Deep Dive

Since the announcement that Singapore's Gifted Education Programme (GEP) will be revamped to cater to more students, questions about equal distribution of resources and the added burden on teachers have come up. Steven Chia and Crispina Robert put these questions to Education Minister Chan Chun Sing and Ong Kong Hong, divisional director of curriculum planning and development at the ministry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sketched out his government's priorities in his first National Rally address, with a focus on parents, education and housing. Do the announcements show a significant shift towards a different kind of Singapore? SMU Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan and Assistant Professor Elvin Ong from the political science department at NUS give their assessment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cyber Security Chapter and CEO of Athena Dynamics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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, co-owner of JOFA Meepok, JOFA Grill and JOFA-Oji Donburi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 the NUS Business School and Eddy Cheong, CEO of Havend Pte Ltd, an insurance advisory firm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 of Digital Impact Research at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Board, and Javern Sim, family lawyer and managing director at Populus Law Corporation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 for privacy information.

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, executive director of Zero Waste SG.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 executive director of WE CARE Community Services and Dr Shobha Avadhani, senior lecturer in communications and new media at the National University of SingaporeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Local Farm, and Professor William Chen, director of the NTU Food Science and Technology Programme.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 has been edited to remove an incorrect reference to how much is available in the transformation grant for heritage businesses. The cap is S$40,000. We apologise for the error.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Speedoc and Christine Chan, Senior Professional at Institute for Human Resource Professionals and Chief Human Resource Officer of Nudgyt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 information.

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 omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Resource Professionals and Tan Wan Ting, founder and CEO of digital marketing agency Weave Asia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 nominated member of Parliament, Dr Brandon Koh, an organisational psychologist at the Singapore University of Social Sciences and Dr Jaclyn Lee, chief human resources officer at Certis Group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Ching, Principal Lecturer of Statistics from the Singapore Management University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Education Ministry, Philibert Leow, principal of Jurongville Secondary School and clinical psychologist Dr Annabelle Chow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Policy at the National University of Singapore, and Nicholas Mak, a real estate analyst, discuss with Steven Chia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was recently announced that casual racism allegations will be investigated as disciplinary breaches in the police force. But are guidelines always so clear cut? Where are the grey areas and how can organisations deal with it? Dr Mathew Mathews, head of the Institute of Policy Studies Social Lab, Aamir Bana, an undergraduate at Yale-NUS College and Jerviel Lim, head of people and culture at Tatsu Works have an honest conversation about how we should deal with casual racism in our society and workplaces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s been a worrying rise in the number of young people arrested for drug abuse, with the youngest just 14 years old, says the Central Narcotics Bureau. Despite Singapore’s zero tolerance on drugs and years of intensive messaging, liberal attitudes among young people appear to be stubbornly sticky, with cannabis the choice of drug. How should anti-drug messaging be tailored better to suit a generation that’s consuming a largely social media diet? Otelli Edwards finds out from Dr Lambert Low, deputy chief of the department of addiction medicine in the Institute of Mental Health, Ravindran Nagalingam, board member at the National Council Against Drug Abuse and Tham Yuen Han, clinical director at WE CARE Community Services.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From significant top-ups to SkillsFuture credits to ITE students getting incentives to upskill, Budget 2024 is a shift in the kind of society the new fourth generation, or 4G, leadership wants to shape. Steven Chia gets views from Terence Ho, associate professor at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and Professor Lawrence Loh, director of Centre for Governance and Sustainability, National University of Singapore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of retrenchments went up in 2023 and workers are facing the brunt of a more volatile business environment. What kind of help do workers need? And what's on their Budget 2024 wishlist? Steven Chia speaks to Cheng Hing-Nan, lead coach at Workforce Singapore, Gerald Tan, projects director at Avodah Solutions and Lai Yong Liang, an urban farmer with Grobrix.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Out of 81 countries, 15-year-olds in Singapore topped the Pisa table in reading, math and science. But how important are these metrics in a world where social and creative skills have become critical and artificial intelligence is taking centre stage? Steven Chia gets answers from Liew Wei Li, director-general of education at the Ministry of Education, associate professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education, and parent of two and lecturer, Ian Tan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

E-commerce giant Lazada’s retrenchment exercise resulted in criticism of how it was handled, including its lack of consultation with the union. But what role can unions play when companies need to let employees go and what happens when employers don’t fulfill their tripartite obligations? Steven Chia sits down with Patrick Tay, assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress and Sim Gim Guan, executive director of the Singapore National Employers Federation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Commuters have expressed frustration since the Land Transport Authority announced that EZ-Link and NETS FlashPay cards cannot be used on buses and trains from June. Why is there a shift to the SimplyGo system? What is the difference in payment types? And what could the authorities do better to communicate the change? Steven Chia gets answers from Sumit Agarwal, professor at the School of Business at the National University of Singapore and Walter Theseira, who heads the urban transportation programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patients have reported waiting for days to get a bed at a public hospital. Health experts say the biggest reason is that there are issues transiting to proper care after discharge. Otelli Edwards speaks to public health specialist Dr Jeremy Lim, Duke-NUS Medical School's Dr David Matchar and Jeremy Lee, assistant chief operating officer at the National University Hospital. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the last of our top three episodes from the archives, we look at the scourge of scams in Singapore. With increasing sophistication from the fraudsters, is public education enough? Should banks pay for some of the losses? If so, how can liability be fairly decided? Steven Chia speaks to Jansen Chow, co-head of fraud, asset recovery and investigations practice at Rajah & Tann law firm, Assistant Professor Nydia Remolina, from the Singapore Management University’s Yong Pung How School of Law and Ho Geer How, whose mother lost over S$190,000 to a scam.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the second of our top three episodes from the archives, we explore how bad actors operate in money laundering crimes. How do property agents and bank staff separate a legitimate transaction from a shady one? And what makes this type of crime especially tough to crack down on? Steven Chia speaks to Adam Maniam, director of dispute resolution at law firm Drew and Napier, Associate Professor Soh Kee Hean from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and former director of the CPIB, and Fabrizio Fioroni, adviser on anti-money laundering/counter financing of terrorism at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first of our top three episodes from the archives, we ask - why are teenagers as young as 14 interested in extremist religious content? What do online games have to do with this trend and how can family members spot the red flags? Steven Chia speaks to Dr Omer Ali Saifudeen from the Singapore University of Social Sciences, Dr Mohamed Ali, co-chairman and counsellor with the Religious Rehabilitation Group and Nicholas Khoo, co-founder and former chairman of the Singapore Cybersports and Online Gaming Association. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With its lease not renewed, Raffles Town Club is the latest in a line of private clubs whose land is being repurposed by the government for other uses. Aside from land restraints, is there a future for clubs like these in Singapore where generational aspirations are changing? Steven Chia speaks to Desmond Tay, president of the Club Managers' Association (Singapore), Jean Low, CEO of social club 1880 and chief research officer at Mogul.sg, Nicholas Mak.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent CNA investigation showed that it is easy for kids under 18 to go on dating apps and chat with strangers online, making them more vulnerable to sexual predators. Should there be greater legislation to protect children and what can parents do to prevent their children from becoming victims? Steven Chia speaks to Shem Yao, manager of digital wellness at TOUCH Wellness Group, Jiow Hee Jhee, associate professor and programme leader at the Singapore Institute of Technology and Marilyn Low, a parent coach and mother.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From groceries to electricity and water prices, many Singaporeans are feeling the pinch as inflation stays stubbornly high. Is the sandwiched generation hit as hard as those in the lower-income group? And how far can government support go? Otelli Edwards gets answers from Ong EeCheng, senior lecturer at NUS, Ava Gao, a parenting coach and mum, and Loh Yong Cheng, lead of the advisory team at Providend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a recent CNA Commentary, Dr William Wan from the Singapore Kindness Movement argued for some regulation in dealing with inconsiderate behaviour on public transport which drew some strong reaction from readers. But why do some people behave badly in a public space? What stops others from confronting them and should more be done? Michelle Tay, director of the Singapore Kindness Movement, and Associate Professor Ho Kong Chong, head of Urban Studies at Yale Nus College are this week's guests.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Forward SG report, people want more than just material success in life. Has the idea of a good life evolved? What impact will that have on the way the country is governed? Steven Chia gets answers from June Yong, Lead, Insights at Focus on the Family and mother of three, Dr Mathew Mathews, head of IPS social lab and Ho Ching Wee, a 25-year-old software developer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent DBS and Citibank outage in October left many people unable to pay for their transactions and draw money from the ATMs. What goes on when critical banking infrastructure goes black? How are data centres part of this and should we really revert to carrying cash again? Steven Chia gets answers from Dr Patrick Thng, director of the Master's programme for financial technology and analytics at the Singapore Management University and Ashish Kakar, research director for IDC Financial Insights, Asia Pacific.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Young people aged 18 to 29 and the elderly over 70 are two groups who are showing the greatest signs of mental health distress in Singapore. What are the triggers, and what is the journey to seek help like? Steven Chia speaks to 23-year-old university student "Rae", 44-year-old father of teenagers Mak Kean Loong and senior clinical psychologist Chris Wong. This episode of Heart of the Matter discusses suicide ideation. Listener discretion is advised. Where to get help: Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1767 Institute of Mental Health’s Helpline: 6389 2222 Singapore Association for Mental Health Helpline: 1800 283 7019 You can also find a list of international helplines here. If someone you know is at immediate risk, call 24-hour emergency medical services.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nine in 10 Singapore residents exceeded the recommended salt intake and daily calorie intake is also up, according to the latest National Nutrition survey. The findings also show that more people are at risk of obesity and hypertension. Can a food paradise like Singapore deliver delicious food which is less salty? Or are busy lifestyles making it harder for people to eat better? Steven Chia speaks to Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran, president of Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association, clinical dietitian at Parkway MediCentre Candy Goh and Terence Koh, a father who lost 35kg in 8 months for his then newborn son.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the last decade, child abuse cases involving neglect and physical or sexual abuse have gone up from around 300 in 2012 to 2,141 in 2021. Several high profile cases before the court involved the death of young children. Steven Chia gets answers on how the system works and why some cases slip through with Soh Ying Si, deputy manager at the Melrose Home, Yogeswari Munisamy, senior principal social worker at the Ministry of Social and Family Development and C Amutha, deputy head of Punggol Family Service Centre.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With premiums on Certificate of Entitlement (COE) soaring to over $140,000 for larger cars, should people simply give up on the idea of owning cars? What about those who need the convenience of having a vehicle to ferry their children and the elderly? What other options do they have? Steven Chia gets answers from Julian Kho, general manager of Sgcarmart, Toh Ting Feng, CEO and founder of GetGo, and Lim Chong Tee, co-founder of a start-up and father of a four-month old baby.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The scourge of scams continues unabated in Singapore with nearly 23,000 people falling victim in the first six months of this year. With increasing sophistication from the fraudsters, is public education enough? Should banks pay for some of the losses? If so, how can liability be fairly decided? Steven Chia speaks to Jansen Chow, co-head of fraud, asset recovery and investigations practice at Rajah & Tann law firm, Assistant Professor Nydia Remolina, from the Singapore Management University’s Yong Pung How School of Law and Ho Geer How, whose mother lost over S$190,000 to a scam.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Videos of Kinderland teachers allegedly mistreating their young charges went viral last year. What are the challenges teachers face in classroom management? How are rules and guidelines applied on the ground? Steven Chia puts these questions to Caroline Seng, director of professional development and standards at the Early Childhood Development Agency, Cara Lee, deputy director at the Anglican Preschool Services and Fiona Cher, a mother of two preschool children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.