Yah Lah But

Donald Trump is officially back as the 47th President of the United States, and his inauguration speech felt more like a Game of Thrones coronation than a traditional ceremony. With Elon Musk and America’s billionaires front and center, we break down the key takeaways from Trump’s big return. Meanwhile, a scholarship ad by Hwa Chong International School sparked online outrage after netizens spotte...

In a recent speech, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh made a bold call for one-third opposition representation in Parliament and for unity amongst Workers’ Party cadre. What does this mean for WP’s GE2025 strategy? Elsewhere, Pakistan International Airlines just had the PR fail of the year— its celebration of the resumption of flights to Paris ended up looking way too much like 9/11. How did t...

As GE2025 looms, a Blackbox Research survey reveals Singaporeans’ biggest concerns—cost of living and jobs, not political scandals. What does this mean for campaign strategies? Plus, surprising Singaporean sentiment on Donald Trump’s re-election. We dig into the data, the vibes, and the unexpected trends shaping Singapore’s political landscape. Meanwhile, a Singaporean climber raised a political f...

This week, Meta makes waves as CEO Mark Zuckerberg announces the end of third-party fact-checking in the US, shifting responsibility to users through “community notes.” President Joe Biden isn’t pleased, calling the move “shameful.” We unpack the implications for misinformation and free speech. Closer to home, a survey reveals Singapore’s most loved and hated corporate jargon, from “double confirm...

We dive into the ICA’s suspension of its online address change system after 80 unauthorized attempts exploited a glaring loophole. How is this connected to the recent NRIC unmasking drama, if at all? Meanwhile, SM Lee Hsien Loong’s speech on immigration and integration at a SINDA dinner sparks online debate. From balancing foreigner inflow to fostering inclusivity, we discuss the tension between c...

This week, we unpack the exchanges in Parliament about the recent case of unintentional NRIC unmasking by ACRA. Minister Josephine Teo and Minister Indranee fielded a bevy of questions from both sides, but some questions still remain unanswered. Is the public overreacting? Elsewhere, a political confrontation between PSP and PAP volunteers at Bukit Gombak escalated into what is now a police case....

This past November, the topic of saving hawker culture was fiercely debated in Parliament, and while we discussed it in YLB 588, we wanted to hear directly from an actual hawker who knows the issues on the ground. And we got more than we bargained for, in this deep dive with Faye Sai, a THIRD-generation young hawker running the chain Coffee Break. We got answers to all the burning questions that l...

A recent study revealed that Singapore’s adult literacy proficiency is below the OECD average. This raises concerns about the competitiveness and employability of Singaporean workers, especially older ones whose language mastery may have atrophied over their lifetimes. What can be done to stem this decline? Elsewhere, an expat tech executive was featured in the news for doing food delivery outside...

In an interview with ST to mark the start of the school year, Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing made the point that the quality of teachers is a far more important determinant of success than class sizes. In the context of the increasing difficulty of recruiting teachers, we discuss if his comparison makes sense. Elsewhere, a 38-year-old man was arrested for slapping a 6-year-old child that had...

In our last episode for 2024, we’re talking about major screw-ups. SingPost dramatically fired its CEO and two other top executives recently. The plot thickens with new details that have just emerged, involving whistleblowing and a subsequent cover-up. We discuss this with actor Andie Chen, and end up wondering: what kind of company *is* SingPost anyway? Also, a music festival on Sentosa has anger...

You’ve been waiting for this one. Just when we thought 2024 would close out quietly, a national regulator makes a rare, alarming blunder, then the government rolls out two ministers and a chief executive for a press conference and public apology. After all this fuss though, we’re still no clearer what the deal is with our National Registration Identity Card numbers. Should they be confidential, or...

It’s fair to say that Yip Pin Xiu has had a good 2024. Singapore’s most decorated paralympian extended her streak with another two gold medals in Paris this year, and she just got engaged! In this episode, she hits the YLB studio to tell us about the challenges of competing on the world stage, and whether or not it’s okay to ask about persons with disabilities about their condition (hint: how you...

Our sponsor - OPPO This episode is brought to you by OPPO! FOMO keeps us connected to our phones 24/7. But what happens on our phones is often way less important than all the meaningful things happening in front of us! So this holiday season, remember that your phones can wait but life can’t. So enjoy the present! Check out more stuff from OPPO at https://www.oppo.com/sg/ We’re rolling into the ye...

We’ve made it to episode 600! And what better way to celebrate it than to record it live in front of an audience of 60+ YLB fans, right on the cusp of #SG60. It’s the end of the year and everyone’s doing up their lists, so we thought we’d do a recap of 2024! But this time, no need for Google Trends, no need for mainstream media affirmation, because we are talking about the top 10 most streamed top...

This episode we’re talking about Luigi Mangione, whose alleged murder of the CEO of UnitedHealth on a sidewalk in New York has captured global attention. What could have motivated him to do such a thing? Why is he being hailed as a hero by some people online? And what is his tangential connection to Yah Lah But? Closer to home, we try to figure out how a local cosplayer gained enough of a followin...

The GE2025 hype train has left the station, and you know we love us some political punditry. So today we’re discussing a CNA report on how political parties are having trouble finding new blood for GE2025–going as far as interviewing people who turned down invitations to enter the field. Why is there increasing resistance to joining politics, and what does this bode for the country? What kind of c...

We know Singaporeans are an obedient lot, but will we heed the latest guidelines from the Ministry of Social and Family Development? They’ve just issued advice on appropriate caregiving boundaries between parents and children, which covers bathing, nudity, and expressing affection. Joining us for this potentially awkward conversation is comedian Jacky Ng, fresh from stints in Bali and KL. We also...

At Yah Lah BUT, we’re big on looking at issues from multiple angles, and we’ve got a good example this episode! A TikTok video showing a fight at a lift lobby in Vivocity went viral this weekend. Who started it? Who was helping and who wasn’t? The answer isn’t as clear as the video suggests, based on information that’s emerged since then. It’s a great cautionary tale against jumping to conclusions...

We’re into the last month of the year and we start with the sad news that a participant of this year’s Standard Chartered Marathon passed away after completing the event. Few details have emerged, so we’re focusing more on the challenges of long-distance running (including Haresh’s own experience), from training to the actual run. Listen to your body, people! We also discuss a story about hair sal...

There’s no smoke without fire…or in this case, vapes? Apparently, plainclothes Health Sciences Authority (HSA) officers have the power to enter and search your house if they suspect you possess a vape, and they don’t need a warrant to do it. A recent incident involving TikToker Rapperboy has us asking, just how far does the long arm of the law reach? What are the safeguards against scammers taking...

SG60 is just round the corner, and Singapore’s beloved cabaret troupe Dim Sum Dollies are back to celebrate it! In this episode, we speak to founding member Selena Tan about the Dollies’ 22-year history, their upcoming show, and whether or not cancel culture has made it harder for comedians. She’s had a gutsy journey herself, abandoning the law profession in a time when a career in theatre was unh...

The ruling People’s Action Party turned 70, and has officially entered its Lawrence Wong era. At its ginormous biennial conference, our new PM formally took over as the party’s Secretary-General. Of course, we had to read between the lines and dissect his speech, as hype builds towards next year’s general election. Is that the oft-mentioned “fear-mongering” about the Opposition we’re hearing? And...

Today’s episode is all about sending messages and changing behaviours. An NUS student thought it was a good idea to deflate the tyres of several cars to send a message about vehicular carbon emissions. Deflate only; no harm done right? We discuss the global movement that inspired this student, and why such actions may not be as clever as they seem. Meanwhile, the government has re-introduced a toi...

There’s a saying in gambling: the house always wins. Unless, it seems, you’re Resorts World Sentosa. Due to unsatisfactory tourism metrics, authorities have only renewed its casino licence for two years, instead of the usual three. The Integrated Resorts opened to such fanfare in 2010, yet RWS’ facade now seems to be… dare we say… DISintegrating? Where did it all go wrong? In other news, HSBC’s ne...

Big Tech used to be all about big employee perks: flexible hours, free food, travel opportunities, in-office naps and massages, all to attract top talent to do high-value work.  But as the tech crunch continues, these perks are being swallowed. Will glamorous tech firms eventually become like all other mundane companies? Separately, we look at what is arguably the biggest employee perk ever: diplo...