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The Republican Party’s crushing defeat could reshape American politics, but Asia should not expect US politics to return to what it was before President Donald Trump, says the Blackbox Research CEO David Black.
In this conversation with The Straits Times' senior columnist Bhavan Jaipragas - recorded on Nov 4, hours after polls closed - Black explains why he sees Trump's defeat as an extraordinary act of political self-sabotage.
With Democrats projected to take control of both chambers of Congress, what comes next for President Donald Trump? Will he moderate his approach, or become even more combative?
Black also discusses what this means for Asia, and how Beijing might read the election results.
Highlights (click/tap above):
3:48 Republican midterm loss is the worst result since 1974
7:21 Why voters turned up in large numbers
9:32 Why Trump might ditch MAGA
11:47 Are Republicans distancing themselves from Trump?
13:03 Trump’s scapegoat: Pete Hegseth
14:40 Potential Democrat front-runners for the US presidency
20:22 Democrats “can’t do much about” tariffs
23:47 Impact of midterm results on the Iran war and US foreign policy
26:03 Would Asian diplomats and leaders change their approach towards the US?
28:05 China’s response to the US midterm election results
Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH
Host: Bhavan Jaipragas ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh, Hadyu Rahim and Yang Jiesan Cruz
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]
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IPS research fellow Melvin Tay discusses the changing nature of religion in Singapore.
More Singapore residents report having no religious affiliation, rising from one in five in 2020 to one in four in 2025, according to the Department of Statistics’ latest General Household Survey 2025.
But a separate report by US-based think tank Pew Research found that almost nine in 10 Singapore adults surveyed still believe in God or unseen beings, higher than other South-east Asian countries such as Cambodia and Thailand.
Is this growth in non-affiliation a cause for concern for Singapore, one of the most religiously diverse countries in the world? And what does religion do for us today?
In this episode, host Zachary Lim speaks with Dr Melvin Tay, a research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, to examine the changing religious landscape in Singapore. They also discuss whether religious institutions are losing relevance, and the implications of alternative spiritual practices gaining traction among young people.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:40 Changes in perception of religion over time
5:59 Shift away from institutionalised religion
10:41 Changing modality of engaging with faith
16:05 Singapore’s fast pace of life on religious affiliation
18:37 Young residents on needing tangible benefits from religious experiences
20:32 The global push towards secularisation
26:28 Is Singapore’s religious diversity in jeopardy?
29:46 Emergence of alternative divination and spiritual avenues in Singapore
37:42 Morality, healing, and community beyond institutionalised religions
47:00 Is increasing non-affiliation to religion a cause for concern?
Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH
Host: Zachary Lim ([email protected])
Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai
Editorial producer: Elizabeth Law
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]
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After 16 years at McDonald's, Chagee APAC CMO shares how Chinese companies operate differently in the global arena
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.
What does it take to turn a Chinese tea chain into a global brand? And what can China's new generation of consumer companies learn from the likes of McDonald's and Starbucks?
Eugene Lee has seen both sides of the divide. After 16 years at McDonald's, where he rose to become international chief marketing officer, he joined Shanghai-headquartered Chagee as its Asia-Pacific chief marketing officer in 2025.
In this conversation with The Straits Times’ senior columnist Tan Dawn Wei, Lee describes the culture shock of moving from an 86-year-old American multinational to a fast-moving young Chinese company, where ideas can become reality within days. He explains how Chagee uses automation, standardisation and lessons borrowed from competitors to expand rapidly, and why building emotional connections with consumers matters as much as selling a good product.
He also addresses Chagee’s falling market valuation, slowing sales and the risk of becoming another passing fad in the food and beverage industry. Beyond tea, the conversation explores China's remarkable transformation from the world's factory into a creator of increasingly ambitious - and desirable - global brands.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:40 A culture shock from McDonald’s to Chagee
5:12 The Chinese lack of fear of failure
15:01 Becoming “the Starbucks of tea”
18:26 The secret behind scaling a business quickly
23:14 How Chagee localises for different markets
28:19 Is Chagee expanding faster than consumer demand can keep up?
31:15 Taking lessons from other successful Chinese F&B brands
34:05 Will Chagee be yet another F&B fad?
39:57 The influx of Chinese retail brands to Singapore and the anxiety it brings
42:50 How China is building global brands
Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH
Host: Tan Dawn Wei ([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]
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A behavioural scientist unpacks the dark psychology of why smart people fall for the Nanning pyramid scheme
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.
We often hear this saying: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Yet, 52 Singaporeans were recently arrested in China over the notorious Nanning pyramid scheme. So why do highly educated, financially literate people continue to fall for frauds that seem so obvious from the outside?
In this episode of In Your Opinion, Lynda Hong sits down with Dr Serene Koh, director of the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) in Singapore, to deconstruct the dark psychology behind massive investment scams.
Moving past the surface-level blame of describing victims as greedy and gullible, Dr Koh explains how sophisticated syndicates architect fake realities, weaponise our closest family networks, and use our own intelligence against us.
Highlights (click/tap above):
00:52 Why behavioural science is the key to understanding scam victims
1:55 How the Nanning Ponzi scheme differs from other scams
4:15 How pig-butchering scams work
7:57 Why scammers target the human desire for family security rather than pure greed
13:11 Why shame and cognitive dissonance keep victims silent
15:42 Using inoculation programmes and survivor stories to build public resistance against scam syndicates
18:31 The sunk cost fallacy and social ties that prevent victims from walking away
22:12 How trust and personal relationships override logical due diligence
25:42 Why higher financial literacy and education can increase scam vulnerability
31:29 The social cost of fraud, eroded trust, and why people have stopped picking up phone calls anymore
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]
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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]
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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]
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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]
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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]
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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]
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MENTAL WELL-BEING
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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:
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]
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From the publisher's feed
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.
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Danson Cheong & Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.