It’s Taylor Swift Week! And alongside the buzz about her sold out series of concerts at the Sports Hub, officials in the Philippines have called out Singapore’s deal with the singer, saying it "isn't what good neighbours do." Should we be feeling bad about depriving our regional neighbours of their dose of Swift-mania? Elsewhere, NSmen’s allowances came under the spotlight in Parliament, with Opposition MP Gerald Giam arguing for paying our soldiers a higher salary that even includes CPF contrib...
Mar 04, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 504
Shibani Mahtani is the Washington Post journalist who published an article last year which alleged that local Chinese newspaper Lianhe Zaobao “now routinely echoes some of Beijing’s most strident falsehoods”. This prompted a strong rebuttal from the newspaper and even Singapore’s ambassador to the US. However, Singapore recently invoked the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021 against businessman Philip Chan, who has had 25 articles published in Lianhe Zaobao before; how does Shibani ...
Mar 01, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 503
This week, we got comedian Jacky Ng in the studio to talk about his upcoming hour-long standup performance, and to contribute his thoughts on a couple of funny (OK, maybe not-SO-funny) topics. Concerns arose last week when it was revealed that schools have been teaching students about the conflict in Gaza via their Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons. The slides from the lessons were also heavily criticised for oversimplifying the issue. We went through the slides to see what MOE c...
Feb 28, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 502
Clarence Sim AKA @clarencesimple, the NTU scientist who went viral after highlighting filtration company Sterra’s misleading ad on tap water in Singapore, drops by the YLB studio! He talks about his journey as a science communicator, why he decided to call out Sterra, and whether the company has since reached out to him to make amends. And oh, he also talks about all the THIRSTY messages in his DMs he’s received in the aftermath. Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Folklory...
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 501
In response to recent rumours of a Southeast-Asia exclusivity deal, STB and the Ministry of Community, Culture and Youth (MCCY) clarified that a grant had been provided to help bring Taylor Swift’s concert to Singapore, but did not confirm if the deal was indeed exclusive. Will this news cause bad blood with Swifties in our neighbouring countries? Elsewhere, the fallout over football star Messi’s no-show on the pitch in Hong Kong continues. Most recently, a pair of friendly matches in China feat...
Feb 21, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 500
For the first “instalment” of the Forward SG social compact, DPM Lawrence Wong delivered Budget 2024, which leaned in on preparing workers for uncertain times ahead, and providing relief for those affected by ongoing retrenchments. In what’s becoming an annual tradition, we invited Reggie, boss of personal finance network The Financial Coconut (TFC) into our studio to help us read the tea leaves about the budget, and what the mainstream media missed. (00:00) A Message From Folklory (02:14) Intro...
Feb 19, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 499
This past week, NCMP and PSP leader Leong Mun Wai was issued a POFMA for publishing false information about an elderly West Coast couple who were allegedly facing financial difficulties. Was there any merit to this POFMA? Elsewhere, PUB called out water purifier firm Sterra for its “misleading” advertisements that made dubious claims about the cleanliness of Singapore tap water. Was this a POFMA-able event? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Intern with Us! We’re looking f...
Feb 16, 2024•48 min•Ep. 498
The police announced that they are looking into 2 events related to the Israel-Hamas war that took place in Singapore over the last couple of weeks, including a march to deliver letters to the Istana. In light of how the rest of the world is reacting to the Middle East conflict, were these events really out of line? Elsewhere, Singaporean actress Caitanya Tan is starring in the new Ubisoft video game, Skull and Bones, but rather than celebrating the fact, people have pounced on her character’s S...
Feb 14, 2024•58 min•Ep. 497
This week, PM Lee and members of the Opposition were engaged in a marathon debate about Singapore’s reserves, with PSP putting forward a motion to use more of the national reserves for the needs of the current generation of Singaporeans. Who made the better points in the debate? Elsewhere, Mr Coconut is currently caught in a bitter dispute with an ex-employee, who alleged on social media that she was unfairly terminated by the company due to her pregnancy. Mr Coconut then published the results o...
Feb 09, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 496
The 2023 suicide case of police officer Uvaraja Gopal and related discrimination allegations were addressed by Minister Shanmugam in Parliament this week, prompting a question by NCMP Leong Mun Wai about whether the case warranted a Committee of Inquiry. Does his point have any merit? Elsewhere, NTU announced that it will be imposing a fee on tourist groups coming to their campus in response to an influx of visitors in recent months. Will this really help to mitigate the issues of security, priv...
Feb 07, 2024•55 min•Ep. 495
Last week, a Singaporean businessman, Phillip Chan, became the first person to be designated a “politically significant person” under the recently implemented foreign interference law. Is this a valid use of this law? Elsewhere, Hong Kong football fans were left raging when Lionel Messi sat out of an exhibition match between Inter Miami and a local team due to injury. Is the fans’ anger valid? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Folklory If you’re looking for a meaningful g...
Feb 05, 2024•55 min•Ep. 494
TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi was grilled by US senators on his personal ties to China; one senator even asked pointedly about the status of his Singapore citizenship. Some decried the line of questioning as “racist”, but was it really? Elsewhere, the Singapore Repertory Theatre recently announced that it is changing its name to Singapore Theatre Company, to the consternation of some in the local theatre community. Was it just much ado about nothing, or is there more to this disquiet? (00:00) Intro (0...
Feb 02, 2024•59 min•Ep. 493
Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and for Health Dr Janil Puthucheary said that young LGBTQ people should “stand up for what you believe in” in Singapore instead of leaving the country, in response to a question from Pink Dot SG spokesperson Clement Tan at a conference. Why was this response not particularly well-received by online commentators? Elsewhere, some migrant workers were treated by a soup kitchen to free Coldplay concert tickets, which caused a few doubters t...
Jan 31, 2024•59 min•Ep. 492
The fallout from the revelation of the CEO’s fake credentials at the AI startup Vizzio continues, with an interim CEO being appointed to take over. But who were the real victims in this web of half-truths and lies? Elsewhere, TODAY journalists uncovered that some massage parlours were accepting payments in CDC vouchers for “special services” of a sexual nature. Is this a big enough problem that will force authorities to clamp down on the use of CDC vouchers? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTo...
Jan 29, 2024•56 min•Ep. 491
A self-radicalized Chinese teenager was detained by the ISD for his white supremacist views. What caused this strange turn of events? Elsewhere, queues formed for new and fit-for-gifting notes for CNY; but why does this practice still persist? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Folklory V-DAY Alert! If you’re looking for a meaningful gift, we’d love to help you create a personal podcast for that special someone. Get started at Folklory.com Order by Wed, 31 Jan 2024 and get...
Jan 26, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 490
The U-turn that came out of nowhere! Fresh from being sworn in as the Minister of Transport, Chee Hong Tat announced that the plan to transition fully to SimplyGo by 1st June would be shelved. Does this show that the authorities are listening to feedback, or is it just delaying the inevitable? Elsewhere, a viral TikTok showed that an Old Chang Kee sardine puff from the Trafalgar Square outlet sells for about $7, triggering a range of responses from incredulous Singaporeans. Is the higher price i...
Jan 24, 2024•57 min•Ep. 489
A free umbrella sharing service for Joo Chiat residents to use in the event of sudden downpours was stopped because people did not return the umbrellas after using them. After deploying more than 1,180 umbrellas, the program became unsustainable, which begs the question: are Singaporeans really just an inconsiderate lot? Elsewhere, people took to social media to ridicule the CNY Dragon decor at Chinatown, saying that it had “human-looking” feature. How did the university students who designed th...
Jan 22, 2024•38 min•Ep. 488
S Iswaran resigned from his cabinet position as Transport Minister and MP, in light of being formally charged for 27 offences including corruption on Thursday. The list of charges included details about concerts, football matches and even a private jet to Doha. What happens now? Elsewhere, a Bukit Timah resident’s fish pond was brutally ravaged for the 2nd time in just over a year by a group of otters. This time, the resident’s 16 arowanas were decimated. What should be done about these killer o...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 487
This week, Donald Trump cemented his frontrunner status within the US Republican party as President Joe Biden’s most likely opponent. Why does this matter for the rest of the world? Elsewhere, the Singapore government’s BudgetMealGoWhere portal allows the public to search for budget meal options at nearby HDB coffee shops. Why did this leave a bad taste in people’s mouths? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Folklory If you’re looking for a meaningful gift, we’d love to hel...
Jan 17, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 486
The recent announcement that all adult commuters will have to use the SimplyGo platform for public transport payments by June sent the public into a frenzy, with many lamenting the confusing nature of the transition. Of course, it didn’t help that the SimplyGo app was overwhelmed by downloads not long after the announcement, bringing the robustness of the system into question. Why the big hoo-ha? Elsewhere, a job ad for a KTV performer appeared on a Singapore government job portal, searching for...
Jan 15, 2024•53 min•Ep. 485
In Parliament this week, WP MP Jamus Lim called the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s proposed loss-sharing framework for phishing scams “fundamentally unfair”, and suggested that scam victims should bear no more than $500 of the cost. Many rushed to call him a populist and other names, but is there any merit to his suggestion? Elsewhere, some numbers were revealed in Parliament to explain why Bus 167 linking Sembawang to the CBD was discontinued, then reinstated. Why the sudden U-turn? Find us ...
Jan 12, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 484
Minister Chan Chun Sing revealed that the Ministerial salary review due in 2023 has been deferred because of “other pressing issues”. What does this mean? Elsewhere, a tourist was accused of stealing disposable cutlery from a hawker stall, and took to social media to vent. Is there any merit to the tourist’s complaint? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Folklory If you’re looking for a meaningful gift, we’d love to help you create a personal podcast for a loved one. Get st...
Jan 10, 2024•54 min•Ep. 483
In the first week of 2024, Lazada employees were welcomed back to work with the shocking news of company-wide layoffs. Even NTUC and the workers’ union expressed their “disappointment” at not being informed about the unfortunate turn of events. Is there anything that can be done to mitigate the situation? Elsewhere, the recent closure of a street soccer court has sparked debate about whether football has a future in land-scarce Singapore. But is it really THAT important to allow kids to play foo...
Jan 08, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 482
Friend and regular guest on YLB Andie Chen drops by the studio for the first time in a while to talk about his recent AACA acting award win, what he’s learnt about Singapore from living in Taiwan for 3 years, and how he stayed calm even while getting punched in the face. Oh, and he explains why he loves YLB as well. This was recorded on 20 Dec 2023. (00:00) Intro (05:19) Moving to Taiwan (06:29) Are Singaporeans sheltered? (16:17) Best Actor in Singapore (27:57) Andie's kickboxing match (35:00) ...
Jan 04, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 481
In an interview marking the start of the school year, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing gave blunt advice to parents of young children. Why is his advice prompting cynical reactions on social media? Elsewhere, a Singapore bride agency put up an advertisement for a 17-year-old Vietnamese lady seeking a husband earning at least $4,800. Some criticised the requirement set by the agency, while others questioned the lady’s age. Did the bride agency do anything wrong? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB T...
Jan 03, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 480
It’s that time of the year again, where we look back at the Top 10 Trending News Stories as collated by Google Trends. In a year rife with political scandals, a Presidential Election and $50,000 Taylor Swift concert packages, what were Singaporeans really searching for? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Folklory If you’re looking for a meaningful gift, we’d love to help you create a personal podcast for a loved one. Get started at Folklory.com Singapore’s Top 10 Trending ...
Dec 29, 2023•48 min•Ep. 479
People's Park Complex is being considered for conservation by the Government, a move which has been praised by heritage experts. However, some of the owners are not as happy, preferring complete redevelopment instead. Who’s right? Elsewhere, residents in Sembawang have reacted with shock to the announcement that a new columbarium might be built near their homes. Is this another case of NIMBY rearing its ugly head? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Folklory If you’re looki...
Dec 26, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 478
An Israeli folk dance class offered by the People’s Association online portal has sparked debate online about whether such an activity should be promoted at this point of time. Should the class be cancelled? Elsewhere, IKEA Singapore announced that it will be absorbing the upcoming GST increase and maintaining its current prices into 2024 to help alleviate inflation concerns of Singaporeans. What is the motive behind this move? Find us here! YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Folklory If you’re looki...
Dec 22, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 477
This past week, the Vatican said in a landmark ruling that Roman Catholic priests can administer blessings to same-sex couples. The Catholic Church in Singapore then came out to reiterate its stance against 'official blessings' of same-sex unions, drawing snide remarks from online commenters. Elsewhere, Tengah BTO residents have been facing challenges adjusting to life in their new town. Is there any justification for their grievances? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Ou...
Dec 20, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 476
An Instagram ad for Prism+ air-conditioners was deemed to be “misleading” by Singapore’s advertising watchdog, and was forced to be taken offline. Is “greenwashing” an actual problem, or are people being too woke? Elsewhere, a Redditor ignited another debate on wedding customs in Singapore after she attended a wedding dinner, but harboured reservations about giving an ang bao. Why were people so triggered by her story? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok YLB IG YLB YouTube Folklory If you’re ...
Dec 18, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 475
