Yah Lah But

Singapore’s annual Population in Brief report revealed that total population fell 4.1% to 5.45 million as a result of COVID-19. We discuss the numbers and why it’s alarming for SG’s future. Also, runner Soh Rui Yong is in the news again, but this time for launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise $180,000 to pay for damages and legal fees in his defamation suit vs. fellow runner Ashley Liew. Why...

As quickly as we embarked on a COVID-endemic strategy, Singapore has tightened restrictions on social gatherings once again. It’s not the first time we’ve clamped down to reduce the spread, but why is there so much more frustration this time? In other news, the co-founder of indie bookstore BooksActually, a longstanding bastion of Singapore literature, was accused by several female ex-employees of...

And we thought our jobs were tough! This week, we speak to Paul Laurence, a Singaporean who clears unexploded RPGs, landmines and IEDs in war-torn countries for a living. After a long career in the SAF, Paul has worked as a deminer in places such as Afghanistan, South Sudan, Iraq, Somalia and Papau New Guinea. We read about him in an eye-opening feature in Rice Media, and really wanted to know: wh...

This week, Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim wades into the argument on whether SG should continue its mask mandate in a FB post, triggering a fierce debate online. We also spoke to MMA fighter Victoria Lee, the teenage sensation who burst onto the scene in 2021 with 2 consecutive victories in ONE Championship. With heavy expectations weighing on the 17-year-old’s shoulders as Angela Lee and Christian L...

At the end of the year, a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) General, Tan Chee Wee, will be appointed chief executive of the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA). We debate whether a high-ranking military officer really has the competence and knowledge to oversee SG’s pre-school sector. Also, an enrichment centre behind a PR campaign involving clowns loitering around outside primary schools has apo...

Since the bombshell news about the closure of Yale-NUS, we’ve not heard directly from actual students about how they’re coping with the loss. So we connected with Ethel Pang, a final-year student at Yale-NUS, to find out what she and her peers have been doing since learning of the school’s imminent closure. Also, she shares her views about Minister Chan Chun Sing’s explanation in parliament about...

At the recent livestreamed parliamentary debate, a hot mic caught part of a private conversation between several MPs, in which Minister Vivian Balakrishnan had allegedly labelled opposition politician Leong Mun Wai “illiterate”. The minister has since written a FB post revealing that he has apologized to Leong for his remarks, so why are SGeans online making a ruckus about this? Also, we discuss t...

A recent feature by CNA highlights a trend of more young, single Singaporeans moving out from their parents’ homes to live in their own rental spaces. We discuss if this is a good idea, how COVID has changed things, and delve into our own experiences for answers. Also, athlete Soh Rui Yong has supposedly angered commando soldiers with his open challenge to run 2.4km in under 7 minutes. But is this...

We talk about the recent calls for Singapore’s Paralympians to be awarded the same sweet $1,000,000 reward that Olympians receive for winning gold. Also, Simu Liu and Shang-Chi might get cancelled in China for something he said in an interview 4 years ago. Is the anger justified?   Find us here! Our #YLB Subreddit for show notes Our YouTube channel to see our FACES!   Paralympic gold only worth 20...

From conspiracy theorists group-buying ivermectin, to even PM Lee’s wife Ho Ching herself publicly questioning MOH’s decision to stop announcing the number of unlinked cases, it seems like everyone has differing opinions on Singapore’s COVID strategy. Are Singaporeans ready to live with COVID? Also, a series of bad online reviews of restaurant Mentai-Ya leads the business owner to uncover a smear...

In response to the recent spike in COVID cases, the Ministry of Health advised that all individuals should limit themselves to one social gathering a day, while social gatherings and interactions at workplaces will not be allowed from 8th September. What does this mean for Singapore’s plan to become COVID-endemic and to open up further? Also, a study of data by a UK mattress provider places Singap...

What a strange week it’s been, with that August rain and chilly weather! Mainstream media had a field day when the world’s #1 podcaster Joe Rogan announced on IG that he contracted COVID-19. What did people have to say about the most prominent proponent of vaccine hesitancy getting the virus, and what medicine did he actually take to get better?  Closer to home, the search for a missing senior cit...

This week, we had the chance to pick the brain of 1 of the 3 men behind Singapore’s #1 podcast, OKLETSGO, Dzar Ismail! He talks about the difference between being a radio DJ and a podcaster, tips for anyone looking to create their own podcast, and what to do when the President of Singapore demands an apology from you! It goes for 2 hours, so you know we went DEEP!   Find us here! Our #YLB Subreddi...

It's our 200th episode!!! And we are discussing EPIC topics! In the National Day Rally, PM Lee asserted that it is “entirely baseless” to claim that “Chinese privilege” exists in Singapore; an assertion that eclipsed the rest of the content of his speech. What was that and all the ensuing hoo-hah about? Also, Yale-NUS shocked everyone last Friday by announcing that the school would be merged with...

US Vice-President Kamala Harris’ first official trip overseas was to Singapore - a big deal in bilateral relations. Why did her visit ruffle so many feathers of Chinese netizens, such that they would label Singaporeans as “bootlickers”? And why did Seah Kian Peng, NTUC Fairprice CEO’s bad joke about Kamala Harris’ name upset many other people? Also, OnlyFans U-turns on its recent decision to ban s...

Over the NDP weekend, on Facebook, Minister Shanmugam shared a Malaysia army video that was released during NDP 2021, and highlighted that the bulk of the video was in English, insinuating that it was a targeted message. This caused some angry reactions from Singaporeans online, but also left some people puzzled as to what the big deal was. Also, a doctor accused of molestation in 2017 was finally...

On 19th August, the Singapore government announced Vaccinated Travel Lanes to Germany and Brunei; it will be the first time SG residents can go for quarantine-free leisure travel since we shut our borders last March. Sounds good, but why are people still upset about this? Elsewhere, the subscription site OnlyFans upsets its huge base of content creators and users by announcing that it will block s...

Heavy, heavy topics this week, as we dissect the timeline of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and ask: how did the country get back to this situation, 20 years after 9/11? Also, about a year after the story first broke, the sordid details of the allegations against YouTuber Dee Kosh are finally revealed, and it goes way deeper than expected. PLUS, Haresh directly addresses recent criticism of hi...

Another week, another guest! This week, we talk to Radio DJ / singer-songwriter / podcast host Joshua Simon as he gets personal about his moving story of coming out to family, and shares more about his newest single, “We Are Done”, coming out this week! He also goes deep into where LGBTQ representation in Singapore is at, and why he will never forget his half hour interviewing Katy Perry. Find us...

Following allegations that one of its editors had said "viewers did not like watching darker-skinned presenters" to former BBC journalist Sharanjit Leyl , Mediacorp fired back with its own statement. But what can we make of Mediacorp’s response? Elsewhere, a Japanese softballer is going to have her gold medal replaced with a fresh one after the mayor of her hometown was photographed posing with an...

We talk to Singaporean rapper sensation Yung Raja, whose most recent claim to fame was having his song “Mami” featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. We chart his meteoric rise in the media scene, from a teenage actor on local TV shows like “Fighting Spiders” to winning an Asian Academy Creative Award for hosting an international MTV program. And we also talk about what it means to be an “...

On Aug 10 2021, Singapore will enter the next phase of COVID19 restrictions, but for the better! But if you’re not vaccinated, you’ll have a lot less freedom. What are the differences? Should we be hopeful, or should we expect another lockdown? Elsewhere, Nas Daily is coming under a barrage of fire in the Philippines, but is there more than meets the eye?  Love from our sponsor! This episode is br...

We talk to stand-up comedian Dr Jason Leong from across the causeway about his journey giving up medicine for comedy, and how he’s been adapting since COVID19 hit the live performance scene (hint: he’s been killing it online, and even released his own Netflix special last year). We also talk about how much he loves Singapore. For real.  Find us here! Our #YLB Subreddit for show notes Our YouTube c...

A viral CCTV video uploaded by local actor Nick Mikhail showed safe distancing officers and ambassadors entering his home without a warrant, under suspicion of COVID-19 breaches. URA fired back, but did they dig a bigger hole for themselves? What powers do safe distancing folk have anyway? Elsewhere, a Govt poster for NDP that showed an Indian family stirred up racist comments online, but is it fa...

Last week, “Black Widow” star actress Scarlett Johansson sued Disney for breaching their contract after it streamed the film at the same time as its cinema release. A big part of it has to do with money and earnings, but with Hollywood big names supporting her, is there more to it? Elsewhere, dating apps are allowing Singaporeans to display their vaccination status, but in the US, an anti-vaxx dat...