Yah Lah But

This week, the CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, testified before US lawmakers, putting himself in the line of fire over the platform’s content moderation, data security, and links to the Chinese government. How did this Singaporean born and bred fare on the world stage? Closer to home, there was a big online hooha when a user on TikTok highlighted that a can of Coke has a better Nutri-Grade rating tha...

This week in Parliament, Minister Edwin Tong answered questions about the Dow/SportsSG shoe recycling fiasco that was brought to light by a recent Reuters investigative report. Are the current measures against greenwashing in Singapore able to prevent incidents like that from happening again? Elsewhere, a stall vendor at the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar revealed that his rent rose from $10K to $18...

A government survey revealed that more than 70% of Singapore residents felt that their overall quality of life was the same or better in post-pandemic 2023, compared with 2019 before COVID-19. With inflation, layoffs and a war going on, is this survey an accurate reflection of sentiment on the ground? Elsewhere, Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra phone has come under scrutiny for its AI-driven image enhan...

Researchers from the Institute of Policy Studies revealed that they surveyed over 800 food establishments across Singapore to study whether food prices have increased in hawker centres, kopitiams and food courts. While the results between different regions of Singapore have sparked debate, the survey also angered some people. Why so? Elsewhere, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh made history by being...

Last weekend, the seismic collapse of Silicon Valley Bank threatened to spread as a “contagion” through the US financial system and send it into a tailspin. We break down what happened, and why the biggest bank collapse since 2008 is giving us feelings of déjå vu. Closer to home, Paralympian Sophie Soon was caught in a social media firestorm when she posted a video shaming Rocky Master’s staff for...

Two days ago, DPM Lawrence Wong released the COVID-19 White Paper as Singapore’s report card on how it handled the pandemic. Was this report just a case of “ownself check ownself”, or was it actually more objective? Also, a new species of cockroach was discovered in Singapore, and it’s officially been named after a Pokemon. Is this Singaporean cockroach someone we can be proud of? Find us here! YL...

Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing recently announced major changes to A-Level exam scoring for Junior College students in Singapore; for example, the Project Work module will become a Pass/Fail subject. While these changes are meant to benefit students by partially relieving their exam stress, some have said it could have the reverse effect. How so? Elsewhere, certain residents have complained...

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean revealed in Parliament that Lee Hsien Yang and his wife Lee Suet Fern are under investigation by the police for lying under oath during disciplinary proceedings against Mrs Lee over her handling of Lee Kuan Yew’s will. What prompted this new twist in the Oxley Road saga? Elsewhere, Singapore Airlines announced a trial of paper serviceware on selected medium- and long-...

This week in Parliament, Opposition MP Pritam Singh advocated for an English test as part of the application process for citizenship or PR in Singapore. This led to a rebuttal by Josephine Teo, who expressed “surprise” at his suggestion. We discuss the merits and downsides of the suggestion on YLB, and *spoiler alert* it got dicey. Elsewhere, Brazilian model Adriana Lima was named as FIFA’s first...

In the last few days, petrochemicals giant Dow Inc. and SportSG were caught flat-footed by an investigative piece by Reuters which uncovered that a sneaker recycling program they had jointly spearheaded was not actually recycling the donated shoes; the sneakers ended up in flea markets in Indonesia instead. Why is this such a big deal, that Reuters would put so much time and effort into the story?...

Two boys aged 15 and 16 were detained under the Internal Security Act after their online revealed their extensive self-radicalisation. This follows the case of an 18-year-old who was also recently detained for wanting to set up a caliphate on Coney Island. Why is this happening to Singaporean youths? Elsewhere, Yakult and Vitagen are getting into a culture war, with Vitagen firing shots at Yakult’...

Critics slammed Puffin, the British publisher of Roald Dahl’s books for removing colourful language and rewriting lines from beloved works such as Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and Matilda, all in the name of inclusivity and progress. Are the critics right? Closer to home, Grab has started offering riders an option to request a “Quiet Ride” on their app, which would entail drivers needing to k...

This week, DPM Lawrence Wong delivered Budget 2023, having promised that it would be his “Valentine's Day present” to help Singaporeans cope with inflation. What stood out most  to Reggie, boss of personal finance network The Financial Coconut (TFC)? Was this the most left-leaning budget ever delivered? Is Singapore declaring war on the rich? How should the average Singaporean feel about the goodi...

Minister Lawrence Wong delivered his love letter to Singaporeans, the Budget 2023 on Valentines’ Day. We make sense of all the announcements, and discuss whether the enhanced baby bonus will finally solve Singapore’s declining birth rate issues. Elsewhere, the civil service announced that it will start using ChatGPT for research and speechwriting. Is this a step in the right direction, given the f...

Recently, MP Tin Pei Ling announced that she would be joining Grab Singapore as its director of public affairs and policy. Concerns about conflict of interest were raised online, and the story even gained traction and made headlines internationally. At the end of last week, Grab announced that her role would be changed to one of corporate development, and the MP and the PAP both also released pres...

The past 2 days of Parliament featured a heated debate about public housing, with PSP’s Leong Mun Wai putting forth 2 radical proposals that were ultimately rejected. Do any of his ideas have merit? In the same Parliamentary sessions, plans to celebrate LKY’s 100th birth anniversary were revealed, but is there a better way to commemorate the occasion? Find us here! YLB Subreddit YLB TikTok   YLB I...

After surviving the pandemic, Malaysian stand-up comedian Dr Jason Leong finally makes it to the YLB studio in person! We talk about the new Malaysian government, Tin Pei Ling x Grab, and why he still unabashedly loves Singapore. And oh, he’s got a new Netflix special coming soon as well. Find us here! YLB Subreddit   YLB TikTok   YLB IG   YLB YouTube Just Try Only , our new weekly newsletter One...

A few days ago, Youtube star MrBeast released a video that featured him paying for 1,000 cataract surgeries to help blind people see again. The video has gone viral and has been warmly received, but there are people calling him the “antichrist” for doing this. Why the divide? Closer to home, a court case in Singapore has garnered international attention because of its strange premise; a man sues a...

Conservative commentator Matt Walsh ignited debate when he responded to an innocent tweet praising Jewel Changi Airport by attributing its beauty to Singapore’s harsh punishments against drug trafficking and petty crimes. Both conservatives and liberals in America have had a lot to say about his hot take, but what about us in Singapore? Closer to home, an employer was caught on camera tussling wit...

It’s the return of our regular guest co-host, Andie Chen! While Terence is away, we chat about the surge of car-sharing companies in Singapore since COVID. Even though their growth is tapering off, more people are using their services. And with car prices reaching all-time highs, it seems like boom time for them. But a recent string of accidents and growing complaints from customers are casting a...

Last week, a 17-year-old girl went viral when she called out commenters who mocked her for fawning over a “luxury” Charles & Keith bag which she received as a gift. Not only have people praised her for her response, but international news media picked up the story, and now multiple brands are piling in to offer her free food and products. And oh, she went from 400 to over 170,000 followers on...

The director of Singapore’s first ever creature feature Circle Line, JD Chua, stops by to tell us why he’s optimistic about the local film industry, professes his love for destroying things, and even makes us cry! Listen to the end to hear the tearjerker! Shoutout to listeners Acrobatic Egg, Kosher Jellyfish, Paul and Musky Elon! Find us here! YLB Subreddit   YLB TikTok  YLB IG   YLB YouTube Just...

SPH Media shockingly revealed that an internal review found that staff had inflated circulation numbers of their publications during a period from 2020 to 2022. Why is this revelation a big deal, even for those of us who don’t read The Straits Times anymore? Elsewhere, pizzeria Chooby Pizza posted a nasty exchange with an unreasonable customer on their social media channels. The customer subsequen...

A report by the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore (NUS) found that more than half of local children do not hit the recommended one hour of moderate to vigorous exercise per day. This happened in spite of Singapore’s safe parks, playgrounds and sports facilities, so what’s going on? Across the Causeway, Jay Chou angered Malaysian football fans due to his...

Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White was caught on camera striking his wife in a club on New Year’s Eve. What are (if any) the repercussions for a rich, highly-visible sports executive caught in the act of domestic violence? Closer to home, a family discovered that their new HDB home was the site of a gruesome discovery a couple of years ago: skeletal remains of the ex-occupant whic...