From late-2023, these new youth-led panels will be introduced by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and supported by the National Youth Council and other government agencies. Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests. On April 10, Parliament resumed with an address by President Halimah Yacob. She outlined the Government’s priorities, policies and programmes for the rest of its term ahead of...

Fair, inclusive, a new era: Do these two words and a phrase best underline the spirit of Budget 2023? Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests. Singapore's Parliament has passed in early March, the Government’s $123.7 billion spending plans for the coming financial year. In this episode, ST's podcast editor Ernest Luis hosts colleague and deputy news editor Grace Ho, who monitored around 70 hours of...

Singapore's Parliament has passed in early March, the Government’s $123.7 billion spending plans for the coming financial year. Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests. Two single and unattached youths - aged 26 and 36 respectively - share their reactions to Budget 2023's new public housing measures after they had raised their concerns and thoughts about housing issues in prior episodes. ST's podcast...

Why youths do not want financial advice from a 'suit', but from those they can identify with. Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests. ST's podcast editor Ernest Luis and business journalist Tay Hong Yi invite two young Singaporeans in their early 30s to share their own financial literacy awareness, and concerns about the financial knowledge level of youth in the country. Shubaashini Vijayamohan is a...

Parliament will next debate the Budget and the spending plans of various ministries from Feb 22 to March 6. Synopsis: In this episode, you will hear audio highlights of Budget 2023, as delivered by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong on February 14. He announced more support measures and payouts to help households, workers and businesses deal with inflation in his Budget speech. DPM Wong loosened the Government’s purse strings in a $123.7 billion proposal - about 18.2...

Are copycat art pieces going to become a legal battleground? Synopsis: The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests.  Three years ago, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan sold a banana duct-taped to a wall for a cool US$120,000 (S$167,000) at Art Basel Miami. But according to American artist Joe Morford, it was plagiarised from his own artwork of a duct-taped orange and banana. Did Morford sufficiently prove that Cattelan's banana infringed his banana? And will...

Pei Rong and Leon Lee, both 33, secured their Build-To-Order (BTO) flat in 2021 and it will be ready in 2027. Synopsis: The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests. ST's podcast editor Ernest Luis invites a young married couple - both 33 - to share their journey in securing their first home in Singapore and other housing concerns, calculations and considerations. They also discuss highlights from a new National Youth Council poll on housing. The survey had...

Two single and unattached youths share their thoughts on housing in Singapore. Series synopsis: The Straits Times takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with guests. ST's podcast editor Ernest Luis finds out the sentiments of Mr Mohamad Arshad, a 26-year-old sales development executive who recently graduated from Singapore University of Technology and Design and now works in his family’s business. His second guest is Mr Cho Ming Xiu, 36, who started a non-profit mental...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ Insight editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. Earlier this year, the admission by three national swimmers - Commonwealth Games silver medallist Teong Tzen Wei, Olympic champion Joseph Schooling and Amanda Lim - that they had consumed controlled drugs, in particular, cannabis, while abroad, sent shockwaves through the sporting community in Singapore. Mr...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' Insight editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. December 9 marks the official launch of Mentoring SG, the national mentoring movement. Themed ‘Standing on the shoulders of Giants', this movement believes that every youth should have the opportunity to grow together with mentors who care. In this episode, Grace looks at what it takes to be a mentor, how others...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ Insight editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. The term "strawberry generation" usually refers to those born after 1981. Over time, the term has expanded to include pretty much any young person whom the older generation consider to be easily bruised - like a strawberry. But is this a fair perception of the younger generation?  Here to help unpack the...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' Insight editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. We've all read reports of million-dollar HDB resale flats. To ensure that HDB flats remain affordable and to encourage prudent borrowing amid the rising interest rate environment, a slew of new measures were announced on Sept 30. One of them is a wait-out period of 15 months before private property owners are...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' Insight editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. In Part Two, she takes a closer look at how the Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) scheme works, and how it could evolve over time.  In the studio to share their experiences are two former NMPs: Anthea Ong, also the editor of a new book called The Nominated Member Of Parliament Scheme: Are Unelected Voices...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' Insight editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. The Nominated Member of Parliament, or NMP, scheme was introduced by then-First Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in November 1989. It was meant to evolve a more consensual style of government where alternative views would be heard and constructive dissent accommodated. But 32 years later, and with 10...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' Insight editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. In this episode, she looks at how the tobacco-free generation (TFG) approach - which proposes to ban the sale of tobacco to people born after a certain year - can reduce smoking prevalence.  In the studio to explain what this means, and whether it can be achieved in Singapore, is Emeritus Professor Jon Berrick...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' Insight editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. In this episode, she looks at the different ways in which Singapore can reduce smoking prevalence, such as bans on flavoured cigarettes and raising the minimum legal age. She also looks at newer approaches being adopted by other countries, including the tobacco-free generation and nicotine caps. In the studio to...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. In this episode, she looks at why the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) exercise for a few Housing Board blocks of flats in Ang Mo Kio attracted controversy, especially after elderly residents found out that they had to pay up to $100,000 to move to a replacement flat of the same size. Several steps...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. In this episode, she looks at why planning for one's death remains a difficult subject, and how people can better prepare themselves and their loved ones for end-of-life matters.  In the studio to explore Singaporeans' attitudes towards death, as well as recent trends in end-of-life preparations, are Rosie...

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. In this episode, she looks at what outdoor adventure education means, why it’s useful, the kinds of standards or guidelines that govern it, and the future of this sector. In the studio to explain what steps have been taken to improve safety and quality  - and why Grace should still do height-based activities even...

Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. Happiness and wellbeing are big and nebulous concepts, but it goes without saying that everyone wants to be happy. Helping to unpack these concepts and offer tips on staying upbeat, are Sherman Ho and Simon Leow, the co-founders of the Happiness Initiative.  Highlights (click/tap above): 1:00 Is Singapore a happy country?  3:24 Taking a preventive...

Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. In this episode, she looks at why stable housing matters especially for single parents, and the impact it has on their careers, income and family well-being. In the studio to explain what steps have been taken, and what the remaining gaps are, is Shailey Hingorani, Head of Advocacy, Research, and Communications at the Association of Women for Action and...

Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. In this second-parter, she looks at what the recent Budget and other policy changes have done to boost wages and alleviate cost pressures, and what more can be done for children and single parent households. In the studio to explain how policies have evolved as well as the remaining gaps, are Associate Professor Teo You Yenn of the School of Social...

Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests.  In this episode, the first of two parts, she looks at whether a family of four in Singapore needs $6,426 a month for a basic standard of living.  In the studio to explain the study and its methodology are Associate Professor Teo You Yenn, associate professor at the School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University; and Dr Ng Kok Hoe, Senior...

Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests.  In this episode, she and her guest - ST's associate editor Chua Mui Hoong - look at Singapore's fourth generation (4G) leadership renewal with Finance Minister Lawrence Wong at the helm, what the 4G's refresh of the social compact could look like, and who could lead the charge in the next general election. Highlights (click/tap above): 01:10 How is this...

Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests.  In this episode, she looks at active mobility, including accidents among drivers, cyclists and pedestrians; Singapore's active mobility infrastructure; and how to get more Singaporeans to cycle to work. Coming along for the ride is The Straits Times associate editor Chua Mui Hoong. Highlights (click/tap above): 02:10 The three key cycling "tribes" in...