After the latest General Election, Malaysia is facing a hung parliament for the first time ever, with two rival factions tussling for power. The king has been tasked with the tough decision of selecting the new PM. We go through the sequence of events that led us to this situation, and try to break it down for the average Singaporean to understand. Closer to home, we might have an extra 1.5 hours of quiet time in our neighbourhoods, if the recommendations of the Community Advisory Panel on Neigh...
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 347
It’s a special episode today, where Alvin Tan, Minister of State for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and the Ministry of Trade & Industry, dropped by the YLB studio for a frank conversation that went deep. He opened up about his struggles with his A-level exams, why he left his private sector career behind to enter politics, and the secret MP’s book club… Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB YouTube YLB IG Find Alvin Tan here! LinkedIn Instagram Facebook One Shiok Thing U...
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 346
Ex-employees of Twitter Singapore have come forward with accounts of how the layoffs at their office were handled, and it’s not a good look for the social media giant. How did the process compare to other recent Big Tech layoffs? Elsewhere, buskers are lamenting the restrictions on performing at Orchard Road, which were implemented to control crowds during the holiday season. We debate the merits of such restrictions, especially after what the world witnessed in Itaewon. Find us here! YLB Subred...
Nov 19, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 345
A British expat recently took to social media to blast his condo security guards as “racist” for their differential treatment of his migrant worker colleagues who were invited to his place for a party. He even added that Singapore needs to “grow up”. We examine if there is merit to his complaints. Elsewhere, Cristiano Ronaldo dropped a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, in which he criticised Manchester United’s coaches, ex-players, senior management, and even the club facilities. What led t...
Nov 17, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 344
The crypto ecosystem experienced another massive shakeup this week when one of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, FTX, unexpectedly went bankrupt. We discuss how Singapore is linked to FTX’s collapse, and what lessons can be learnt from this debacle. Elsewhere, as Qatar gets ready to welcome World Cup 2022, its appointed football ambassadors have not been doing the host nation’s image any good with their media appearances. Why is there such angst about Qatar’s hosting of the competition? Find...
Nov 15, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 343
This past week, a new law that will require social media sites to block harmful content 'within hours' was passed by Parliament. Furthermore, if the platforms do not comply, the IMDA can get Internet service providers to block access to the content. We discuss why these sweeping changes are, unfortunately, necessary. Elsewhere, the 3 female hosts of a local podcast were slammed for allegedly justifying cheating on one’s partner. Were their comments really that out of line? Find us here! YLB Subr...
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 342
Last week, IPS released the results of a survey of 1,002 food delivery workers that highlighted the vulnerabilities of delivery work; low pay, long working hours and lack of medical benefits were just a few of the issues that came forth in the paper. We dissect the findings and discuss what can be done to better support platform workers. In the wake of Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, the company’s co-founder and ex-CEO Jack Dorsey has publicly shouldered responsibility for the mass layoffs t...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 341
In the past week, the tech world has been shaken by Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter and his first actions as CEO. We go through the sequence of events leading up to this momentous week, and speculate on what’s to come for the social media giant. Elsewhere, IKEA sent a cease and desist letter to the person behind the horror survival game “The Store Is Closed”, triggering an outpouring of support for the indie game developer. Why the strong reaction? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB Y...
Nov 02, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 340
This past weekend, over 150 partygoers perished during a crowd crush that happened during Halloween festivities in the Seoul clubbing district, Itaewon. We discuss whether the authorities should be culpable when an unfortunate freak incident like this happens. Closer to home, thousands of people in Singapore got to see the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex up close before it heads for auction in Hong Kong. However, the auction of this giant fossil has been criticised in scientific circles; is this...
Oct 31, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 339
A recent study by women-first dating app Bumble revealed that 3 in 5 Singaporean singles have ghosted or been ghosted in their dating history. The differences between Millennials and Gen Y respondents in attitudes towards ghosting also surprised us, and we examine why. Elsewhere, “Milkshake” singer Kelis recently shared a video of her braids being fondled by 2 women in a Singapore coffee shop, which led to some angry reactions online and international news coverage. Why is this such a big deal? ...
Oct 28, 2022•59 min•Ep. 338
Coinciding with Deepavali festivities around the world, Rishi Sunak won the race to lead the Conservative Party, and therefore to become the UK’s first ever British Asian PM. How are Indians around the world feeling about this watershed moment in international politics? Closer to home, the Ministry of Home Affairs have officially invited UK billionaire Sir Richard Branson to Singapore to debate the country’s drug policy and death penalty with Minister K. Shanmugam. What led to this strange situa...
Oct 25, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 337
The Ministry of Home Affairs recently released 3 full studies on the death penalty, one of which found that 73% of Singapore residents believed that some form of death penalty was an appropriate punishment for drug trafficking. What can we make of these studies, and why are they being released now? Elsewhere, a Cambodian delegation wants to examine the Asian Civilisations Museum’s Cambodian collection to look for lost national artefacts. Does the ACM have a moral obligation to return any artefac...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 336
In his speech at the Singapore Economic Policy Forum, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong pointed out that the Singapore economy places too much emphasis on cognitive abilities – “head” work – and does not equally value those engaging in more technical “hands-on” work, or service and care roles, which he christened “heart” work. We discuss why this admission is important. Elsewhere, the IMDA has banned the local film #LookAtMe by Ken Kwek, and we talk about why that might be the best thing to ha...
Oct 19, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 335
The long-running missing person case of Felicia Teo that started in 2007 has finally reached a resolution; one of the men, initially accused of her murder, has instead been sentenced to jail for several other charges, including unlawfully depositing Ms Teo's corpse in a public place. We talk through the gruesome details of this heartbreaking case, and public opinion about the verdict. Elsewhere, some people who got tickets to a show at the Esplanade Theatres were shocked when they arrived at the...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 334
Vogue Singapore, a fashion magazine, was slapped with a stern warning for breaching local content guidelines, and has had its permit shortened from one year to 6 months. Is this move by the authorities justified? Elsewhere, Singaporean OnlyFans creator Titus Low has been fined S$3,000 for sharing obscene photos and videos on the site, and also sentenced to 3 weeks prison for breaching police orders. What does this verdict mean for other OnlyFans creators? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok Y...
Oct 14, 2022•58 min•Ep. 333
Aaaaand we're back! In a reversal of a long-criticised policy, Singapore Airlines’ flight attendants will no longer be forced to quit after giving birth. We discuss how this archaic rule has lasted till 2022, and how it will affect SIA’s hiring policies going forward. Elsewhere, the National Population and Talent Division released the results of a survey which found that 50% of single Singapore residents were not currently dating, and that within this group, 38% had never dated before. Do Singap...
Oct 11, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 332
Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, has died at the age of 96. While tributes and condolences from world leaders pour in, we discuss why there’ve been some negative responses as well. Closer to home, the Singapore Armed Forces announced that NSmen can now buy selected SAF products online from their new store on e-commerce platform Lazada. How will shops at the Beach Road Army Market be affected by this news? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB YouTube YLB IG Queen Eliz...
Sep 09, 2022•59 min•Ep. 331
Shopee is in the news for pulling job offers for positions at its Singapore HQ, including one for a Chinese engineer who had already relocated here with his family to take up a new role. Was there any way they could have handled this better? Also, homegrown bakery franchise Prima Deli was recently called out by an irate customer for using a slice of processed cheese on its cake for a birthday greeting. Was his outrage justified? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB YouTube YLB IG Shopee dr...
Sep 03, 2022•54 min•Ep. 330
In a shocking announcement, Singapore’s sporting icon Joseph Schooling confessed to consuming cannabis while overseas training for the SEA Games. We discuss if there's a way back for our Olympic golden boy. In another post-NDR interview, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing suggested that school alumni can help ease teachers’ workload by offering help with career talks and mental health resources; is this really a wise idea? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB YouTube YLB IG Joseph Schooling...
Sep 01, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 329
In a wide-ranging interview with The Straits Times, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan detailed the global challenges that Singapore will be facing in the near future. We discuss why the interview was important, and why it’s also making us worried. Also, several SQ passengers were blasted on social media for standing to get their bags while their plane was still taxiing. Yes, what they did was wrong, but was the outrage justified? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB YouTube YLB IG Minis...
Aug 29, 2022•50 min•Ep. 328
The COVID-19 multi-ministry task force announced that from 29th August, people in Singapore will no longer be required to wear a mask except on public transport and in healthcare facilities. Is Singapore really ready to go mask-free? Elsewhere, a St Andrew’s Secondary School student was caught on video threatening his teacher with very abusive language. The news has since gone viral internationally, but was there any other way the teacher could have reacted to the student? Find us here! YLB Subr...
Aug 26, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 327
After the bombshell announcement at NDR 2022 that Section 377A will be repealed, Ministers K Shanmugam, Lawrence Wong and Edwin Tong all sat down for interviews with mainstream media outlets to clear up the confusion about the process. What interesting nuggets did we glean from watching both interviews? Also, a researcher found that TikTok's in-app browser can monitor users’ keystrokes, including their credit card numbers and passwords. But if TikTok is just an innocent way for most people to wh...
Aug 24, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 326
At the National Day Rally 2022, PM Lee Hsien Loong announced that Section 377A will finally be repealed, which ends the criminalisation of gay sex. At the same time, he also announced that the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and a woman would be enshrined in the Constitution, so is it truly a step forward? Elsewhere, Finland’s PM faced backlash after videos of her partying with celebrities and influencers were leaked, leading to her even having to take a drug test to silence ...
Aug 22, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 325
We had the privilege of speaking to Lavaniyah Ganapathy, an inspiring mother whose daughter was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at the age of 6 last year. Since the diagnosis, Lavaniyah has started a blog to share her experience and to educate other families about facing childhood cancer head-on. She tells us how she stays positive even through the most emotional moments of the journey, and why she believes that sharing her story is important. Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTo...
Aug 19, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 324
In a recent CNA podcast, Singapore's ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh called Singapore a "very snobbish and hierarchical society". We break down his comments and why it needs to be taken in context. Elsewhere, Naomi Neo faced an intense backlash over a prank she played on her son that she subsequently posted as a TikTok video. Is the outrage warranted? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB YouTube YLB IG Did Tommy Koh really say SG is snobbish? Tommy Koh: S'pore is snobbish & 'look down on...
Aug 18, 2022•54 min•Ep. 323
The Singapore police announced that licences for club and bar operators in Orchard Towers will not be renewed beyond May 2023 due to concerns about law and order. What does this mean for the Orchard Road nightlife scene? Also, at NDP, the image of an audience member crying during the singing of the national anthem went viral, sparking discussions online about how appropriate a reaction it is. Is it OK for a grown man to wear his heart on his sleeve in 2022? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok...
Aug 15, 2022•51 min•Ep. 322
It’s been a long time coming, but we finally managed to get writer/commentator and now Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh onto YLB to tell us about his exciting new media outfit, Jom, and about his explosive e-book about the Lee family Oxley Road saga, THE BATTLE OVER LEE KUAN YEW’S LAST WILL. Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB YouTube YLB IG Find Sudhir here! Sudhir's personal blog, MUSINGS FROM SINGAPORE Jom.media PDF download link: THE BATTLE OVER LEE KUAN YEW’S LAST WILL One Shio...
Aug 06, 2022•2 hr 1 min•Ep. 321
Get your own Folklory at www.Folklory.com ! On Monday, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong detailed the rationale behind terminating the public-private partnership with Sports Hub Pte Ltd, and taking over the management of Singapore Sports Hub. We discuss what’s ahead for the sporting facility. Also, a road cyclist who got thrown off his bicycle when his front wheel got stuck in a drain cover is suing PUB for negligence. We break down the chances of success in his lawsuit. Find ...
Aug 03, 2022•58 min•Ep. 320
And after our short COVID holiday, we are back! And so is Will Smith, who got us to “take a minute, just sit right there” to watch his apology video on his YouTube channel, 4 months after slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars. We discuss the backlash to his video, and what he really needs to do to get out of this PR nightmare. Closer to home, people got angsty when a seafood stall in a Bishan kopitiam announced that it will start charging GST and service charge come 1st August. Is this the start of ...
Aug 01, 2022•59 min•Ep. 319
We get honest (and humbling) thoughts from Rishi about the behind-the-scenes of NDP 2022 and being hand picked as one of the 4 hosts. We also chat about the motivation behind his 110-day physical transformation, the future of SG comedy & more. And we also discuss the recent 1,200-person ”Protect Singapore” town hall against repealing 377A. Did they do anything wrong? What about the LGBTQ+ community? And what happens next? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB IG YLB YouTube YLB TikTok The Anti-Rep...
Jul 27, 2022•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 318
