The Straits Times

Singaporeans should be better at recognising scams by now.

Yet many continue to fall prey to scammers who keep adapting and refining their approach.

In this episode, we discuss how scams have evolved over the years, what makes a person an “ideal” scam victim, and why people end up becoming money mules.

1 day ago | [YT] | 8

The Straits Times

[str.sg/enWh] Gearing up to party this festive period? Keep this guide handy for free shuttle bus rides on your late-night jaunts around town.

#ClarkeQuay #shuttle #party #Singapore #StraitsTimes

4 days ago | [YT] | 45

The Straits Times

Imagine paying close to a million dollars... for a 3-room HDB flat.

This year, at least 4 such flats were sold for between $900,000 and $935,000.

What's driving these eye-watering prices, and how does this affect buyers? Join the discussion on The Usual Place podcast.

1 week ago | [YT] | 19

The Straits Times

How far would you go to get your child enrolled into an elite primary school?

Parents have lied about their residential address to qualify for elite schools, and have even been jailed for it.

In this episode, we delve into how parents have been competing in the admissions space just to win their child a good headstart in Singapore society.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 20

The Straits Times

It's been about six months since Jasmin Lau and Goh Hanyan made the big leap from civil and public service into politics.

In this episode of The Usual Place podcast, they share what the couple of months have been like and the biggest adjustments they have had to make.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 11

The Straits Times

How can we get Singapore consumers to buy locally farmed produce?

In this episode of The Usual Place podcast, host Natasha Ann Zachariah speaks with Ken Cheong, CEO of the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation, and Ray Poh, founder of the indoor farm Artisan Green to understand the high costs, consumer demand, land scarcity, and other challenges facing the local farming sector.

1 month ago | [YT] | 20

The Straits Times

A crime story about a major scam operation took an unexpected turn, when one detail about a suspect’s school background stirred a debate about identity, prestige and fairness.

The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah speaks with social commentators Rishi Budhrani and Benjamin “Mr Miyagi” Lee about why Singaporeans are so fixated on brand-name schools, and how school pride shapes our public conversations.

1 month ago | [YT] | 15

The Straits Times

5 years after the death of 4-year-old Megan Khung, an independent review panel’s findings have exposed lapses across multiple agencies that could have intervened to save her. The report raises questions about accountability, communication, and the protection of vulnerable children.

In this episode of The Usual Place, host Natasha Ann Zachariah speaks with senior social affairs correspondent Theresa Tan and Pave Integrated Services director of clinical services Soh Siew Fong to find out what went wrong, what the panel’s recommendations mean, and how Singapore can better safeguard children from abuse.

1 month ago | [YT] | 15

The Straits Times

[str.sg/BLkk] 27 Singaporeans and 7 Malaysians are wanted for their suspected roles in 438 scam cases involving losses of at least $41 million.The alleged masterminds of the gang that ran the operation in Cambodia were a pair of brothers and their cousin.

#Singapore #Cambodia #Scam #Gang #StraitsTimes

1 month ago | [YT] | 78

The Straits Times

Many smokers turn to vaping, believing it’s a safer or cheaper alternative. For private-hire driver Muhammad Dandiar Rosli, that decision led to a rare and life-threatening lung condition.

Just a month after he started vaping in 2020, he was hospitalised with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, a disease that clogs the lungs with protein and fat, making it hard to breathe. What followed were two hospital stays lasting for months and four intensely painful lung washing procedures.

Five years on, he joins The Usual Place podcast to share his story. From the moment things went wrong, to the long road to recovery, and the ongoing struggle to quit vaping for good.

1 month ago | [YT] | 8