Yah Lah But

A property agent has been POFMAed for a video that made false claims  about the HDB’s Ethnic Integration Policy. We analysed the video and the POFMA order to try and figure out the truth. Elsewhere, a series of social media posts by the Ministry of Finance featuring images of Singaporean families generated by AI, has drawn flak from online commenters. Why the outrage over some AI images? Our New P...

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics has outraged conservatives around the world, with an apparent depiction of da Vinci’s  “Last Supper” painting featuring drag queens. The organisers have clarified that the performance wasn’t actually based on da Vinci’s painting, but religious groups and far right commentators are still calling for a boycott. Is the outrage warranted? Closer to home,...

Get ready for an unfiltered conversation as Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Group, drops by the YLB studio. He's here to unveil his latest book, Behind The Banyan , and share hard-hitting lessons from his 30-year "badass" entrepreneurial journey. We dig into the dark side of meritocracy, why he thinks young people are “sleepwalking through life”, and whether he blames Lee Ku...

Grab officially ended its pursuit of a buyout of Trans-Cab after Singapore's competition watchdog announced that it believed the deal would result in "a substantial lessening of competition" in the local ride hailing scene. Was this turn of events a win for consumers? Elsewhere, Raffles Institution has drawn flak after a photo of a student dressed as a delivery rider for Racial Harmony Day made it...

Allianz’s plans to buy a majority stake in Singapore’s Income Insurance have sparked concerns among some Singaporeans, with prominent figures like Tommy Koh and the ex-CEO of NTUC Income speaking up against the sale. Will this move really affect Singaporean’s insurance policies, or are we missing the forest for the trees? Elsewhere, the captain of the Japanese women’s gymnastics team, Shoko Miyata...

The tumultuous US presidential election took another strange turn this weekend, as incumbent US president Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race and his endorsement of VP Kamala Harris to take his place. What led to his sudden reversal, and realistically, does Harris stand a chance against Trump? Elsewhere, the familiar blue and white slippers that are often worn in Singaporean homes wer...

Earlier this year, Sean Bai, a born and bred Singaporean, was appointed the Chief of Staff (Football) at Burnley Football Club. How exactly did a born and bred Singaporean find his way into the senior management of a prestigious English football club? Sean talks about his journey from the diplomatic service to the Champions League, why Singapore needs a robust sporting culture, and what young peop...

This past weekend, footage of the shocking assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump sent shockwaves around the world. Some have declared it as a major turning point in the presidential election that tilts the race heavily in Trump’s favour. We dissect the reasons why. Closer to home, Malaysian authorities have officially advised parents against giving exotic names to their childre...

Singapore’s Olympics swim team came under intense scrutiny when veteran Quah Ting Wen was unexpectedly replaced in the women’s 4x100m medley relay team by another swimmer, Gan Ching Hwee. Quah has since gone public with her side of the story, and ignited a debate about the fairness of the selection process. Some have labelled her as “entitled” for her actions, but is there more to this story than...

A Tampines resident urged authorities to remove a "warplane" design that was painted onto the side of a block, citing that it was “terribly distasteful" and in "bad and poor taste". However, MP Baey Yam Keng decided against doing so, and justified why in a Facebook post. Was he right in rejecting the call to remove the design? Elsewhere, a Singaporean couple travelling round the world with their 4...

Former Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan stops by the YLB studio to share his candid views about the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and to discuss how the struggle between the global superpowers will ultimately affect us in Southeast Asia. Also, he answers the big question on everyone’s minds: are we headed towards World War 3? What will a second Trump term mean for the rest of the worl...

We usually talk about the news, but did not expect to BE the news, which is what happened this week! Our Yah Lah BUT episode with Leong Mun Wai was referenced during this week’s parliamentary sitting by the Speaker of Parliament, Seah Kian Peng. What exactly was Mr Leong’s “act of contempt” on our podcast, and what did we think of the entire fiasco? Elsewhere, the “Friends of the PAP” group of inf...

Recently, Protect Singapore released a scorecard grading politicians based on their LGBTQ stance. Some were disappointed that this occurred right before Pink Dot, but we argue why it might be a good thing. Elsewhere, NUS announced that its students can take Wednesday afternoons off for out-of-class activities starting this August, ostensibly to aid their mental well-being. We question whether this...

In this Haresh-less episode, we end the patriarchy with guest host Caitanya Tan @caitofalltraits, as we deep dive into the recent debate about why more women in Singapore are choosing to remain single. We also discuss her thoughts about a viral Reddit thread about the Singapore podcast scene, and why some locals think our accent is “cringe”. (00:00) A message from Octa (01:39) Intro (16:58) Why Si...

In light of Haresh’s absence, we have comedian Jacky onboard as this week’s guest host! We talk about last weekend’s big news: the oil spill caused by an allision between two vessels that stained coastlines at East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, Keppel Bay, the Southern Islands and Sentosa. We discuss the media frenzy around the issue, and whether more could have been done to contain the spi...

2 years after our last SOLD OUT live show, we’re finally back with another YLB LIVE recording! 40 YLB listeners spent Saturday night with us at Monk’s Brew Club, as we discussed the thorny issue of whether BTOs lead to more divorces in Singapore. In a slight departure from our usual format, we had other interactive segments like “Most Not Shiok Comments” and an audience Q&A. For those who miss...

This week, Singapore Airlines announced that it would compensate passengers who suffered “minor injuries” in the SQ321 turbulence incident US$10K each. We discuss whether this is a generous offer. Elsewhere, a Circles. Life video ad, which depicted a teenager being caught watching porn by his mother, drew brickbats from online commenters. What was so bad about it, and is there really such a thing...

A Department of Statistics report recently found that more women remaining single is one of the contributing factors for Singapore’s baby drought. However, the ST article headline covering this report was slammed for seemingly laying the blame squarely on women. We discuss why the headline didn’t paint an accurate picture of the situation. Elsewhere, a Singaporean kid brought a handmade poster to...

This week, an 18-year-old involved in a motorcycle chase that killed a Land Transport Authority (LTA) officer tried to absolve himself of blame in his first court appearance. His comments sparked outrage online, with many online commenters questioning why he was not charged for causing the death of the officer. We do a layman dissection of the legal situation. Elsewhere, some Singaporean students...

Earlier this week, Science Centre Singapore cancelled a ticketed event organised to discuss the differences between sex and gender, after an outcry from some members of the public. Could Science Centre have done anything differently to make this event palatable? Elsewhere, a Crystal Jade promo where diners could get free char siew for reciting a Cantonese insult drew flak for being “demeaning” to...

This past weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue, where he called on Asian countries to join an upcoming Swiss-led peace summit to discuss the terms needed to end the war. While he was applauded by many and even hailed for his “leadership” by Minister of Defence Ng Eng Hen, online commenters criticised the move to host him here. Why th...

This week, PM Wong waded into the case of the migrant worker who was fired for his involvement in a loan shark harassment case, when he wrote a letter to ICA and MOM about the issue. However, the appeal didn’t work, and the migrant worker, Mr Sharif, was forced to leave Singapore this morning. What was the entire fiasco really about? Elsewhere, passengers and crew of Singapore Airlines  have come...

A recent study by the Singapore Department of Statistics found that hawker food prices rose by 6.1% in 2023, the highest increase since 2008. The study also provoked the ire of KF Seetoh and other online commenters; why were people upset about it? Elsewhere, NTU student activists were up in arms about ExxonMobil’s involvement in a new lab initiative on their campus. Is this just another manifestat...

One passenger died and many others were badly injured after a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence, forcing the jet to divert to Bangkok. The terrifying incident has left many questions for observers; we discuss what we thought about SIA’s response. Elsewhere, an unofficial portrait of Kate Middleton commissioned by Tatler Magazine has drawn ridicule, wi...

In an unprecedented move, the prosecutor's office of the International Criminal Court has requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence chief and three Hamas leaders for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. What does this mean for the Israel-Hamas conflict? Closer to home, a South Korean DJ who incorporates Buddhist mantras into his sets while wear...