TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi was grilled by US senators on his personal ties to China; one senator even asked pointedly about the status of his Singapore citizenship. Some decried the line of questioning as “racist”, but was it really? Elsewhere, the Singapore Repertory Theatre recently announced that it is changing its name to Singapore Theatre Company, to the consternation of some in the local theatre community. Was it just much ado about nothing, or is there more to this disquiet?

(00:00) Intro
(04:53) TikTok CEO’s Ties to China Questioned
(28:19) Theatre Company’s New Name “Disrespectful”?
(49:39) One Shiok Comment
(52:53) One Shiok Thing

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TikTok CEO’s Ties to China Questioned

• Cotton defends pressing TikTok CEO on ties to Chinese Communist Party
• TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is Singaporean, not Chinese. Somebody please convince Senator Tom Cotton
• Accusations, tears and rants: 5 takeaways from today’s tech CEO hearing | CNN Business
• Video of Tom Cotton in Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
• Kids aren’t safe on social media, lawmakers say. Tech CEOs are back in DC this week to pledge (again) that they’ll handle it
• Tech CEOs told ‘you have blood on your hands’ at US Senate child safety hearing, International - THE BUSINESS TIMES
• [2017] Opinion | What Singapore is saying by expelling China hand Huang Jing
• [2020] How a Singaporean man went from NUS PhD student to working for Chinese intelligence in the US - CNA

Theatre Company’s New Name “Disrespectful”?

• ‘No company can be Singapore Theatre Company’: SRT’s rebrand draws flak from theatre community
• Singapore Repertory Theatre changes name to Singapore Theatre Company

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• Comment by SnooDingos316
• Comments on TikTok video 

One Shiok Thing

• I'm A Virgo - Official Trailer
• Jim Cornette on the Vince McMahon scandal

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Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and for Health Dr Janil Puthucheary said that young LGBTQ people should “stand up for what you believe in” in Singapore instead of leaving the country, in response to a question from Pink Dot SG spokesperson Clement Tan at a conference. Why was this response not particularly well-received by online commentators? Elsewhere, some migrant workers were treated by a soup kitchen to free Coldplay concert tickets, which caused a few doubters to question the point of the action. Why the hate?

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anil Puthucheary Tells LGBTQ Youths to “Stay”

• ‘Stay... stand up for what you believe in’: Janil Puthucheary tells LGBTQ youths thinking of leaving Singapore
• Program for IPS Event - Singapore Youth Perspectives 2024
• Women aged 21 to 49 more likely than male peers to accept being single, married without children: IPS poll
• Youths in Singapore more likely to report higher levels of social isolation and loneliness: IPS poll
• Video of Q&A by Clement Tan with Dr Janil

Should Migrant Workers Get Free Coldplay Tickets?

• #trending: S’pore migrant workers get free Coldplay concert tickets, but some question if they'd enjoy the show

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One Shiok Thing

• Wet balls tested at the FIH #Hockey5s World Cup
• True Detective - Season 1: Trailer

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The fallout from the revelation of the CEO’s fake credentials at the AI startup Vizzio continues, with an interim CEO being appointed to take over. But who were the real victims in this web of half-truths and lies? Elsewhere, TODAY journalists uncovered that some massage parlours were accepting payments in CDC vouchers for “special services” of a sexual nature. Is this a big enough problem that will force authorities to clamp down on the use of CDC vouchers?

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Vizzio CEO’s Fake Degree Fallout

• Vizzio CEO’s fabricated credentials, inflated client list haunt start-up
• Vizzio board backs CEO despite sham doctorate, Lee admits 'grave misjudgment'
• Kai-Fu Lee quit Vizzio's board days before founder's sham degree exposed
• Vizzio founder, CEO steps down amid controversy
• Woman jailed for getting jobs with forged NTU degree, says she faced economic and parental pressure

CDC Vouchers Used at Massage Parlours

• Happy spending? Some heartland massage parlours tout illicit services payable with CDC vouchers

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• Comment by tropicalfish1117
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One Shiok Thing

• Korea Republic 3 - 3 Malaysia
• Why Ip Man's Insane Fight Scenes Feel So Real

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A self-radicalized Chinese teenager was detained by the ISD for his white supremacist views. What caused this strange turn of events? Elsewhere, queues formed for new and fit-for-gifting notes for CNY; but why does this practice still persist?

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Chinese SG Teen Identifies as White Supremacist

• Self-radicalised S’porean, 16, who identified as white supremacist, given restriction order under ISA
• 16-year-old Singaporean who identified as white supremacist issued restriction order under ISA; second case of far-right radicalisation
• askST: What is far-right extremist ideology and how did a S’porean teen become radicalised?
• Update on Terrorism-Related Cases Under the Internal Security Act
• First Singaporean who was detained for far-right extremist ideologies in 2020 released following rehabilitation programme
• Rising threat of far-right extremism could be worsened by global conflicts like Ukraine war: ISD

Should We Use New Notes for CNY?

• Snaking queues at ATMs on 1st day for withdrawal of hongbao notes
• Choose Fit-for-Gifting Notes this Lunar New Year in Support of a Greener Future!

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• Why do I always spill my coffee? - Oxford Sparks
• Man On The Run Trailer

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The U-turn that came out of nowhere! Fresh from being sworn in as the Minister of Transport, Chee Hong Tat announced that the plan to transition fully to SimplyGo by 1st June would be shelved. Does this show that the authorities are listening to feedback, or is it just delaying the inevitable? Elsewhere, a viral TikTok showed that an Old Chang Kee sardine puff from the Trafalgar Square outlet sells for about $7, triggering a range of responses from incredulous Singaporeans. Is the higher price in London warranted?

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Was SimplyGo U-turn the Right Move?

• LTA shelves plan to replace older public transport payment cards with SimplyGo by June
• Commuters no longer need to switch to SimplyGo as LTA U-turns on move to replace older ticketing system
• SimplyGo timeline: How it came about and why the change of mind on EZ-Link, NETS FlashPay card replacement
• Singapore’s rare U-turn on transport payment: will SimplyGo ‘policy blind spot’ become an election issue? | South China Morning Post
• Commentary: SimplyGo Ez-link woes — why contactless card payments haven't taken off in S'pore as they have elsewhere
• MPs voice support as MOT & LTA postpone transition to SimplyGo

Old Chang Kee Costs $7 in London?

• #trending: S$7 for Old Chang Kee sardine puff? Netizens reel over steep prices at homegrown brand's London outlet

One Shiok Comment

• Comments on YLB Video on TikTok

One Shiok Thing

• Chinese-developed nuclear-powered battery can last 50 years without recharging
• Aqua gets candid about their new resurgence since "Barbie"

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A free umbrella sharing service for Joo Chiat residents to use in the event of sudden downpours was stopped because people did not return the umbrellas after using them. After deploying more than 1,180 umbrellas, the program became unsustainable, which begs the question: are Singaporeans really just an inconsiderate lot? Elsewhere, people took to social media to ridicule the CNY Dragon decor at Chinatown, saying that it had “human-looking” feature. How did the university students who designed the decor feel about this criticism?

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Singaporeans Not Ready for Umbrella-Sharing

• 'Not sustainable': Joo Chiat’s free umbrella-sharing service to stop due to low return rates by inconsiderate users
• R[2018] Raining on their parade, ungracious users put dampener on umbrella-sharing project

SUTD Students Proud of Ridiculed Chinatown Dragon

• Despite online criticism, SUTD students proud of annual CNY lantern designs in Chinatown
• Shrek or Pikotaro? CNY dragon decor in Chinatown fires up social media
• S’pore Chinatown dragon looks like famous HK actor & Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen guy

One Shiok Comment

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One Shiok Thing

• Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Meet the Disney Imagineer Behind the VR Breakthough That Is the 'HoloTile'

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S Iswaran resigned from his cabinet position as Transport Minister and MP, in light of being formally charged for 27 offences including corruption on Thursday. The list of charges included details about concerts, football matches and even a private jet to Doha. What happens now? Elsewhere, a Bukit Timah resident’s fish pond was brutally ravaged for the 2nd time in just over a year by a group of otters. This time, the resident’s 16 arowanas were decimated. What should be done about these killer otters?

(00:00) Intro
(04:28) Minister Iswaran Charged for Corruption
(53:33) Otters Back to Torment Fish Owner in Bukit Timah
(01:02:17) One Shiok Comment
(01:06:25) One Shiok Thing

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Transport Minister Iswaran Charged for Corruption

• Iswaran charged with multiple offences including corruption, resigns as Transport Minister
• Iswaran charged: A timeline of CPIB's probe - TODAY
• Penal Code 1871 - Singapore Statutes Online
• Prevention of Corruption Act 1960 - Singapore Statutes Online
• What are Iswaran's charges and what happens next?
• AGC to make decision about CPIB's investigations into Ong Beng Seng after Iswaran’s case - CNA
• PMO | Statement by PM Lee Hsien Loong on the Resignation of Mr S Iswaran
• S. Iswaran handed 27 charges including corruption following CPIB investigation; resigns as Transport Minister and MP
• Civil servants cannot retain gifts over S$50, same 'spirit' applies to political office holders: Chan Chun Sing - CNA

Otters Return to Torment Fish Owner in Bukit Timah

• 1 year after 40 of her fishes killed, otters kill Bukit Timah resident's arowanas, left 1 dead inside house
• Otters kill over 40 koi & fishes leaving Bukit Timah resident too 'traumatised' to rear fish again

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• Comment by singaporeing

One Shiok Thing

• American Nightmare | Official Trailer | Netflix
• BEEF | Official Trailer

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This week, Donald Trump cemented his frontrunner status within the US Republican party as President Joe Biden’s most likely opponent. Why does this matter for the rest of the world? Elsewhere, the Singapore government’s BudgetMealGoWhere portal allows the public to search for budget meal options at nearby HDB coffee shops. Why did this leave a bad taste in people’s mouths?

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Donald Trump Returns to Spotlight in Iowa

• Donald Trump wins Iowa caucus, taking first step toward a Biden rematch
• Analyzing Trump’s Iowa caucus win using precinct results and entrance polls - POLITICO
• Explained: How US elects its President? A look at the electoral process | Mint
• Iowa caucuses: What Trump's dominant win means for his rivals - BBC News
• Donald Trump’s win in Iowa shows his appeal is expanding beyond his base
• Mary Trump Flags Setback For Donald Trump Despite Iowa Win | HuffPost
• Small states should unite to call out big powers for violating international law: Shanmugam

Government Crowdsourcing Website Highlights Budget Meals in Singapore

• Found a budget meal at a coffee shop? Add it to this government crowdsourcing website
• The Great Budget Meal Hunt

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• Reddit poll by Majestic-Economist-6

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• Life on Our Planet | Official Trailer
• Atarashii Gakko!

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The recent announcement that all adult commuters will have to use the SimplyGo platform for public transport payments by June sent the public into a frenzy, with many lamenting the confusing nature of the transition. Of course, it didn’t help that the SimplyGo app was overwhelmed by downloads not long after the announcement, bringing the robustness of the system into question. Why the big hoo-ha? Elsewhere, a job ad for a KTV performer appeared on a Singapore government job portal, searching for locals to fill the role. Are KTVs now going legit?

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EZ-Link to SimplyGo Transition Goes Off Track

• Non-SimplyGo EZ-Link, NETS FlashPay cards not valid for public transport from June
• Fare display using SimplyGo EZ-Link cards 'technically possible' but would create longer queues: LTA
• SimplyGo app overwhelmed by downloads after move to phase out older cards
• SimplyGo away, leave Singapore's travel tech alone, and don’t blame commuter traffic for unhelpful payment system

KTV Job Ad Appears on Government Portal

• Job ad for KTV performer fluent in Vietnamese & Thai appears on S'pore govt portal, part of fair hiring search for locals to fill role

One Shiok Comment

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One Shiok Thing

• NYAD | Official Trailer
• "You F*cking Racist" - Bassem Youssef's HEATED Debate Over Israel vs Palestine

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In Parliament this week, WP MP Jamus Lim called the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s proposed loss-sharing framework for phishing scams “fundamentally unfair”, and suggested that scam victims should bear no more than $500 of the cost. Many rushed to call him a populist and other names, but is there any merit to his suggestion? Elsewhere, some numbers were revealed in Parliament to explain why Bus 167 linking Sembawang to the CBD was discontinued, then reinstated. Why the sudden U-turn?

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Jamus Lim Calls MAS Proposal “Unfair” for Scam Victims

• WP MP proposes scam victims should bear no more than S$100-S$500 of losses
• Singapore's 'Money Lock' Safeguards S$3.2 Billion Across 38,000 Bank Accounts
• Written reply to Parliamentary Question on the take-up rate of the "Money Lock" feature in local banks
• MOM clarifies CPF Board has no intention to consider scheme to insure members against scam losses
• Singapore telcos offer call blocking from international numbers to combat scams
• [Oct 2023] $1.4 trillion lost to scams globally; S’pore victims lost the most on average: Study
• Yah Lah But 452: Banks and Telcos to Share Responsibility for Scams & Man U Players Gorilla Emoji Debacle

Why Bus 167 was Reinstated

• Reducing frequency of bus service 167 saves S$2.6 million in subsidies every year: MOT
• Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Rationale for Reinstating Bus Service 167 after Discontinuation Announcement
• LTA Media Statement on Bus Service 167
• Bus service 167 ends, routes shortened amid 'almost tripled' ridership on Thomson-East Coast Line

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• Comment by ewmurphy
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One Shiok Thing

• The Internet Sucks. Neal Agarwal Is on a Quest to Save It.
• 3 Body Problem | Official Trailer | Netflix

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Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak