Deep Dive

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 Cy...

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...

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...

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 o...

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 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...

 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. See omnystudio.com/listener...

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,...

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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...

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 Loca...

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...

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 Speed...

 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. See omnystud...

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omny...

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 Reso...

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. See o...

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 no...

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...

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 Thavam Kanagaratnam, master specialist at the CCE branch of the Edu...

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 Poli...