Deep Dive

More than 35,600 applications were received in the October Build-to-Order (BTO) flat sales exercise, the highest number since August 2022. A 10-year minimum occupation period, clawback rules and rental restrictions did not deter strong demand for Prime and Plus HDB flats. Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Nicholas Mak, chief research officer at MOGUL.sg and Professor Sing Tien Foo from the NUS Business School.

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Cases of people falling seriously ill after eating contaminated food have been in the spotlight. Why does severe food poisoning happen and are caterers the only one to clean up their act? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Dr Richard Khaw, deputy director of the School of Applied Sciences at Nanyang Polytechnic and Chris Loh, creative director of Purple Sage and Rasel Catering.

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The latest edition of Miss Universe Singapore was made more inclusive, with a single mother and a transgender woman as contestants. But how relevant are beauty pageants? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert take a beauty deep dive with Angela Tay, managing director of ERM Singapore which organises Mrs Singapore World and Manhunt Singapore and Mrs Veronica Lee, this year's winner of Mrs Singapore World.

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In a recent viral video, a Qihua primary school student was seen being repeatedly attacked. The case is under police investigation but is bullying getting worse in Singapore? What are the causes and why are perpetrators filming their deeds? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Cheung Hoi Shan, assistant professor at the National Institute of Education, MOE master school counsellor Sean Ng and Beyond the Label ambassador Cindy Chu.

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Former transport minister S Iswaran was handed a one year sentence by Judge Vincent Hoong on five charges, including obtaining gifts as a public servant. Why did he get more than what the prosecution asked for? Head of criminal law at Quahe Woo and Palmer, Sunil Sudheesan, explains the rare move. Plus, Crispina Robert gets a firsthand account from senior journalist Koh Wan Ting who covered the court proceedings.

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The Enabling Masterplan 2030 aims to increase the employment of people with varying disabilities. What are the biggest challenges and what does it take to get more companies onboard? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Ho Geok Choo, founder and CEO of Human Capital Singapore and DG Carole Ann, a multiple amputee who works at ServLink Technology Resources.

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Bus and train fares in Singapore will go up by 10 cents per journey for adult commuters from Dec 28. How are public transport fees calculated and what is the role of government subsidies? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert get Assistant Professor Terence Fan from the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at the Singapore Management University, and Dr Raymond Ong, from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NUS to explain.

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On Tuesday (Sep 10), Singapore passed the Platform Workers Bill, which legislates stronger protections for delivery riders, private-hire car and taxi drivers. Why was legislation needed and what does this mean for customers of platforms offering services like food delivery and transportation?

Yeo Wan Ling, assistant secretary-general of NTUC and Associate Professor Walter Theseira from the Singapore University of Social Sciences speak to Crispina Robert.

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Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs) are meant for those with medical conditions or who have mobility issues. But some able-bodied people use them. How much of an issue is this?

PMA user Michael Kuan, founder and CEO of Project Elev8, and Florence Cheong, an Active Mobility Advisory Panel member weigh in.

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Since the announcement that Singapore's Gifted Education Programme (GEP) will be revamped to cater to more students, questions about equal distribution of resources and the added burden on teachers have come up. Steven Chia and Crispina Robert put these questions to Education Minister Chan Chun Sing and Ong Kong Hong, divisional director of curriculum planning and development at the ministry.

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Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sketched out his government's priorities in his first National Rally address, with a focus on parents, education and housing. Do the announcements show a significant shift towards a different kind of Singapore? SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan and Assistant Professor Elvin Ong from the political science department at NUS give their assessment.

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A global cybersecurity breach involving the Mobile Guardian app affected about 13,000 students from 26 secondary schools in Singapore, with devices being wiped remotely by the hacker. How are IT vendors assessed and who is responsible for ensuring backups are done? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert chat with May Chng, chief operating officer and co-founder of Flexxon, and Ken Soh, chair of SGTech Cyber Security Chapter and CEO of Athena Dynamics.

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Nothing gets Singaporeans more united or emotionally riled up than our hawker food and prices. To help alleviate cost of living pressures, all coffee shops leased from the Housing and Development Board (HDB) will need to offer budget meal options by 2026. But how do such meals affect hawkers? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Dr Teo Kay Key, research fellow at IPS Social Lab, and Fabian Lim, co-owner of JOFA Meepok, JOFA Grill and JOFA-Oji Donburi.

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News that German insurance company Allianz is planning to buy a majority stake in Income Insurance has led to sharp criticism. Questions are being asked - is Income Insurance, formerly an NTUC co-operative, prioritising profit over people? Or is it moving as all corporations do? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Professor Lawrence Loh, director of Centre for Governance and Sustainability at the NUS Business School and Eddy Cheong, CEO of Havend Pte Ltd, an insurance advisory firm.

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Health Minister Ong Ye Kung recently said that rising medical claims enabled by insurance policies are leading to an unhealthy "buffet syndrome", which in turn increases costs. Steven Chia and Crispina Robert sit down with Liaw Yit Ming, CEO of Foundation Healthcare Holdings and Christopher Tan, CEO of Providend, to break it down.

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One bad software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike unleashed global chaos last week with flights cancelled, hospital systems down and banking applications going offline. How did a routine update become a full-blown crisis, and will we see more in future? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert ask Gaurav Keerthi, head of advisory and emerging business at Ensign InfoSecurity and Benjamin Ang, head of Digital Impact Research at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

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A mural of a young samsui woman smoking led to weeks of discussion about the artwork and the approval process. When it comes to public art, how can artists balance creativity and regulation? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert chat with Audrey Wong, a programme leader at LASALLE College of the Arts, and artist Belinda Low.

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 Singaporean Audrey Fang, who was found dead in Spain, had nominated her alleged killer to be the beneficiary of her Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings. How does the autonomy of choice balance with checks against bad intentions when it comes to CPF nominations? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert get answers from Liang Weirong, senior deputy director of nominations and accounts closure from the CPF Board, and Javern Sim, family lawyer and managing director at Populus Law Corporation.

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 The taxi industry in Singapore has undergone major shifts since the rise of ride-hailing apps, with passengers swapping standing in line for confirmed rides and flat fees. Are metered taxis still relevant? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert put the questions to transport economist Walter Theseira and the general secretary of the National Taxi Association, Ban Kum Cheong.

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Singapore has reduced its waste but domestic recycling rates are falling, according to the latest data by the National Environment Agency. Why aren't more people using the blue recycling bins? When we recycle, does our waste end up being incinerated for other reasons?

Steven Chia and Crispina Robert get answers from Professor Tong Yen Wah from the National University of Singapore and Tan Huileng, executive director of Zero Waste SG.

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Some passengers of SQ321 were given cash advances in light of injuries when the aircraft experienced severe turbulence. Are all airlines obliged to compensate? How are amounts decided and could you later sue for more? Lawyers Paul Ng, head of aviation at Rajah and Tann Singapore LLP, and Chooi Jing Yen from Eugene Thuraisingam LLP are guests.

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X, formerly Twitter, recently announced its official policy to allow consensual production and distribution of adult content. While the company says there are safeguards for those under 18, what impact does access to pornography online have on young people and whose job is it to deal with the consequences? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert get the facts from Tham Yuen Han, addictions specialist and executive director of WE CARE Community Services and Dr Shobha Avadhani, senior lecturer in communications and new media at the National University of Singapore

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Food security is a critical issue for Singapore because it imports more than 90 per cent of its produce. The 30 by 30 goal - to grow 30 per cent of food locally by 2030 - aims to mitigate this but local farming is still struggling to create a viable ecosystem. Is it cost, consumers or commitment?

Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Kenny Eng, a fourth-generation farmer and founder of The Local Farm, and Professor William Chen, director of the NTU Food Science and Technology Programme.

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The closure of Thambi magazine store after 80 years was met with shock and sadness. But is it unrealistic to expect heritage businesses to survive in a competitive, ever-changing world? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert speak to Singapore University of Social Sciences' Dr Lye Kit Ying and Edmond Wong, a third-generation business owner of Kim Choo Kueh Chang.

Editor's Note: This episode of Deep Dive has been edited to remove an incorrect reference to how much is available in the transformation grant for heritage businesses. The cap is S$40,000. We apologise for the error.

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The Ministry of Health is looking to curb the "excessive issuance" of medical certificates (MCs), especially by telemedicine doctors, following feedback from employers and government agencies. But is there a deeper issue with an outdated system of needing proof of illness? Would a system of trust work better? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert chat with Dr Shravan Verma, co-founder & CEO of Speedoc and Christine Chan, Senior Professional at Institute for Human Resource Professionals and Chief Human Resource Officer of Nudgyt.

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 Newly appointed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced his Cabinet line-up ahead of his inauguration. Why didn't he pick a 4G peer as his deputy? And what is the PAP's game plan as it heads into the next General Election? Assistant Professor Walid Jumblatt and Zulkifli Baharudin, former Nominated Member of Parliament, tell Steven Chia and Crispina Robert that the moves are strategic.

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The recent accident in Tampines which killed two people has raised questions about Singapore's driving culture. Speeding, beating red lights and drink driving are still stubborn issues. Bernard Tay, chairman of the Singapore Road Safety Council  and Julian Kho, general manager at Sgcarmart tell Steven Chia and Crispina Robert what needs to change.

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In our second part on the issue of falling fertility rates in Singapore, Minister Indranee Rajah gives Steven Chia and Crispina Robert an inside look at why the financial incentives matter and what else might help. Business owner and father of three, Mark Lee, gives his input too.

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Singapore’s total fertility rate has fallen to a historic low of 0.97. Citizens aren’t having enough children to sustain population numbers and all the money spent to encourage procreation doesn’t seem to work. Steven Chia and Crispina Robert talk about what’s causing the decline with Dr Norman Li, psychology professor at the Singapore Management University, and mother of one, Holly Fang.

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Come Dec 1, all companies in Singapore must have a process in place when their staff ask for formal flexible work arrangements. This has become a major talking point centred around balancing business realities and employee needs. Steven Chia and Crispina Robert cut through the weeds with Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Manpower and Education, Aslam Sardar, CEO of the Institute for Human Resource Professionals and Tan Wan Ting, founder and CEO of digital marketing agency Weave Asia.

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In this first episode of a brand-new CNA podcast called Deep Dive, hosts Steven Chia and Crispina Robert talk sports. How has the Singapore sporting infrastructure changed since Joseph Schooling won gold in 2016? Former national swimmer Mark Chay and CEO of Sport Singapore Alan Goh are guests. 

Previously called Heart of the Matter, Deep Dive is now hosted by Steven Chia and Crispina Robert.

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Your favourite news podcast Heart of the Matter returns for a new season with a brand new look and sound. Called Deep Dive and hosted by Steven Chia and Crispina Robert, the podcast continues to give fresh perspectives on the hottest news.

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Australia is the latest country to propose legislation around the right for workers to disconnect after office hours. Changing work patterns and 24/7 availability have produced issues like burnout. But would legislation create more problems for companies or could this effect an important shift in Singapore’s work culture? Steven Chia moderates the discussion with Raj Joshua Thomas, a lawyer and nominated member of Parliament, Dr Brandon Koh, an organisational psychologist at the Singapore University of Social Sciences and Dr Jaclyn Lee, chief human resources officer at Certis Group.

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Feedback on littering offences has increased, and rat-related problems are on the rise. Coffee shop toilets continue to rate poorly. Will plans to increase surveillance and name and shame litterbugs work? How long can Singapore rely on an army of cleaners? Steven Chia speaks to Andrew Khng, chairman of the Public Hygiene Council, Dr Serene Koh, director of The Behavioural Insights Team; and Rosie Ching, Principal Lecturer of Statistics from the Singapore Management University.

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Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) lessons in Singapore schools came under public scrutiny recently because of discussions on the Israel-Hamas war. How can contentious issues be discussed in classrooms and what skills do teachers need to navigate children in an increasingly polarised world? Steven Chia explores this with Dr ThavamKanagaratnam, master specialist at the CCE branch of the Education Ministry, Philibert Leow, principal of Jurongville Secondary School and clinical psychologist Dr Annabelle Chow.

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Some of the first batch of residents who moved into Singapore's newest HDB town have complained of lack of shops, poor internet connection, condensation issues with the centralized cooling system - the first of its kind in a residential estate. Are teething problems to be expected when building a new town or have buyers' expectations changed? Woo Jun Jie from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, and Nicholas Mak, a real estate analyst, discuss with Steven Chia.

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It was recently announced that casual racism allegations will be investigated as disciplinary breaches in the police force. But are guidelines always so clear cut? Where are the grey areas and how can organisations deal with it? Dr Mathew Mathews, head of the Institute of Policy Studies Social Lab, Aamir Bana, an undergraduate at Yale-NUS College and Jerviel Lim, head of people and culture at Tatsu Works have an honest conversation about how we should deal with casual racism in our society and workplaces.

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There’s been a worrying rise in the number of young people arrested for drug abuse, with the youngest just 14 years old, says the Central Narcotics Bureau. Despite Singapore’s zero tolerance on drugs and years of intensive messaging, liberal attitudes among young people appear to be stubbornly sticky, with cannabis the choice of drug. How should anti-drug messaging be tailored better to suit a generation that’s consuming a largely social media diet? Otelli Edwards finds out from Dr Lambert Low, deputy chief of the department of addiction medicine in the Institute of Mental Health, Ravindran Nagalingam, board member at the National Council Against Drug Abuse and Tham Yuen Han, clinical director at WE CARE Community Services.

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From significant top-ups to SkillsFuture credits to ITE students getting incentives to upskill, Budget 2024 is a shift in the kind of society the new fourth generation, or 4G, leadership wants to shape. Steven Chia gets views from Terence Ho, associate professor at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Professor Lawrence Loh, director of Centre for Governance and Sustainability, National University of Singapore.

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The number of retrenchments went up in 2023 and workers are facing the brunt of a more volatile business environment. What kind of help do workers need? And what's on their Budget 2024 wishlist? Steven Chia speaks to Cheng Hing-Nan, lead coach at Workforce Singapore, Gerald Tan, projects director at Avodah Solutions and Lai Yong Liang, an urban farmer with Grobrix.

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Out of 81 countries, 15-year-olds in Singapore topped the Pisa table in reading, math and science. But how important are these metrics in a world where social and creative skills have become critical and artificial intelligence is taking centre stage?

Steven Chia gets answers from Liew Wei Li, director-general of education at the Ministry of Education, associate professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education, and parent of two and lecturer, Ian Tan. 

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E-commerce giant Lazada’s retrenchment exercise resulted in criticism of how it was handled, including its lack of consultation with the union. But what role can unions play when companies need to let employees go and what happens when employers don’t fulfill their tripartite obligations? Steven Chia sits down with Patrick Tay, assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress and Sim Gim Guan, executive director of the Singapore National Employers Federation. 

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Commuters have expressed frustration since the Land Transport Authority announced that EZ-Link and NETS FlashPay cards cannot be used on buses and trains from June. Why is there a shift to the SimplyGo system? What is the difference in payment types? And what could the authorities do better to communicate the change? Steven Chia gets answers from Sumit Agarwal, professor at the School of Business at the National University of Singapore and Walter Theseira, who heads the urban transportation programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

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Patients have reported waiting for days to get a bed at a public hospital. Health experts say the biggest reason is that there are issues transiting to proper care after discharge. Otelli Edwards speaks to public health specialist Dr Jeremy Lim, Duke-NUS Medical School's Dr David Matchar and Jeremy Lee, assistant chief operating officer at the National University Hospital.

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In the last of our top three episodes from the archives, we look at the scourge of scams in Singapore. With increasing sophistication from the fraudsters, is public education enough? Should banks pay for some of the losses? If so, how can liability be fairly decided? Steven Chia speaks to Jansen Chow, co-head of fraud, asset recovery and investigations practice at Rajah & Tann law firm, Assistant Professor Nydia Remolina, from the Singapore Management University’s Yong Pung How School of Law and Ho Geer How, whose mother lost over S$190,000 to a scam.

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In the second of our top three episodes from the archives, we explore how bad actors operate in money laundering crimes. How do property agents and bank staff separate a legitimate transaction from a shady one? And what makes this type of crime especially tough to crack down on? Steven Chia speaks to Adam Maniam, director of dispute resolution at law firm Drew and Napier, Associate Professor Soh Kee Hean from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and former director of the CPIB, and Fabrizio Fioroni, adviser on anti-money laundering/counter financing of terrorism at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

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In the first of our top three episodes from the archives, we ask - why are teenagers as young as 14 interested in extremist religious content? What do online games have to do with this trend and how can family members spot the red flags? Steven Chia speaks to Dr Omer Ali Saifudeen from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Dr Mohamed Ali, co-chairman and counsellor with the Religious Rehabilitation Group and Nicholas Khoo, co-founder and former chairman of the Singapore Cybersports and Online Gaming Association. 

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With its lease not renewed, Raffles Town Club is the latest in a line of private clubs whose land is being repurposed by the government for other uses. Aside from land restraints, is there a future for clubs like these in Singapore where generational aspirations are changing? Steven Chia speaks to Desmond Tay, president of the Club Managers' Association (Singapore), Jean Low, CEO of social club 1880 and chief research officer at Mogul.sg, Nicholas Mak.

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A recent CNA investigation showed that it is easy for kids under 18 to go on dating apps and chat with strangers online, making them more vulnerable to sexual predators. Should there be greater legislation to protect children and what can parents do to prevent their children from becoming victims? Steven Chia speaks to Shem Yao, manager of digital wellness at TOUCH Wellness Group, Jiow Hee Jhee, associate professor and programme leader at the Singapore Institute of Technology and Marilyn Low, a parent coach and mother.

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From groceries to electricity and water prices, many Singaporeans are feeling the pinch as inflation stays stubbornly high. Is the sandwiched generation hit as hard as those in the lower-income group? And how far can government support go? Otelli Edwards gets answers from Ong EeCheng, senior lecturer at NUS, Ava Gao, a parenting coach and mum, and Loh Yong Cheng, lead of the advisory team at Providend.

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In a recent CNA Commentary, Dr William Wan from the Singapore Kindness Movement argued for some regulation in dealing with inconsiderate behaviour on public transport which drew some strong reaction from readers. But why do some people behave badly in a public space? What stops others from confronting them and should more be done? Michelle Tay, director of the Singapore Kindness Movement, and Associate Professor Ho Kong Chong, head of Urban Studies at Yale Nus College are this week's guests.

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According to the Forward SG report, people want more than just material success in life. Has the idea of a good life evolved? What impact will that have on the way the country is governed? Steven Chia gets answers from June Yong, Lead, Insights at Focus on the Family and mother of three, Dr Mathew Mathews, head of IPS social lab and Ho Ching Wee, a 25-year-old software developer.

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The recent DBS and Citibank outage in October left many people unable to pay for their transactions and draw money from the ATMs. What goes on when critical banking infrastructure goes black? How are data centres part of this and should we really revert to carrying cash again? Steven Chia gets answers from Dr Patrick Thng, director of the Master's programme for financial technology and analytics at the Singapore Management University and Ashish Kakar, research director for IDC Financial Insights, Asia Pacific.

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Young people aged 18 to 29 and the elderly over 70 are two groups who are showing the greatest signs of mental health distress in Singapore. What are the triggers, and what is the journey to seek help like? Steven Chia speaks to 23-year-old university student "Rae", 44-year-old father of teenagers Mak Kean Loong and senior clinical psychologist Chris Wong.

This episode of Heart of the Matter discusses suicide ideation. Listener discretion is advised.

Where to get help:

Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1767

Institute of Mental Health’s Helpline: 6389 2222

Singapore Association for Mental Health Helpline: 1800 283 7019

You can also find a list of international helplines here. If someone you know is at immediate risk, call 24-hour emergency medical services.

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Nine in 10 Singapore residents exceeded the recommended salt intake and daily calorie intake is also up, according to the latest National Nutrition survey. The findings also show that more people are at risk of obesity and hypertension. Can a food paradise like Singapore deliver delicious food which is less salty? Or are busy lifestyles making it harder for people to eat better? Steven Chia speaks to Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran, president of Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association, clinical dietitian at Parkway MediCentre Candy Goh and Terence Koh, a father who lost 35kg in 8 months for his then newborn son.

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In the last decade, child abuse cases involving neglect and physical or sexual abuse have gone up from around 300 in 2012 to 2,141 in 2021. Several high profile cases before the court involved the death of young children. Steven Chia gets answers on how the system works and why some cases slip through with Soh Ying Si, deputy manager at the Melrose Home, Yogeswari Munisamy, senior principal social worker at the Ministry of Social and Family Development and C Amutha, deputy head of Punggol Family Service Centre.

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With premiums on Certificate of Entitlement (COE) soaring to over $140,000 for larger cars, should people simply give up on the idea of owning cars? What about those who need the convenience of having a vehicle to ferry their children and the elderly? What other options do they have? Steven Chia gets answers from Julian Kho, general manager of Sgcarmart, Toh Ting Feng, CEO and founder of GetGo, and Lim Chong Tee, co-founder of a start-up and father of a four-month old baby.

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The scourge of scams continues unabated in Singapore with nearly 23,000 people falling victim in the first six months of this year. With increasing sophistication from the fraudsters, is public education enough? Should banks pay for some of the losses? If so, how can liability be fairly decided? Steven Chia speaks to Jansen Chow, co-head of fraud, asset recovery and investigations practice at Rajah & Tann law firm, Assistant Professor Nydia Remolina, from the Singapore Management University’s Yong Pung How School of Law and Ho Geer How, whose mother lost over S$190,000 to a scam.

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Videos of Kinderland teachers allegedly mistreating their young charges went viral last year. What are the challenges teachers face in classroom management? How are rules and guidelines applied on the ground? Steven Chia puts these questions to Caroline Seng, director of professional development and standards at the Early Childhood Development Agency, Cara Lee, deputy director at the Anglican Preschool Services and Fiona Cher, a mother of two preschool children.

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When Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam ended his presidential race with a landslide victory of 70.4 per cent, political analysts expressed their surprise, calling the win "unthinkable" and "remarkable". What do the results say about how the Singaporean voter thinks? And what lessons can political parties draw from Mr Tharman's win as they look ahead to the next General Election? Steven Chia breaks it down with Walid Jumblatt Abdullah, Assistant Professor at the Nanyang Technological University and Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law at the Singapore Management University.

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Since news broke on the billion-dollar money laundering case in Singapore, there have been questions on how bad actors operate. How do property agents and bank staff separate a legitimate transaction from a shady one? And what makes this type of crime especially tough to crack down on? Steven Chia speaks to Adam Maniam, director of dispute resolution at law firm Drew and Napier, Associate Professor Soh Kee Hean from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and former director of the CPIB, and Fabrizio Fioroni, adviser on anti-money laundering/counter financing of terrorism at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

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New HDB flats will be classified under Standard, Plus or Prime from next year - dropping the decades-long mature and non-mature categorisation. With increased subsidies and tighter restrictions, what will be the impact on the property market? Will home ownership aspirations change with what is affordable? Steven Chia chats with Christine Sun, senior vice president of research and analytics at OrangeTee & Tie, Nicholas Mak, chief research officer at real estate platform MOGUL.sg, and Sarah Lin, a 27-year-old who successfully balloted for her flat after seven tries.

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The attrition rate for nurses has stabilised post-COVID but with a fast greying population, the hunt for a solid pipeline of nursing talent continues. Aside from better salaries, can concerns over high home rentals and allowing foreign nurses to bring their families here be addressed? Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health Mdm Rahayu Mahzam, group chief nurse of the National Healthcare Group Yong Keng Kwang and CEO of recruitment agency People360 Services Jordache Keith share their thoughts with Steven Chia.

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It has been described as an “intractable” problem: The transportation of migrant workers to and from their worksites. Why is this issue so complex? How can safety and business realities find common ground? Steven Chia breaks it down with Debbie Fordyce president of migrant rights group Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and Associate Professor Walter Theseira from the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

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The annual Primary 1 registration season is back and parents are strategising how to get their children into choice schools. Despite tweaks done to the system, brand name schools are still being oversubscribed. Why are parental attitudes so hard to shift? And can the system meet everyone's needs? Steven Chia speaks to Ong Junda, father and founder of SGschooling.com, Associate Professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education and Tan Hui Min, a mother of two.

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When global music acts arrive in small Singapore, there's a mad scramble for tickets. Should seats be reserved for residents? Can resellers who charge exorbitant prices be taken to task? How does the ticketing system work? Heart of the Matter podcast host Steven Chia gets answers from Joe Ow, CEO of SISTIC Singapore, economist Walter Theseira from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and Adelyn Aidzil, a Taylor Swift fan.

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Cancelled contracts, a critical lack of drivers and spiralling costs. Parents, schools and bus companies are now caught in a jam, with questions on how to ferry our primary school children. How will the challenges in the school bus system play out? Steven Chia sits down with Adrian Yeap, CEO of bus company Yeap Transport , Alvina Chin, from MUMs for Life and Darry Lim, spokesman from the Singapore School Transport Association.

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It isn’t just the number of road rage incidents that make the news, it is the type of angry encounters that go viral on social media – punching, kicking, climbing on bonnets or ripping out licence plates. What is behind the intensity of feelings when it comes to these road incidents? Otelli Edwards finds out from Pearlene Lim, senior clinical psychologist at Promises Healthcare, and Clarence Lee, driver and cyclist at 05AM Cycling Club.

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Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has announced he intends to run for the presidency which will be held within the next three months. What exactly is the role of the President, why is the bar set so high in Singapore, and what do voters want from candidates in an open election? Steven Chia gets answers from Eugene Tan, associate professor of law at the Singapore Management University, Felix Tan, associate lecturer at the Nanyang Technological University and Nur Ridhuan, a business analyst who will be voting for the first time.

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Singapore's adoption rate of cashless payments is one of the highest in Asia. But there are pockets of the population who still struggle to adapt. And there's the ever present threat of scams and payment service breakdowns. What can the government, merchants and the public do? Steven Chia has a chat with Faye Sai, a third-generation hawker, Lawrence Chan, group CEO of NETS and Lim May-Ann, director of the Fair Tech Institute at Access Partnership.

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The humiliating 7-0 defeat of the Young Lions to Malaysia at the recent SEA Games has renewed calls for the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to get to the bottom of what ails the sport. Is it the coaching, the lack of talent, or even parents who pick academics over sports? Steven Chia has a no-holds barred conversation with acting president of FAS Bernard Tan, SPRG general manager Edwin Yeo and sports journalist Philip Goh.

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Recent statistics released by the Central Narcotics Bureau show a clear trend - over 60 per cent of those caught with cannabis use are under 30. Some perceptions of cannabis among the young are hard to scrub out - that it's not as harmful as other drugs, celebrities use it, other countries legalise it and it is used for medical reasons. Steven Chia plays moderator as 27-year-old copywriter Kimberley Jeremiah puts the burning questions to Dr Melvyn Zhang, a consultant with the National Addictions Management Service at the Institute of Mental Health and Firdaus Daud, from the National Council Against Drug Abuse.

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In a bid to curb the cost of cancer treatment, the Singapore government announced an approved drug list where the most cost-effective drugs can be claimed by the national insurance schemes. Yet, the cost of treatment can spiral - in part thanks to rising insurance premiums. Are people paying too much? How has this new drug list shifted things and should you worry if you don't have insurance? Steven Chia speaks to Associate Professor Ravindran Kanesvaran, chairperson of Singapore Cancer Society's Cancer Treatment Fund Committee, Evelyn Goh deputy CEO and chief advisory officer of Providend and Gina Ho, a 43-year-old general manager and cancer survivor.

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In the latest round of property cooling measures announced on Apr 26, what stood out was the 60 per cent additional buyer's stamp duty (ABSD) for foreigners looking to buy in Singapore. While they form only a small fraction of the entire group of buyers, how big of an impact do they have on the general market? Why are these moves considered pre-emptive  and will it stop foreigners from sinking their roots in Singapore? Steven Chia speaks to Dr Lee Nai Jia, head of real estate intelligence, data and software solutions at PropertyGuru Group and Aric Lim, a real estate consultant at Huttons Asia.

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The options confronting parents of special needs children after they complete formal schooling in Singapore can be dismal - leading some to stay home and the burden on caregivers to increase. What are the gaps in the system and what more needs to be done? Steven Chia sits down with Bernard Chew, St Andrew’s Autism Centre CEO, Clement Phua Neo, father of a 47-year-old son with an intellectual disability and Jean Loo, Deputy Director, Advocacy and Community Engagement, Rainbow Center.

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To kick off Season 4, Heart of the Matter host Steven Chia gets to the heart of what it takes to be a Singapore citizen. Does being proficient in English matter? If not, what other markers should matter? His guests are Yorlin Ng, chief operating officer of Momentum Works who is applying for citizenship and Dr Gwee Li Sui, poet, graphic artist and literary critic.

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Caring for patients in the day, meeting global experts at night, racing against time to get a workable vaccine off the ground – NCID executive director Professor Leo Yee-Sin and Duke-NUS Medical School Professor Ooi Eng Eong recall working round-the-clock on the frontlines in the battle against COVID 19. They share the highs and lows of being in the “fog of the war” with CNA's Otelli Edwards.

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It started with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in the US and was followed swiftly by the emergency rescue of beleagued Credit Suisse by UBS.  How does a bank go bust? What drives panic and fear that leads to a bank run and can it happen in Singapore? Steven Chia gets answers from Sumit Agarwal, Low Tuck Kwong Professor at the School of Business at the National University of Singapore and  Thilan Wickramasinghe, Head of Research Singapore & Regional Head of Financials at Maybank Investment Banking Group.

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More cases of family violence are being reported in Singapore, but few are because bystanders called the authorities. Why do we complain about party noises but hesitate if we suspect someone is being abused? Who should we call and what should we say? Steven Chia speaks to Marcus Lim, head of TOUCH Family Support, psychiatrist Dr Joseph Leong from Promises Healthcare and Mohamed Fareez, deputy director at AMKFSC Community Services.

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In just a decade, the number of malls in Singapore has doubled and they usually have a set list of tenants - an anchor retailer, supermarket, pharmacy and several floors of eateries. Why do our malls look the same and what do we need to do better? Steven Chia speaks to Associate Professor Lynda Wee from Nanyang Business School and Winnie Chan, Founder & CEO at Bynd Artisan which has three retail outlets.

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Why are teenagers as young as 14 becoming more interested in extremist religious content? What do online games have to do with this trend and how can family members spot red flags? Steven Chia speaks to Dr Omer Ali Saifudeen from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Dr Mohamed Ali, co-chairman and counsellor with the Religious Rehabilitation Group and Nicholas Khoo, co-founder and former chairman of the Singapore Cybersports and Online Gaming Association. 

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Anglo Chinese School (Primary) is moving from Barker Road to the upcoming Tengah estate in 2030. Is this move the start of something significant? Will this reduce elitism and social inequality in Singapore and should other so-called "elite" schools follow suit? Steven Chia puts these questions to Ian Tan, an ACS alumni, Dr Teng Siao See from the National Institute of Education who has written about education reforms in Singapore and Clarence Ching, founder of Access Singapore.

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Did the Valentine's Day Budget give help where help was really needed? Steven Chia asks associate professor Walter Theseira, entrepreneur and mother of two Dawn Cher, and Kurt Wee, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, for their take on handouts, CPF changes, Baby Bonuses and grants for homeowners and businesses.

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Budget 2023 will be announced on Tuesday (Feb 14) and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong dangled the prospect of it as his “Valentine’s Day present” to all Singaporeans. So how does the average citizen hope to benefit? In this Heart of the Matter podcast, Steven Chia asks three guests - one from each generation about their wish list. Guests: Benny Koh, 26, June Yong, 42 and William Wan, 76.

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Median salary figures show a large gap between those who graduate with degrees and those with polytechnic or ITE diplomas. In an era where skills are prized, why have salaries not kept pace? Is it just perception? Steven Chia speaks to Mark Li, head of client solutions at Randstad Singapore, Christine Kunasekaran, sales operations analyst at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and an ITE graduate, as well as Wong Kai Xian, a Temasek Polytechnic graduate.

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Singapore’s consumption of sugar and salt is above the recommended global limits and it is making us sick. The Government is introducing measures to curb this – from new labels to a drive to use alternatives. But will this take away the joy of all that is delicious about local food? Will these food labels work? Steven Chia speaks to Jaclyn Reutens, dietitian from Aptima Nutrition and Damian D'Silva, Masterchef Singapore Judge and owner of Rempapa. 

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A resounding yes, say our guests. Its scale, accessibility and sophistication underline some fundamental problems with the current education system. How will it change the way students learn and teachers teach and test? Steven Chia speaks to Toby Walsh, a professor of artificial intelligence and Jonathan Sim who teaches at the National University of Singapore.

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Overloaded sockets, cheap batteries and cluttered homes - these are some of the factors driving fires in homes. What's missing in our understanding of fire safety and who should be responsible? Steven Chia speaks to Benedict Koh, president of Fire Safety Managers’ Association Singapore, Yong Teck Meng, director at Habitat for Humanity Singapore and Tang Kok Zuea, lecturer at the NUS College of Design and Engineering.

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Young people are embracing a new way of working by making thousands of dollars as content creators on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok or OnlyFans. Is this eco-system feeding a new generation who only want to earn quick cash, and eschew the traditional nine-to-five job? Steven Chia gets answers from Joanne Liew, Chief Studios and Content Officer at Gushcloud and Nicholas Lim, from the S R Nathan School of Human Development at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

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The need to increase social protections for platform workers is clear but things get complicated when it comes to who pays for it and how this will work in a way that is sustainable for all stakeholders. Steven Chia gets answers from Mathew Mathews, Head of IPS Social Lab, Associate Professor Walter Theseira from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Jason Parke, President of the Digital Platforms Industry Association and Hasteven, a 25-year-old platform rider.

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From 2020 to 2022, the number of people caught vaping has more than tripled. The use of e-cigarettes has entrenched itself, not just among the young who are attracted by the lower costs and different flavours, but also by adults who are convinced that this is less harmful compared to cigarettes. What does the research say and why aren’t current enforcement measures working? Steven Chia speaks to Associate Professor Bibhas Chakraborty from Duke-NUS Medical School, Sean Ang, a smoking cessation specialist and “Sarah”, who vapes. 

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In his speech at this year's People's Action Party Central Executive Committee's meeting, PM Lee Hsien Loong said Singaporeans cannot "have it both ways" - voting in more opposition yet keeping the PAP Government in power. Is this a likely reality and how soon could that come to pass? And what does the opposition need to do to win a stronger mandate? Steven Chia gets views from Ja-Ian Chong, Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore, Walid Jumblatt Abdullah, Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University and 24-year-old political science student Jaye Seah. 

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The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has issued a fresh round of regulations to restrict retail investors from investing in what it calls "a highly risky" product. Why is cryptocurrency dangerous to the average investor and how does this sit with Singapore's position as a fintech hub? Steven Chia speaks to Zann Kwan co-founder and CEO of Bitcoin Exchange and Ben Charoenwong,assistant professor at the National University of Singapore Business School.

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In the latest 2021 Marriage and Parenthood Survey, half of the singles surveyed said they were not currently dating, and among them, 38 per cent had never dated before. Is technology making things worse? How have expectations changed and why is there a fear of commitment? Steven Chia speaks to Violet Lim, CEO of Lunch Actually and two 22-year-old students, Vanessa Chan and Alan who prefers to be anonymous.

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A nationwide health plan aims to fundamentally shift the way we look at healthcare in Singapore. But what burdens will general practitioners have to bear, will costs go up and will people's behaviour change? Steven Chia speaks to Professor Benjamin Ong, former Director of Medical Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr Raymond Ong, from Doctor Anywhere and Dr Chua Hshan Cher, medical director at Phoenix Medical Group.

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The latest round of property cooling measures announced in Singapore has raised questions about affordability, and whether an HDB flat is for home ownership or an asset. Host Steven Chia is joined by Chua Beng Huat, Professor of Social Sciences (Urban Studies) at Yale-NUS College,  Walter Theseira, Associate Professor of Economics at the Singapore University of Social Sciences and property agent Jooann Tay.

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Long wait times, the big difference in cost between private and public services and a lack of trained professionals are some critical issues facing us as we tackle mental health issues. Otelli Edwards speaks to Dr Soo Shuenn Chiang, head of psychiatry at Alexandra Hospital and senior consultant at NUH , Asher Low, executive director at Limitless, a non-profit organisation that works with young people and Chow Yen Lu, founder of Over the Rainbow and a parent who lost his only child to suicide. 

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Big names like Netflix, Paypal and Tesla have either shed jobs or cooled on offers. At home, the conglomerate Sea Limited has run into rough waters with management suspending salaries. What's going on? Has growth at all costs come home to roost and what does this mean for tech jobs in Singapore? Otelli Edwards speaks to Yorlin Ng, chief operating officer of Momentum Works and assistant professor Ng Weiyi at the NUS Business School.

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The new Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass) plans to draw rainmakers globally. How is it different from other visas? Why do we need such talent now and how will they help Singaporean workers? Steven Chia gets answers from Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, co-founder of Carousell, Marcus Tan and Jaya Dass, managing director of Permanent Recruitment in Asia Pacific at Randstad.

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