation, the GST, but it's still kind of like less than, $10, a product is $10. 00:11:09:18 - 00:11:31:10 Unknown Increasing it by ten cent would be sufficient. That means it would be the impact would, be smaller in a period of high inflation as opposed to a period of low inflation. And I mean, I think what he's saying by that, is it okay if everything is increasing and all that. Yeah. There's a one percentage point increase. The impact overall is less. 00:11:31:15 - 00:12:03:14 Unknown But if there's no other cost factors that are being increased and there's a GST increase, the impact will be higher, which I guess that's what he's trying to say. Essentially like it's almost like you catch the one. Yeah. In other inflationary pressures that right. Yeah. People don't feel that 1% as much. Yeah. So if things are increasing by 15%, 1% or 115% is smaller than 1% on 100% when there's no increase, the the the feeling, the feeling, the feeling. 00:12:03:16 - 00:12:26:02 Unknown And then you said some analogy, you know, like even if, I mean, you said, you know, pointed out a problem with CDC vouchers. His point was that everybody's getting $800. Let's say GST is around 10%. You will have to spend $80,000 as a household to incur $800 worth of GST. And the increase. Right? Yeah. The increase. 00:12:26:04 - 00:12:54:20 Unknown Yeah, that 1%. And you are seeing how many households actually spend it. 80,000. So long as one is giving you back more. So it's almost like giving you free money. And then he pointed that you know, is the foreigners and tourists who paid more GST last year than Singapore Singaporeans. He quoted an article by some stats by Critical Spectator talking about how GST historically has actually not, resulted in more inflation when it has been raised in the past. 00:12:54:22 - 00:13:16:12 Unknown Yeah. And then Shanmugam shared that very succinctly, saying excellent post by Professor Ben Long on GST and budget. So as the context, if you feel you're spewing a whole bunch of shit, trust me, we could have got spewed even more shit. But hopefully that gives you an idea of what was being discussed. So Terrance says, my fellow practice, non economist practitioner. 00:13:16:14 - 00:13:37:12 Unknown What what what what do you make of all this debate? I think it's also important to know who are making these arguments. I mean, Ching is, political commentator. X and and b everything. So I think he's coming from the angle of the politics of things and how the electorate will respond to various policies. 00:13:37:15 - 00:14:01:24 Unknown Yeah. And self-proclaimed like business mogul. I mean yeah. I mean the I adopt. Yeah. Yeah. Where's Ben Lee on this? Like you mentioned a professor of computer science. And his argument is a lot more. I mean, he even puts mathematics in there. And so there's a that you can tell he's looking at it from a very, quite, I would say quite a narrow viewpoint of what I'm saying though. 00:14:01:24 - 00:14:24:13 Unknown Right. One of his summary statements is what the wall charger is talking about. So you can tell that he has gone into really looking at the what turbocharging envision. That used that. Right. And so in that very narrow definition I think both Ben Leong and, and the critical spectator with the data and the facts have pointed out that. 00:14:24:15 - 00:14:49:23 Unknown Yeah, maybe in the light of the whole global situation of global inflation, everything the increase in GST has not turbocharged inflation in any way. It's not had any kind of material impact on the actual inflation. So but but yeah that's so that's the thing about you understanding where Beijing's coming from in his context of what he's arguing versus what Cummings arguing. 00:14:49:24 - 00:15:15:11 Unknown I think Kevin Cheng's argument is really more about the politics and actual economics of things. Right. It's more about the perception and like what we talk about the feeling that people have. The actual reality is in terms of numbers. Right. So I think they're actually arguing about very different things. In some ways and the Ong's Post is so narrow that it almost feels between them. 00:15:15:13 - 00:15:52:22 Unknown Yeah. On how people view and react to the realities of cost of living and things like that. Yeah. Yeah. But in do you think that there is a point there that, what Britain said about turbocharging inflation is, is incorrect? Yeah. I think the thing technically looking at it, it probably is incorrect. And I think the data and what the numerous the, the example that you raised probably you argue gives ammunition to argument that something was sensationalizing the impact that GST rates had on inflation. 00:15:53:00 - 00:16:14:09 Unknown Right. But I mean, the argument that a lot of people also talk about is the profiteering that businesses. So some businesses also engage in whenever there's an increase in GST. Right. And that's also something that we have a lot of data on or the actual statistics of how much profiteering it was not, but a lot of anecdotes. 00:16:14:09 - 00:16:34:00 Unknown And you just walk on the ground, you know, because and so what you'll see if prices have gone up by more than 1% for sure, or even more than whatever, whatever the inflation, percentage was. You know, people are talking about a 50 cent increases on the $3. You thought a good morning that a $1, $1 increase. 00:16:34:02 - 00:16:54:02 Unknown Right. Yeah. So I think that's what that's what we're seeing. And we've even covered you arguing about the GST increase and how it is, you know, basically pushing people to like, let's all just raise prices altogether at the same time, right. Yeah. So that's the part that I think they are arguing from different places. 00:16:54:04 - 00:17:15:19 Unknown So, so I mean just to use like my own analogy, let's say if every day like I send you like what's it right that annoys you. Right at 10 p.m. let's say, let's say I put I have put that on the ground. Okay. Okay. So let's say hypothetically, if I start sending you, like, two messages a day that annoy you, right? 00:17:15:21 - 00:17:36:17 Unknown And suddenly I start saying, I starts a new third message. So would you say that is turbocharging your annoyance with me? Or let's say I get I tell you, I got this new subscription that is going to auto send you messages every hour. So to me, the letter would be turbocharging. It, but the former is just making it a bit more annoying. 00:17:36:19 - 00:17:56:21 Unknown Not just one more. It's not turbocharging your annoyance. It's almost like a linear kind of thing, is there? Yeah. It could be less super much more. It's just one more percentage. Points of annoyance. But if I get an app that sends you something, like every time you look at your phone that is turbocharging it because, yeah, it's like an exponential thing. 00:17:56:23 - 00:18:22:22 Unknown So, so I would say, yeah, I would also say that, okay, turbocharging, maybe not the most literal term, but I mean, he's also giving a speech in Parliament. But I will say that it is a bit sensationalist. It is a bit like not fear mongering, but kind of extrapolating it. Or painting an image that is not the most accurate, but they're used to doing just that other stuff. 00:18:22:24 - 00:18:46:13 Unknown No, but by the by the same accord, what Bennelong and Critical Spectator and Shanmugam are doing is the opposite, but they are also painting a different picture on just a few core hard facts. And I think the one thing that, that I think no one can, I mean, I would imagine no one would deny is that politically as a message from a politician? 00:18:46:15 - 00:19:07:20 Unknown If the cost of living is on everybody's minds. Yeah. When you say you have a budget surplus of that much. Yes. You want to plan for the future, but then the GST thing, it just feels like. As a layperson, I'm like, but then you just feels like, okay, you're telling me. Yes. Everything expenses. You give me this, but you still going ahead with this when the budget surplus, even without doing the numbers, it sounds like it. 00:19:07:21 - 00:19:28:06 Unknown But do you need to? And that is the thing that I think even Calvin thinks it, politically, it is a smart thing. Which which is what he said. Pritam, you know, dealt a heavy blow to the BJP because it is true, like a lot of people vote, not just rationally, emotionally and politically. It would have been super powerful if. 00:19:28:06 - 00:19:54:17 Unknown Can you imagine if the opposite? We understand this. We are doing all the all we can do to couch the blow in the short term with CDC vouchers, but we are also delaying GST hike. Well, when really I think we unity and I think yeah. So unfortunately this is one speech. You have people going into extremes which is ways like fake like guys like can you will be a bit more less extreme in your, in your feedback. 00:19:54:19 - 00:20:17:04 Unknown Yeah. But I mean, props to I mean, I don't think he was super, extremely. Yeah. No. You know him. No. Him no him his perspective was, you know, he's coming from an angle of, like, let's really think about how people will perceive freedom speech. Right? Yeah. So yeah, we can disagree on the use of the what the board charging like. 00:20:17:04 - 00:20:41:05 Unknown But there are certain things that about the timing of the GST increase and all that, that, you know, make logical sense like. Right. Yeah. And I think so it wasn't it's funny, just when I was reading this and, yeah, about a year ago, there was an interesting article that was posted about, speech that Tharman made against having a two step GST hike in 2007. 00:20:41:07 - 00:21:03:02 Unknown When GST went up from 5 to 7%, it was just 2% immediate, right? They didn't do this whole Two-Step thing. But let himself say that, you know, the two step thing is beneficial because, you know, there's less chance of profiteering that businesses can do to raise prices twice a second. So businesses also save costs because they don't have to adjust. 00:21:03:04 - 00:21:25:09 Unknown Twice that. Right. So it just makes sense to do it. Much trouble. But now for some reason that we've committed to do this GST regime. We, we've done this GST rising through step increases. And yeah people feel the pinch year after year. Yeah. So it's just not been a pleasant experience. But I mean do you think there's been a lot of profiteering based on this two step GST. 00:21:25:09 - 00:21:46:02 Unknown Right. I mean, that is the thing that is hard to say. Like confirm that, it must be because of that. But the one thing that I do feel is prices have gone up. Is it solely attributed to the 1%? I don't think so. But, does it did the GST have had an impact? Probably. I would say profiteering. 00:21:46:04 - 00:22:08:20 Unknown Yeah. Yeah. I mean the, the age of, global inflation, right. Yeah. The decision. But there were a lot of instances, I think, you can find online where there were, the dual design companies that went to their clients and said, pay us, you know, this price down to secure the this rate because like, after first January's like another 1% increase. 00:22:08:22 - 00:22:27:24 Unknown Oh yeah. Yeah. And they paid in advance. So these two design firms now the interior design firms is a bit. And what it was in that line. So a lot of there was a lot of urgency in people trying to avoid the GST rise, you know making big purchase decisions that came back to bite them all right. 00:22:28:01 - 00:22:54:21 Unknown That's where they're having the two step increase, like, it alters our, consumption behavior in ways that we would not normally do. Like we would not only do this kind of thing. Right. Yeah. For something. Yeah. It was, it basically gives opportunities for people to do some, annoying shit. Right? And I mean, like, the even if you look at the, the argument from, Bennelong, the one example of the coffee shop. 00:22:54:21 - 00:23:14:23 Unknown Right. He said, you know, if there is an increase by 1%, will our $1 coffee become $1.01? It won't happen. It will become 110. At no point does he kind of point out that, the one thing that I also didn't think about until I researched is when we talked about GST last time is, yes, a 1% increase in GST. 00:23:15:01 - 00:23:36:19 Unknown The end price of a product like coffee, which has multiple inputs but not necessarily increased by just 1% because the price of coffee and anything and all those will increase by 1%. So it compounds. Then I saw some people saying that, oh, but you know, if there is a supply chain bid, the the interim businesses can reclaim GST, which is something we have experience. 00:23:36:19 - 00:23:56:00 Unknown If you are GST registered, you pay GST for a service. You can claim it back. Right. But not every company is GST registered, especially small. Yeah, it is not if you're small, if your revenue is not past 1 million, you're not mandated to be GST registered. And I think once you GST register, there are a lot of other things that you need to deal with. 00:23:56:02 - 00:24:26:21 Unknown So it just feels like yeah, it's a bit too simplified. And that's right. It feels yellow. Then it's almost like a false analogy. And then you have critical spectator bringing up some stuff about, you know, he has one, image. Did GST increase inflation? So then he looks, at I think previous, years 2022, 2023, 2024, whether inflation in Singapore is not higher than in other developed nations or Southeast Asia during changes to GST. 00:24:26:23 - 00:24:52:15 Unknown But it almost seems when you look retroactively, you can kind of pull the what's it seeing? It's causation, not like, correlation or something. Yeah. So I mean, when you look retroactively, you can always joined a dSLR. And I fucking hate it when people tell me that in person. No. What about correlation? Yeah. Yeah, I just had at least a few conversations where I'm talking and someone says that's actually causation, not correlation, but carry on. 00:24:52:17 - 00:25:10:03 Unknown Then on a you don't fucking stop me half sentence and you give me this condescending piece of shit line. You explain yourself. So this just explain. I don't think so. I think they just moved on. Yeah, well, maybe back then I was a bit less, Like what? What the hell are you. I thought you just happened recently. 00:25:10:09 - 00:25:29:04 Unknown Oh, no. No, not recently. It's just a chip on my shoulder. Yeah, I just it's burned in my in my head. So I hate that phrase. But this one, when you're looking back, it just feels like you're just joining the dots. Like, And I think another post by Critical Spectator also pointed out that, the inflation in Singapore compared with other developed nations was still lower. 00:25:29:04 - 00:25:58:22 Unknown I think it was 15.6% in Singapore. The US was 18.7% Europe. And making that comparison, like, you know, the Singapore inflation was not as bad as other developed countries. So kudos to the system for working. But like what you said, it feels like all these arguments are kind of part of the problem. The way they freeze it and the way they, they, either use a term that is sensationalist, or just focus on that term and try and debunk it and paint, a different picture. 00:25:58:24 - 00:26:31:05 Unknown But, yeah, the whole those that step up has become this hashtag, they're being convicted. And now using the word turbocharging, you know, it's like that's the the word of the turbocharging, charging inflation. Right. Yeah. I mean it's politics. He's doing what, what he's, he needs to do. Yeah. Right. But I think I would say I would, I would hope that the people, you know, the public figures and academics will comment on it. 00:26:31:07 - 00:26:50:18 Unknown Look at it more holistically. That. Right. Yeah. Very narrow and also for people, do I see a lot of people saying, you know, I'm not as smart as Professor Ben Long. He must be correct and all that. And it almost feels like if you speak authoritatively online about any particular topic, there would be people who would believe you just because you are authoritative. 00:26:50:20 - 00:27:11:18 Unknown Great. Correct. But you but you use of the CV, the, I mean, he's a professor. Yeah, he's a professor. He was involved in the whole reason. He was I think he was sued remain I and, Right. Yeah. He had people come together to help me establish a fund to help other people, you know, facing, lawsuits and stuff like that. 00:27:11:20 - 00:27:32:14 Unknown Yeah. And I mean, I think in the past we have highlighted certain posts. He makes that actually very good and very thought provoking. Just in this case, it does feel like, okay, unless we're missing something, feels a bit simplistic, feels a bit simplistic, but it's interesting to see the debate online. Also, and in this case, I think Calvin Cheng's post was the most measured. 00:27:32:16 - 00:28:01:04 Unknown That's right. All right. Consider considers all the. Yeah. And and. Yeah. And the reality that economics and numbers are one thing but politics is another. Right. So yeah. Interesting that interesting interesting. But yeah, you know, it's it's, it's that time of the, the election cycle, right? Yeah. It is. People have to make noise about some of the issues that that, close to the hearts of residents. 00:28:01:07 - 00:28:29:24 Unknown Right? Yeah, yeah. But there's another group of people making a loud noise. And, the residents are out there, but not actually enjoying them making noise. But is this, what is this? What what is good? Is, is, I mean, two groups like the more recent group is pickleball players. But the first group that, was kind of like, ticked off were the residents around a particular pickleball court at, Marine Parade. 00:28:30:01 - 00:28:52:00 Unknown So I think, like a few days ago, there was an article that, you know, some residents of Marine Crescent and Marine Parade have been losing sleep due to loud noises from a group of pickleball players using a multipurpose court near block 47. And I think, the court, it's open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.. Delila so there was, you know, it was. 00:28:52:00 - 00:29:18:00 Unknown Yeah, it was, when the article was written about the residents, it was 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.. And that some of the residents had made complaints to the Marine Parade Town Council. And then, the town council, in response, restricted the court usage to from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. instead. So one hour of, morning use, you know, you cannot use, so then the pickleball people now one hour morning, but in half an hour or less. 00:29:18:00 - 00:29:40:24 Unknown That evening was great. All the 930 929. Okay. Okay. Oh, no. So, okay, so according to some pickleball players who wrote in to, stomp of all the websites, players could previously start their games as early as 7:30 a.m., but in February, the hours were changed to 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. more recently, it is now 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.. 00:29:41:00 - 00:29:55:23 Unknown Yeah, so the 7:30 a.m.. I don't know whether it was an informal thing or not, but like the official one was EDM idiom. Tonight the TBA is now they are losing an hour and a half. So some pickleball players said, you know, like, it's so nice to be able to, start your day with a pickleball game, and now we cannot. 00:29:56:00 - 00:30:13:07 Unknown There's one hour of sunlight lost. You know, isn't this going against all the need for kampung spirit? You know, we often play and and go for breakfast together. It is a public space. What can we use it? So I know you have your own thoughts about pickleball players in the sport of pickleball. So. So what do you think others. 00:30:13:09 - 00:30:38:18 Unknown Oh. You read about the sport of. No. As in just about this whole, this whole debacle? I think noise is a very. It's a very subjective thing. Right? Between individuals, some people cannot hear the noise, you know, they can block it out. But then there's some that, like any little bit of just, like rustling the block and the sleeves would be affordable. 00:30:38:20 - 00:31:05:13 Unknown So it's very hard to generalize on both sites like you say leaving some on the open noise. And then the other sites like oh why are you being so inconsiderate. Not right. But the fact remains pickleball is a much noisier sport. And and it's in tennis. So and I think we're still in the, in this stage of like trying to understand what you know, the effects, on the environment. 00:31:05:17 - 00:31:34:07 Unknown But the, but pickleball is just growing so fast and popularity is sticking a little bit in the courts is to give us a tennis court. The basketball courts have got even, the, you know, now is starting to see residents pushback against it. I mean, what do you think of pickleball? I mean like I will say that I, I think everybody, you know, should play sports, exercise, have these teams sports, you know, sports where you can enjoy your community, you know, but pickleball right. 00:31:34:09 - 00:31:59:07 Unknown The noise right is really very high. Road noise travels. I wouldn't say it's I mean it's loud. Yes. But it's not like walking like a crane or drilling in one construction constructions. But the sound travels, very jarring in my. Our flat is on the 11th floor, and maybe, like, 100m away, there is a court, there in the middle of the housing estate. 00:31:59:09 - 00:32:16:21 Unknown And even I don't have to stand near the door, and I can hear the, And it starts demolition like a pickleball players. Right? They are, like, very motivated. And I can imagine it being fun because I, I like playing ping pong, tennis is, like, very technical. So it's not easy just to pick up this one. 00:32:16:21 - 00:32:35:09 Unknown Feels like it's a middle ground. So it sounds theoretically very fun. And I'm and I'm sure I would love it. But the noise, it does surprise me because I'm just thinking, what about the people who live on the second floor overlooking the court? Must be fucking annoying. And that's where I think pickleball, right? Is like, is like the new PMD. 00:32:35:11 - 00:32:59:00 Unknown PMD on the path. Yeah. And I do feel that. I mean, what is a ball to be so plastic? Easier to hit the like the right for sure. And you can travel. Yeah. But I mean, if you look at a floorball, right. It's plastic, but it doesn't have the cutout noise. It's still a bit softer. Yeah. I think there are efforts to try and create used materials. 00:32:59:02 - 00:33:26:18 Unknown Less noise. Yeah, not just you. Whatever it is literally when you when you search for pickleball, no noise or is a thing globally. Is it. Yeah. You know, we put us here as a solution. Some noisy pickleball courts, game on, volume down. Tackling the pickleball noise issue. Yeah. So so I mean like, yeah, I would say that is something that needs to and needs to change. 00:33:26:20 - 00:33:51:24 Unknown But for you, I mean, I do. Yeah. I think recently or so. Yeah. Because I live on a lower floor. Right. Yeah. Also, I've had this issue with people on higher floors. Don't realize like how how easily noise travels are. Right. And then, you know, whether they're, they're blasting that reduce whatever those statistics are there. When you live on a lower floors, you can really hear it that right. 00:33:52:01 - 00:34:12:17 Unknown And then you'll see, you know, and this literally happened to me. And, and then I saw that there was an influx of like, oh, just close the windows. Like, you know, what's the big issue? They say that they said, why wait, why was, for music or pickleball? Loud music. And, yeah. And it was kind of annoying because it's literally like, yeah, okay. 00:34:12:18 - 00:34:33:02 Unknown I'm not bothered by it. Why are you being bothered by this windows that right. And that means that I wouldn't need the closing doors. And so as a precaution would be great by my room and all that that. Right. But I just felt like, yeah, that's where people always feel like the their own perception of their experience of something is it's like the most common experience. 00:34:33:02 - 00:34:57:09 Unknown Like if I'm not bothered by the noise, was anyone else be. Floors. There's a lot of things beyond just like, you know noise or people that noise from stuff like pickleball. And there's also other kinds of noise you have to deal with, like cars, you know, driving past the block and things like that. But and even loud people, people just talking loudly or, or smoking and talking and things like that, you can hear all that, that. 00:34:57:09 - 00:35:17:02 Unknown Right. Applicable element to it. It's, it just pushes you over the edge. Right. So maybe if you live on a slightly higher floor you hear you, the only thing you hear is just a pickleball thing. But you don't hear all the other stuff like it of all that I just spent a lot of people living on the lower floors, where the general noise is just a lot more. 00:35:17:04 - 00:35:40:14 Unknown But according to some of these pickleball players, they're in school. Starts at 7:30 a.m.. Okay, you can already hear heavy traffic, car horns from late parents, and even school announcements over the loudspeaker. The sounds of pickleball will become white noise. This is like saying that that what was percent increase in GSD culture? Oh yeah, this. Is if that's true, the GSD will become white inflation. 00:35:40:16 - 00:36:04:16 Unknown It's just that, that pickleball, that particular noise that it makes that jarring noise it makes is just like you can't tell people to stop, you know, stop your school, stop driving your kids to stop driving to office, stop sending your kids to school. But you can ask a group of four people who are playing pickleball, and you really need to add an extra 1% of noise, or the one jarring South to my daily symphony of noise. 00:36:04:18 - 00:36:25:18 Unknown But they have become a close knit group who share playing tips and even have breakfast together after a game. Isn't it bringing back the kampung spirit to marine bread? Can I just do it between 9999 M? We can't do it. This it don't do it. So all of you like, right. The. But the cod was built for Marine bridge Jersey residents to stay active in restricting play to hours when the sun is already out. 00:36:25:18 - 00:36:45:17 Unknown Will only see the courts use for three hours a day. This is a complete waste of public funds and do like taiji in the morning. First Covid 19. Yeah, and okay, so I think this is just going to get worse because I don't think either side is going to back down. And you can understand both the, the, the, prospect lives. 00:36:45:19 - 00:37:07:02 Unknown I just think there needs to be a softer ball. And I really don't understand because even wiffle ball, you know, wiffle ball, you know, that that ball for people who want to, like, play baseball or softball, they pitch that it has holes. But the plastic that is made of same with floorball is a bit softer. So I don't understand why pickleball needs to needs to be until like that. 00:37:07:02 - 00:37:28:13 Unknown Like I guess like ping pong. Ping pong. Also, it's it's a bit noisy, but I'm much more contending. And because there is so much history, you're not going to get some new paddle or something, right? But these pickleball players, I don't think they are competing in the Olympics of pickleball. Right. I just feel there needs to be some innovation, because I don't think people are going to back down and is getting fucking popular. 00:37:28:15 - 00:37:48:06 Unknown Like I see people playing. They are dare come late. They're organized. They do drills now because I guess pickleball is not like super expensive. The ball itself, so I've seen is one guy by himself just hit like 20 balls and then go collect it. Good. Yeah. So it hit. I don't know what, bro. You got committed. He's a pro. 00:37:48:08 - 00:38:05:23 Unknown I guess you be a professional pickleball player and leagues, but not pro, semi-pro or amateur leagues and all. Which by all, really, if people like active and not sure, but. And I live like 11 floor thankfully and I can still hear it if I was living right next one. Or maybe all the people playing are people who live on the second floor. 00:38:05:23 - 00:38:29:15 Unknown I don't know, but yeah. Then what? Yes. Then you're just being like, uncle. All right. I'm, I guess. What what is something that young people, other people enjoy and, these these people. Not uncle. Not. Yeah, not necessarily younger. I've seen uncles and aunties also. So in some ways nice because I like tennis, which is a bit exclusive. 00:38:29:17 - 00:38:54:03 Unknown You know, tennis is like a lot of self-selection. Yeah, pickleball is very accessible, which is great. But I wasn't thinking like, what is people like 730 you stop playing the whole, three blocks can hear. Yeah. What is going through your mind? Like, just like, I mean, everyone kind of knows, you know, just like, is it something you enjoy or. 00:38:54:05 - 00:39:11:05 Unknown I don't know, it's it's just. It's just weird, but it's a function of, the fact that it's a lot because a lot of people, anyone can become a pickleball. All right. Yeah. So I think a lot of people pick it up because it's less taxing. You know, whatever. Basketball or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. It's a little less taxing. 00:39:11:05 - 00:39:33:06 Unknown So all the people. Yeah. So somebody is like, if I like noone for them. So they realize for me, like, I had to do meals and they're like, really? This is like, just started modern and nothing to do. And yeah, they have to do it. Yeah. So I mean, asking them to play at 9:00, it does get very. 00:39:33:08 - 00:39:52:15 Unknown Yeah. It does like, I mean, the day starts, you know, there's work there. And so what other solution you have besides just calling for the ban on pickleball or, you know, changing technology because it's technology. I mean, even if there's some at the ball people might not want to use, and they may have gotten addicted to, yeah. 00:39:52:17 - 00:40:16:11 Unknown Yeah. The noiseless basketball. Yeah. Like, it's a bit weird because you really cannot hear the ball at all. And that's part of the game. So let's say I'm like, the, MP for, Marie Breda. How would you, how would you, you be the judge in, in this situation? The judge? Okay. Like you have you have any ideas off the top of your head? 00:40:16:13 - 00:40:38:19 Unknown I would do something to incentivize the pickleball players to with. Let me be like. You didn't come in at 9 a.m., 8:30 a.m.. Got, like, a free breakfast for for people to come and play the good ball. So it would be in the middle of the. But you are you are you are you mingling with other players and then like including stuff. 00:40:38:21 - 00:41:01:08 Unknown But this one it is free. Like you don't book it right. You know, even the cookie dough so doesn't know that you, you have a price. Then just limiting the number of people then you are 7 to 8 p.m. is $200 per hour. Okay. That's something that, maybe if you want to do, like, do you want to do the eight, 9 a.m.. 00:41:01:11 - 00:41:26:18 Unknown Yeah. Yeah. For noise. Noise? I think we should set your play at 3 a.m.. Also, can is $4,000 an hour. Yeah, we are more than welcome. But all this will go towards the defraying. The cost for everyone around. It's a great solution. Yeah. It's just. Yeah. It's capitalism. Capitalism is the solution to everything. But, I mean, not I'm not saying it should be charge la. 00:41:26:20 - 00:41:44:06 Unknown But I think, yeah, this kind of thing, I mean, in some sense, like you're doing home renovation, right? There are limitations. You can't do it before nine, right? Yeah. So in this sort of things. Okay. But then here's the thing. What do you want to play? Badminton. The badminton game. It can. Or is this new change? 00:41:44:08 - 00:42:02:14 Unknown Change for all. Because if you changing it. All right then to the badminton players who are just, you know, the then they suffer also. Yeah. And there is no cool for them. Yeah. But I mean we have for example we've been football from what. It's all right. Yeah. For whatever football and politics. But you can still play badminton right. 00:42:02:15 - 00:42:24:23 Unknown Yeah I think, I think you can differentiate between the sports that we use a lot. But that means this rule. Is it hard and fast or is it just for pickleball? Pickleball. Because of the noise. I think it's okay to differentiate between between sports. Yeah. For football. Yeah. Do it for, you know, other sports that cause inconveniences. 00:42:25:00 - 00:42:54:08 Unknown And I mean, I just Google silent pickleball. You can get a silent pickleball from Shopee for $5.98. Yeah. Yeah. So it's foam. It's foam. With that, money can solve the problem, right? Yeah. Can subsidize pickleball. Yeah. They just give you foam pickleball to, you know, like, Yeah. You get a CDC voucher to go and buy pickleball, because, yeah, I don't think, like, you should discourage sport. 00:42:54:10 - 00:43:16:03 Unknown But, yeah, they are quiet. The paddles, they are quiet. The balls. So even the US pickleball is a quiet category that recognizes pickleball products. They reduce noise without affecting performance. So if there are options and people are not choosing them, then I would say pickleball players. You have to be considerate. You have to be considerate. 00:43:16:03 - 00:43:52:19 Unknown Yeah. So so there is a USA pickleball quiet category compliant paddle. Yeah, yeah. So, Yeah. So it can reduce the noise level by quite a bit. But I mean, how about the argument that, whatever it is, even if it's 90? Yeah. Everything. There are people, you know, that shift, and then they need to sleep in the morning, you know, do you think they have grounds to be still be upset, even if there's some if it's maintained at I, I didn't I want a bit harder because like if, let's say I have to do home renovation or drilling. 00:43:52:19 - 00:44:08:18 Unknown Right. If someone has a night shift, and they are sleeping during the day and they tell me you can't do because I need to sleep, also be like a sorry, man, I can't do it any other time. Alive needs to go on. So I was it. The best solution is silent pickleball. Maybe I try out, maybe next. 00:44:08:18 - 00:44:30:05 Unknown I'm going to think other guys. Here is a link. If you scan this QR code. Or maybe like I've bought 50 silent pickleball. Can you please try? You know, just try. Like, you might have to change the way you play and all, but then everyone can live together, like, it has to be done. Yeah, because it's just proliferating like this. 00:44:30:07 - 00:44:54:05 Unknown It's crazy. Yeah, it's crazy. And, I mean, part of living in a community, I would like to think that, I mean, like me and my wife and all, we haven't done anything that that, you know, pieces of our neighbors, I hope I, I hope, but I do think that living in such proximity, you need to do a give and take, especially nowadays, everything's just in smaller. 00:44:54:07 - 00:45:19:23 Unknown It's all getting smaller. You just need to. Yeah, yeah. And not everybody might have the same worldview as you. And you just need to give and take, give and take. And so it could be a lot more important than, one thing that people want to have. All right. But silent fucking pickleball, they are silent because all the Amazon you can get a ball of is all formula. 00:45:19:23 - 00:45:48:18 Unknown So you won't have to. Yeah. Yeah. But I mean so feels like it's okay. Yeah. But yeah I mean yes. So, what is the one comment and the week, ma one she'll comment. Do you have, something is going on with, the mom was on Spotify. Yeah. It's always like this. 00:45:48:18 - 00:46:13:19 Unknown Like, I mean, this is great, everyone. We get a lot of comments, but, sometimes we need to troll through, because the irritating thing about YouTube is that after I respond to a comment, disappears from my feet, which is annoying. Oh, is it okay? I have a comment. This is the one that I saw, on the episode at six to for fewer jobs for fresh grads in SG and flying, with the cops for hours. 00:46:13:21 - 00:46:36:23 Unknown So fast learn who commented on Spotify. Awesome episode. Love listening to both your perspectives on the employment scene for graduates in Singapore in current times. Interesting to see how digitalization would affect AI and rice balls in times to come. And I'm I'm an avid listener of your podcast, but, the thing that stood out to me was we are apparently his go to source that keeps him close to Singapore, because he works and resides in, Europe. 00:46:37:00 - 00:47:01:16 Unknown Yeah. So Fosun, I assume I assume you do. Dude. Why. Guten tag is basically that in Germany and why engineers in Germany really? Well, I mean London. London. You never know. Portugal. Spain. But Europe, man. So, so yeah, I mean, like, we are going to keep you super close to what's going to be happening in the lead up to the elections. 00:47:01:22 - 00:47:30:11 Unknown So. Cheers, man. Yeah. What about you? Might on the YouTube, on the YouTube video for The Last Resort, about the Johnson fiscal goods. Google Ads asks, Is Terrence an NBA fan? The fact that you know about the G League is like a bright beacon all of a sudden for a lifelong and be offended me harshest butchering of disgusting the results was I mean but his story is absolutely spotless. 00:47:30:16 - 00:47:49:15 Unknown His confidence in himself is truly inspiring and he's shattered. All the NBA stereotypes might have been the best one. Sure thing I've heard. After doesn't hold. So I put it at the start, but it still ended up being, full power. Yes, I am a big NBA fan. Yeah, but I have you don't hear me talk a lot about it because. 00:47:49:15 - 00:48:10:18 Unknown Harris. Yeah, he literally called Luka Doncic. Luka Doncic, so that, like, that was like, speaking a different language to me that. So I, I've occasionally spoken a little bit about basketball as my watch. Yeah. But I think we've got more of a football that football is like. Yeah. But why do you think that. Just because I don't watch I cannot appreciate basketball. 00:48:10:20 - 00:48:32:18 Unknown Then you fucking give me things to appreciate LA give you that. No no no because it's called the NBA. No because it feels like inside you're like oh look at it I idiot ignorant prick who does not understand and be. But are you doing anything to change it. Yeah. But no one should. Yeah. Okay. You know, but apart from that, you just harbor this, this grudge against me, because it's really a thing for you. 00:48:32:18 - 00:48:49:04 Unknown You are someone I do like. Some, something, bro. Or something. Definitely something I can tell you a million times. It was. Just wasn't. It wasn't. But when something like raw commenced, you know. Oh, that was that good. You know, I love it. You know, I love this. I love this dude. Yeah. Don't be like you. Be a no, son. 00:48:49:06 - 00:49:08:07 Unknown You'll be a pot and calling the kettle fucking black. Okay? So many things. So many things that, Please. That is what? That's what a close minded person would say. Oh, yeah. I'm not drunk. I'm not drunk, I'm not drunk. But, at least he, he or she enjoyed that one show. The only, I want to comment on, that one. 00:49:08:07 - 00:49:31:09 Unknown Sure thing. Which is not your one show comment. I watch a lot of, analysis about, like, NBA statistics and, and B performances in the past. Because I think that's a cool thing about the U.S sports media. They really dissect things from the past. Not right. Make you understand the context of which, of which a lot of things appear in the strategy. 00:49:31:11 - 00:49:54:20 Unknown The whole of sporting plays and things like that happen that. Right. Whereas yeah, in Singapore we, we don't get much of that. Yeah, yeah. No one talks about possible fair in the second one was in the World Cup. Was it. The one was in the warm up to the AFC. No. The Si. No. Yeah. Yeah. But the last time. 00:49:54:22 - 00:50:16:16 Unknown Yeah. There's no like postmortem or anything to talk about what happened. Yeah. Well it's nothing that is really all like a video essay on like the 1994 Malaysia Cup. Yeah. The I mean, they focus on the personalities and the politics. But how about the play. Yeah. Yeah. Cool. And what about your, your one shock thing man. 00:50:16:18 - 00:50:36:06 Unknown I think there's a trailer that just came out for a new Terminator game. And the Terminator two Dino Fate. And it's actually a 2D action side scroller developed by the Bitmap Bureau. So it's pretty cool because it's in the old style of, you know, golden ax and all those kind of old Sega games. 00:50:36:08 - 00:50:57:10 Unknown So it's a side scroller, but it's on the, it's of the whole Terminator two, storyline. So you know that for me, two is the classic scene where Arnold Schwarzenegger goes on the on, motorcycle with John Connor, and then they're being chased like. Yeah. So yeah, you play the sizable, it looks pretty fun. 00:50:57:10 - 00:51:22:10 Unknown I, I enjoy the side scrolling and the graphics are not like the, they're a lot better than what they say school is about is like 16 bit the kind of like, ten buttons and it looks pretty cool. Oh, would you believe it that my one shooting is also a game? Look at me. Which was I. 00:51:22:12 - 00:51:47:18 Unknown Though. But this one is in, it's a locally developed game, so, it is a thing called Scud. Yeah. See, working real shit on it without even hearing it. It's called, it's, puzzle horror game called Scud. And it's apparently like the seventh game by a local game developer who goes by the name of Chu Bin Yong. 00:51:47:20 - 00:52:06:02 Unknown Who goes by the name of Coke Studios. So this whole thing, right, is a first person, first person game. You are a student solving a mystery involving a former classmate that went missing. But the coolest thing is that it's set in, like, a twisted version of a HDB, estate in Singapore. And, trailer. 00:52:06:02 - 00:52:35:06 Unknown I think the game is launching next month, but there's a trailer out, so I send in April. So the trailer is damn cool. I see, like, the corridor and like, these things that are distinctly Singaporean and it looks pretty dope, man. Yeah. So. So, yeah. Terrence. Yeah, I can appreciate other things. As the hub leaf hub estate, almost like a mini cool man, though this would have been a bunch of thing if I had, remember? 00:52:35:08 - 00:52:58:07 Unknown Yeah. Yeah, whatever. Whatever. Whatever. Yeah. You saw it already. You saw it? Yes. Terrence, the question is, will you play? That is debatable. Is it? I'm still giving a shout out to a locally made game. Okay, wait. I play it or not. Is is inconsequential, but I might I might will pressure interested in playing the, keep bettering English of the house. 00:52:58:07 - 00:53:18:22 Unknown In the house? Yeah. That's way, Exactly, exactly. So yeah. 70 day romance. So so kudos to the game studio to to the game developer. It looks pretty cool. And we'll put a link to the trailer there. Yeah. Cool, man. Awesome. So, third episode of the week. Exciting week next week with our live show. And, yeah. 00:53:18:22 - 00:53:39:05 Unknown So remember, if you're new to the podcast, if you've been listening for a while and haven't told someone yet, it would be great if you could and follow us on all our social media platforms, which is Instagram, tick tock. And, Reddit, of course. And telegram. Yeah. And, yeah. If you'll work with us, check out Ministry of funny.com or email us and contact the Ministry of funny.com. 00:53:39:07 - 00:53:47:14 Unknown Awesome. Thanks everybody and talk to y'all soon.