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IPS' Mathew Mathews unpacks why a high salary can't protect you like a wealth buffer can. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. The average wealth held by the top 20% of households stands at $5.3 million. That is 18 times more than the bottom 20%, whose average wealth sits at $293,000, according to an occasional paper titled Income Growth, Inequality, and Social Mobility Trends in Singapore published by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in February 2026. While government policies and wage initiatives have successfully lowered income inequality, MOF's 2026 occasional paper reveals that Singapore’s wealth Gini coefficient now stands at 0.55. In this episode of In Your Opinion, host Lynda Hong sits down with Mathew Mathews, principal research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore (NUS), to unpack the critical difference between earning and owning. They explore why real income growth alone cannot bridge the mobility gap if lower-income families lack the disposable cash needed to invest in property or compounding assets. Mathews explains how accumulated wealth acts as a vital psychological and practical buffer against economic shocks, particularly for lower-income households. The conversation dives into the future of the Singaporean social fabric, tackling the threat of AI-driven job disruptions, the dangers of retail investing without financial literacy, and the potential for a universal basic capital model. Finally, they discuss whether slowing relative mobility means the traditional status symbols — like car ownership — are irrelevant, or simply being revisioned by a new generation. Highlights (click/tap above):  00:48 Why did MOF focus on wealth inequality recently  2:16 Income vs wealth: When what you own matters more  3:52 Can two families with the same income but varying wealth withstand economic shocks?  5:05 How wealth protects children’s opportunities for the future 5:35 Impact of AI on widening income inequality  8:49 Why salary growth doesn't equal social mobility  12:00 How to generate wealth apart from property and CPF  15:12 The hidden risks of retail investing for the lower-income  25:05 Does moving up the economic ladder mean more comforts in life? 29:20 The threat to Singapore's social cohesion Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Classic ADHD stereotypes, like physical hyperactivity, can cause many to be overlooked and turn to maladaptive coping. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. Despite the boom in online conversation about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in recent years, the neurodevelopmental condition is still largely misunderstood due to its name. Experts say those with ADHD don’t lack attention, as much as they lack the ability to regulate it.  With October being ADHD awareness month, features correspondent Grace Yeoh speaks with Dr Ong Mian Li, a clinical psychologist and the founder of private practice Lightfull Psychology, in this episode of In Your Opinion. Both were diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood.  Together, they explore the invisible challenges of ADHD, particularly when one is seen to be “high-functioning” — the ability to manage the condition on their own while delivering results like neurotypicals. They argue that when society still expects classic behavioural signs, such as physical hyperactivity, many who need support may go underdiagnosed, developing potentially maladaptive coping mechanisms.  The conversation also highlights practical ways to seek and offer support, ultimately reframing diagnosis as a step toward better understanding of neurodivergence. Highlights (click/tap above):  0:46 Reframing ADHD as an attention regulation issue instead of a deficit 3:41 Reflecting on childhood signs after a diagnosis later on in life 7:03 Difference in symptoms between boys and girls  11:11 Transitions can be challenging for those with ADHD   17:24 The problem with the “high-functioning” label  23:53 When scepticism affects support given 28:14 Common coping mechanisms among those who may be overlooked 40:02 When an ADHD diagnosis shouldn’t be disclosed at the workplace 45:13 Practical ways to support someone with ADHD  49:30 Seeking an assessment as the start of self-acceptance Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Grace Yeoh ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do Singaporean kids write about winter? Gwee Li Sui on AI, Singlish & why culture cannot be rushed.  Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. A year after the launch of our Culture Pass credits, take-up rates sit at just 10 per cent. Meanwhile, Singapore’s new national reading movement, ReadSG, now aims to pay people to try building a consistent reading habit. What does this say about us as a people? Is it such a bad thing if we stop reading long-form fiction and just read social media? And why bother with SingLit when we are already so familiar with Singapore’s culture? In this episode, assistant opinion editor Lianne Chia speaks to poet, graphic artist, and literary critic Gwee Li Sui on why focusing too much on hitting KPIs in our quest for culture often backfires. They discuss how doomscrolling and short-form text change our capacity for empathy and nuance, and uncover the brutal economic reality of being a creative writer in Singapore. Highlights (click/tap above): 0:50 Singapore's pragmatic way in handling social problems 8:00 Why is SingLit a hard sell for readers compared to global titles? 8:57 Why do Singaporean students still write school essays about winter and autumn? 22:12 Is Singlish still considered "bad English" today?  27:06 What do we miss if we only read social media? 34:43 With AI summarising everything, is there still room to read for enjoyment? 38:02 Why paying people to read is like forcing kids to eat vegetables 44:50 Is being a creative writer in Singapore an economic dead end?  51:50 Why Gwee prefers to write for readers 50 years in the future 53:47 Is self-censorship among local writers a worry? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lianne Chia ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It takes a bold mindset to imagine innovations like Creative’s sound card and the iPhone, says a venture capitalist. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. Following a recent parliamentary debate on growing Fortune Global 500 companies in Singapore, we ask if Singapore can ever grow a homegrown startup into a global tech giant like Apple or Nvidia? Or do our cultural attitudes toward risk and failure limit this potential? To explore whether Singapore has the ecosystem and vision to build game-changing products that are similar to Creative Technology's sound card or the Apple iPhone, Lynda Hong sits down with Hian Goh, founding partner of Openspace Capital. Managing a billion-dollar portfolio, and having served as the investment banker to Creative Technology's founder Sim Wong Hoo, Hian discusses the realities of the venture capital world. In this episode, they examine the role of the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) in unlocking private capital, and the challenges of commercialising deep-tech R&D.  The discussion also touches on what it takes for Singapore to cultivate its own Silicon Valley, the necessity of tolerating setbacks, and the value of backing founders with an unreasonable mindset. Highlights (click/tap above):  1:08 What is actually missing in Singapore's private capital ecosystem?  6:06 Working with Sim Wong Hoo and hitting the structural ceiling  12:40 Love, Bonito and the challenges of scaling a brand out of Singapore  17:43 The "No U-Turn Syndrome" and why younger Singaporeans are breaking the mold  19:16 Silicon Valley's risk appetite vs. Singapore's fear of failure  21:27 The ChatGPT-4 lesson: Why celebrating uncertainty is the key to deep-tech innovation 28:34 Why the art of investing means backing the "crazy" founders  32:34 Overcoming investor trauma for a more vibrant SGX 35:52 Should national R&D focus only on creating unicorns? 44:54 Block 71 and trusting the ecosystem to build a uniquely Singaporean Silicon Valley Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Lynda Hong ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Singapore ages, the number of family caregivers is rising, making caregiver respite a key focus.  Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. The rising number of dementia patients is just the tip of the iceberg. An ageing population, chronic illnesses that leave loved ones bedridden, and more awareness of mental health conditions have cast a spotlight on the importance of caregiver respite. On this episode of In Your Opinion, we look at the mental health struggles faced by caregivers who sacrifice much of themselves in caring for loved ones. Joining assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong is Tim Oei, CEO of Mindfull Community. Drawing on decades of leadership at major social service agencies like AWWA and the National Kidney Foundation, he talks about caring for the carers, and why some see going to work as a form of respite.  Oei touches on systemic gaps that could disadvantage asset-rich, cash-poor caregivers, and why quitting your job to be a full-time carer can very quickly lead to burnout.  They also explore the marathon that is caregiving, and how friends, colleagues and neighbours can take small steps to help. Highlights (click/tap above):  3:23 When burnt-out caregivers face health issues 5:34 Caregivers only seek help when crisis hits 9:22 Why having a job can backfire when applying for grants  11:40 ‘Work is respite’: How some carers see their jobs 14:25 Will the $10m OrangeAid grant help with caregiver burnout? 21:45 Why sending a caregiver on a ‘staycation’ backfired 23:13 How to scale tailored support for caregivers? 26:20 The dementia tsunami: Scaling support for 2030 27:41 Co-location of services to help care recipients and caregivers 34:45 Hitting the wall: When caregivers reach the tragic breaking point Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- MENTAL WELL-BEING Mindfull Community HQ (for caregivers, families and persons in recovery): 6460-4400 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm) National Mindline: 1771 (24 hours) / 6669-1771 (via WhatsApp) Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp) Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019 Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928 Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1  Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm) The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm) Tinkle Friend (for primary school-age children): 1800-2744-788 COUNSELLING Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252 Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555 Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366 We Care Community Services: 3165-8017 Shan You Counselling Centre: 6741-9293 Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990 Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180 ONLINE RESOURCES mindline.sg/fsmh eC2.sg chat.mentalhealth.sg carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25) limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25) #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Denise Phua raised an autistic son and spent decades championing greater inclusion.  Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. The Straits Times Deputy Opinion Editor Mubin Saadat sits with Member of Parliament and President of Autism Resource Centre Denise Phua to discuss her personal journey raising a son with autism and the lessons it has taught her about inclusion.  The podcast explores the “post-18 cliff” faced by many adults with autism and their families, and what needs to change in learning, employment and living arrangements.  Denise also discusses the anxieties caregivers face about their children’s futures, especially when parents are no longer around. The conversation examines whether Singapore’s disability policies are keeping pace with the needs of people across their entire lives – and what a truly inclusive society should look like. Highlights (click/tap above): 0:55 Motherhood and personal advocacy journey 5:55 Evolving support systems and challenges 15:55 Bridging gaps in learning, working and living 22:55 Creating inclusive employment opportunities 29:35 What would you say to employers to embrace inclusivity? 37:25 Will AI take over jobs meant for people with special needs? 40:35 Personalised support and living models 47:10 On straddling between advocacy and her role as MP 51:05 Grappling with life without parents for people with autism Read more:  Going beyond tackling misconceptions about autism: https://str.sg/xaFs When you’re told you’re ‘not autistic enough’: https://str.sg/sXC4 Walk a mile in my shoes as mother of two children with autism: https://str.sg/EpUu Autism lasts a lifetime. Can support stay the course?: https://str.sg/LR3om Autism in the workplace is about more than job placement: https://str.sg/apLC We are more aware of autism, but how well do we understand it?: https://str.sg/ejLE Schools have integrated children with autism. Have they included them?: https://str.sg/qgmz Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Mubin Saadat on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/brVx Host: Mubin Saadat ([email protected]) Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An NUS scientist reversed his own biological age after stress-testing his diet, sleep and exercise in a longevity study  Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. Strict bedtimes, daily exercise and cutbacks to fat and sugar intake are usually gleaned from big data as standard advice for better health. But what if you could effectively tailor these rules for your own body?  To find out more about how an individual’s biological baseline shifts over time, Dean Ho, director of the Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM) at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine),  embarked on a two-year study on himself to develop a technology that analyses the data from wearables.  Known as DELTA, this study had helped reverse the 47-year-old's biological age by 15 years, after undergoing a series of lifestyle interventions, including varying fasting durations, exercise routines and nutrition adjustments. Throughout the process, this biological response was monitored in real-time to track a biological baseline shaped by age, stress, sleep, food, exercise and illness. His intense regimen included around 20 hours of fasting each day, multiple 48-hour fasts, 90 minutes of strength or cardiovascular training every morning, and a structured diet centred on leafy greens, seeds, olive oil, lean protein, and other Mediterranean-style foods. His beverages were limited to water, electrolytes, and black coffee or tea without milk and sugar. In this episode of In Your Opinion, Lynda Hong, assistant podcast editor from The Straits Times, sits down with Ho, who is also provost’s chair professor at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. They delve into why he embarked on this study with just himself as the study sample, and how he can still eat everything from chicken rice, and pizza to five chendols in 2.5 days when he went on a trip to Penang with his son.  Highlights (click/tap above):  7:48 Technology aspect to DELTA study in analysing vitals and biological age 10:00 How DELTA differs from Project Blueprint 12:52 Have your pizza and eat it too - understanding 'your delta' to optimise your biology 15:24 Ho’s interaction with Bryan Johnson  15:52 Ho on Bryan Johnson: ‘His dedication to sleep is inspiring’  17:46 Did Ho take any testosterone replacements, HGH, supplements?  20:30 Why a sample size of one is enough for the DELTA study 27:08 The function of a ‘digital twin’ in tailoring strategies to improve health 30:05 ‘Human behavior is more powerful than the most powerful medicines on the planet’ 39:00 Taking small steps to drinking Kopi ‘O’ Kosong and sleeping more 43:00 Beyond the wrinkles and cutting sugar to the real reason why Ho pursues longevity 52:10 The Pursuit of Longevity vs. Quality of Life Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former senior minister unveils the robust Cabinet debates over three defining institutions published in a new book. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. Governing Singapore today is a tough task, made more difficult by frequent comparisons with the immediate post-independence decades - a period dominated by the towering figure of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.  Yet was Lee more open to persuasion than we realise? Was governing Singapore far more complex, nuanced and more akin to a team sport? What enabled the Singapore Cabinet to have vociferous debates on policy including the Elected Presidency, the Group Representation Constituency and the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament? And after recent developments and the power of hindsight, would one of their chief architects say they’re due for a refresh? These are the subjects of the book Creating Three Unique Singapore Laws: An Inside Story by S. Jayakumar, launched on Aug 12. In an exclusive hour-long podcast with The Straits Times opinion editor Lin Suling, he opens up on Cabinet deliberations and sheds light on a milieu in Singapore’s history after the 1981 Anson by-election, which sparked the creation of three powerful institutions that have become indelible parts of Singapore’s political system.  Highlights (click/tap above): 1:44 Are recent resignations of minority Members of Parliament a setback for the GRC system? Is the GRC system due for a review? 12:58 Has public understanding on the limits of the Elected Presidency improved? 21:21 Was the NCMP scheme created to secure the ruling People’s Action Party’s dominance in Parliament? 29:26 Do PAP backbenchers pull their punches in Parliament? What was it like being J B Jeyaretnam’s “sparring partner”? 31:36 Was Lee Kuan Yew actually more open to persuasion than Singaporeans realise? 33:10 What allowed Lee’s Cabinet to have such vociferous debates? Does S Jayakumar worry about political correctness dampening discussions? What does it take to recruit capable Cabinet Ministers? 40:45 Why did a proposal on constitutional design go through DEFCO - the defence council overseeing national security? 44:00 Are any of Singapore's constitutional institutions due for a refresh?  46:59 How did S Jayakumar balance heavy ministerial portfolios with constituency duties in Bedok and family life? Creating Three Unique Singapore Laws: An Inside Story is published by Straits Times Press and available for $38.90 (excluding GST) at major bookstores and online at https://www.stbooks.sg/ Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lin Suling on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/hiLQ Host: Lin Suling ([email protected]) Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Migrant workers - we discuss the unpaid wage saga and their role in our economy. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. The Straits Times columnist Tan Dawn Wei sits down with Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash to discuss his transition to the Cabinet and how his background in healthcare for vulnerable groups shapes his approach to labour policy. The conversation tackles a major wage crisis where over 400 migrant workers went unpaid, sparking a debate on whether Singapore’s system is adequate in picking up early warning signs.  The Minister of State also outlines a future with fewer but better paid migrant workers and better living conditions, concluding with a call for stronger social integration and mutual empathy between Singaporeans and migrant workers. Highlights (click/tap above):  1:38 Transitioning to the manpower portfolio: Dinesh Vasu Dash discusses how his previous role in integrated healthcare shaped his focus on safeguarding low-wage and vulnerable workers. 10:06 The unpaid wage crisis: An update on the tripartite intervention that recovered salaries for the workers left stranded. 17:37 Why ground-level officers didn't pick up the unpaid wage case earlier. 26:43 NGO recommendations and their feasibility. 28:45 Regulating recruitment debt: Examining the high upfront fees workers pay in source countries. 35:13 Foreign worker levies: Has it achieved its objective? 39:04 What will Singapore’s manpower landscape look like in 20 years? 45:26 Social integration as a two-way street. Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Tan Dawn Wei ([email protected]) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retrenchment payouts, mental health claims & the Workplace Fairness Act: How S’pore’s new law rewrites the rules. Synopsis: Conversations and interviews that give you something to think about. Each Wednesday, In Your Opinion speaks to thinkers, leaders, and the people shaping our lives and the issues of the day. With the landmark Workplace Fairness Act (WFA) set to take full effect in late 2027, the rules of the corporate game are about to change. But will the new laws actually protect the everyday worker, or just create new legal loopholes? In this episode of In Your Opinion, ST assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with veteran employment lawyer Jonathan Yuen, Partner at Rajah & Tann.  They peel back the curtain on the dark side of HR tactics, from weaponised Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) to the 24-hour ultimatum room. Plus, an insider look at the new $250,000 Employment Claims Tribunals (ECT) limit, and why the upcoming legal changes might force unrepresented employees into a David and Goliath battle against corporate HR.  Highlights (click/tap above):  8:46 Myth busted: The '1 month per year' severance rule 20:41 Should Singapore introduce a mandatory cooling-off period for severance offers? 25:30 What is the most practical change from the Workplace Fairness Act? 32:44 Genuine struggles vs weaponising mental health against employers 39:06 The $250,000 claim limit and the ban on lawyers under the new law Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV YouTube: https://str.sg/GjMT Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While strict laws enforce behaviour, building a gracious society requires mutual trust rather than constant rules. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Singapore seems to be introducing more laws to police everyday behaviour - from tray returns to using mobile phones while driving. But can legislation really make people more gracious, or does it simply expose a deeper trust deficit in society? And when should citizens confront bad behaviour themselves instead of reporting it to the authorities? Opinion Editor Lin Suling speaks with sociologist Dr Tan Ern Ser, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, about whether Singapore is becoming a nation that relies too heavily on rules, complaints and punishment — and what it would take to build a genuinely high-trust, "We First" society. Highlights (click/tap above):  3:35 Why does seemingly ordinary, considerate behaviour disappear once people get behind the wheel? 5:40 Does criminalising phone use while driving mean public education has failed? 12:25 Have we outsourced everyday conflict resolution to the state instead of correcting bad behaviour ourselves? 13:55 Is Singapore's complaint culture undermining trust and creating online vigilantism? 16:46 When is reporting someone the right thing to do? When should it be the last resort? 19:52 Thirty years after the Singapore Kindness Movement, have we become kinder or simply better at enforcing rules? 21:28 How can Singapore encourage people to speak up against antisocial behaviour without leaving them to stand alone? 23:11 Can Singapore realistically become a 'We First' society? What would a genuinely high-trust society look like? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lin Suling on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/hiLQ Host: Lin Suling ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  Watch The Mother Load on YouTube: https://str.sg/HnaV --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While more car lanes induce congestion, reclaiming road space for micro-mobility would make for a highly efficient transport. Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. New rules for Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs) kicked in on June 1, slashing speeds to 6 km/h and requiring medical certificates to crack down on able-bodied riders. But as pedestrians, e-bikes, and gig workers continue to squeeze onto narrow pavements, are we fighting over the wrong patch of concrete as Singapore embarks on a car-lite journey? In this episode of In Your Opinion, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong sits down with associate professor Yap Fook Fah from Transport Research Centre@NTU. They discuss why it is unsafe for micro-mobility devices to travel on Singapore’s roads, and his argument for allocating more space to transport modes that take up less room but have the capacity to ferry more people. Yap also discusses why regulations alone won't fix our active mobility woes, the illusion of induced demand for cars, and how aggressively reclaiming car lanes might be the ultimate, sweat-free solution to Singapore’s last-mile commute and congested feeder buses. Highlights (click/tap above):  6:27 The mobility gap: why able-bodied commuters are using PMAs  14:07 Cars take up more space but ferry fewer people 16:30 Why fewer cars would not slow the economy  17:57 How allocating more space for cars would induce traffic congestion  26:22 How integrating micro-mobility transport could save hundreds of millions of dollars in commute time 29:42 The weather isn’t hot for the first and last mile commute 34:19 Shifting the mindsets to view roads as public space instead of car space Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can the Lions unleash the roar in World Cup 2034? Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. With the World Cup frenzy gripping nations, the performances of Asian powerhouses and small-population underdogs have sparked a familiar question: What will it take for Singapore to get there? For the first time in a long time, the conversation around Singapore football feels less about what we lack, and more about what we might yet achieve. Following a historic qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Finals, the Lions have given a football-crazed nation a renewed sense of optimism. But is this a genuine turning point, or are expectations running ahead of reality? In this episode, deputy opinion editor Mubin Saadat sits down with Lions’ head coach Gavin Lee. They kick off by extracting lessons from the global stage, analysing how countries with tiny populations are making World Cup history, and what that means for Singapore’s Goal 2034 ambitions.  They also discuss Gavin’s rapid career rise, balancing brand-new fatherhood with national expectations, and his immediate priorities for the upcoming ASEAN Championship. Finally, Gavin dismantles the ultimate Singaporean dilemma, proving exactly why our youth do not have to choose between academic success and a career in professional sports. Highlights (click/tap above): 00:19 World Cup 2026: What Singapore can learn from South Korea & Brazil vs Japan   10:38 Coach Gavin Lee on fatherhood & national team duties 17:44 Should parents let their children pick football as a career in Singapore?  19:45 With DSA, is football still a social leveller in Singapore? 26:18 Gavin’s immediate priorities for Asean Championship on 24 Jul 2026  30:44 The goal for Singapore to qualify for 2034 World Cup  32:07 At 35, has Gavin reached the peak of his coaching career?  33:58 Do local football coaches need overseas exposure? Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Host: Mubin Saadat ([email protected]) Produced and edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seniors are increasingly feeling lonely. Learn why preventing elderly loneliness starts in your 20s.  Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. The shift from open kampungs to closed-door HDB flats has left many Singaporean seniors socially isolated—often feeling invisible even while living with their own families. This chronic loneliness takes a severe toll on psychological well-being, acting as a major risk factor for cognitive decline and conditions like dementia. How can our seniors age with dignity, connection, and purpose? In this episode, assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong speaks with Karen Wee, executive director of Lions Befrienders. The social service agency leverages both high-touch human interventions and innovative technology, like Gen AI, to rebuild the kampung spirit in its transformative, relationship-centred approach to eldercare. Crucially, Karen emphasises that preparing for a healthy old age cannot wait until retirement; it must begin decades earlier through the social habits and personal passions we develop in our 20s and 30s. This requires a societal shift away from purely economic achievements, toward teaching the younger generation how to form deep human relationships that will give them purpose long after they leave the workforce. Highlights (click/tap above): 13:00 Scams are one reason why seniors refuse to open their doors 18:14 Why social loneliness develops from a young age 21:48 How seniors are benefiting from talking to Gen AI 42:04 Why pursuit of personal passions improves ageing 45:58 How social isolation progresses and worsens over time Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Targeting one-child couples for a second child is lower-hanging fruit than pushing for a third under the Large Families Scheme, says a researcher.  Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests. Stopping at one or two children is such a norm in Singapore that a 'large family' now means having three or more children.  This definition comes after the government launched the large families scheme in 2025, in a bid to encourage Singaporeans to expand their households.  In its first year alone, the scheme has already stepped in to help about 5,000 Singaporean children. Each of them received up to $16,000 in additional grants to ease the financial load of multi-child parenting.   But can money alone shift a couple’s mindsets to having more children?  Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Kalpana Vignehsa joins assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong to discuss the modern realities, anxieties, and choices of raising children in Singapore. Highlights (click/tap above):  7:27 Why focus on one-child family instead of two-child families under Large Families Scheme 25:48 BTO Co-Living: Building a Child-Raising Community with 12 Families 28:16 $300,000? $500,000? The value of child-raising to society  36:04 Why a family with 3 kids is usually on a single income 50:14 Youth prioritising education, NS and BTO, leaving no room for marriage, let alone babies Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v Host: Lynda Hong ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #inyouropinion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.