Shows / Yah Lah But
Yah Lah But
A thrice weekly podcast on conversations Singaporeans are having but not saying out loud – politics, culture, identity. Haresh Tilani and Terence Chia consider every side, never quite agree, and never play it safe. Honest, informed, always worth arguing about. Subscribe so you don’t miss new episodes.
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Episodes
- Yah Lah But
#588 - How to Save Our Hawkers & First Astronaut from Singapore?
In Parliament this week, an epic 5-hour debate about how to save our hawker culture took place. PSP’s Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa put forth a slew of…
- Yah Lah But
#587 - Is the Government Going Easy on Traffic Offenders & The End of School Canteen Stalls?
In a surprising move, the Ministry of Home Affairs is proposing a slew of legal amendments that will lessen the punishment for road traffic offences, even if…
- Yah Lah But
#586 - Lawrence Wong’s Wide-Ranging Press Conference & Australia Considers Under-16 Ban for Social Media
People are calling the 2024 US Presidential Election the ‘Podcast Election’ for the role that long-form, unfiltered conversations played in shaping popular…
- Yah Lah But
#585 ft. Rishi Budhrani - A Singaporean POV on Trump’s Victory & The Least Satisfying Places to Live in Singapore
It happened. Trump is once again the US president-elect, and suddenly everyone’s an expert. Including us! Well, not really. We can’t claim to know the…
- Yah Lah But
#584 ft. Caitanya Tan - IMDA Bans Film on Censorship & Private-Hire Driver’s Savage Warning to Passengers
A Singaporean film about censorship, has been banned in Singapore by film censors. You can’t make this stuff up. We speak with actor and guest host Caitanya…
- Yah Lah But
#583 ft. Bertha Henson - Singapore Healthcare is Too Complex; Journalism Has Fallen Off the Cliff and Drowned
The weather’s been hot lately, but our studio got even hotter this week when veteran journalist and political commentator Bertha Henson dropped by with a…
- Yah Lah But
#582 ft. Munah Bagharib & Jerrold Chong - Turning the Singapore Zoo into an Animated Zombie Apocalypse
Imagine the Singapore zoo being attacked by Zombies. Now imagine talking animals trying to survive it! That's our adult-themed animated TV series called…
- Yah Lah But
#581 - The 38 Oxley Road Saga Continues & Videographers Ruin an Influencer’s Wedding Proposal
38 Oxley Road is the house that just won’t fall. This episode we look at the latest exchange between Lee Hsien Yang and the Singapore government over the fate…
- Yah Lah But
#580 - Grab Reverts to 5-Day Office Week & Singapore Ranks 3rd Worldwide in Burnout
Is the pandemic honeymoon truly over? Singapore tech giant Grab is ending hybrid work for its employees and summoning everyone back to HQ, continuing a trend…
- Yah Lah But
#579 - Lee Hsien Yang: Political Refugee? & Trump ‘Works’ at McDonald’s
Somehow, NINE years after Mr Lee Kuan Yew left us, we’re still talking about his former house at 38 Oxley Road. This time it’s because his daughter Dr Lee Wei…
- Yah Lah But
#578 - The Pritam Trial Discussion You’ve Been Waiting For & Vice-Principal Gets Busted for Extramarital Affair
You held your breath waiting for us to discuss Pritam. Now you can exhale! With the trial of the year well underway, we take stock of all the revelations so…
- Yah Lah But
#577 - Government Blocks NTUC Income-Allianz Deal At The Last Minute & Simu Liu Calls Out Cultural Appropriation of Bubble Tea
We all thought it was a done deal, but the Singapore Government has swooped in to block the sale of a majority stake of local insurer NTUC Income, to German…
- Yah Lah But
#576 ft. Jun Vinh & Mark Wee - We Made Singapore's FIRST Adult Animated Series!
We never thought we'd be able to make a show that involved this much gore and dark comedy, but we just did! It's called "Zombie Safari" & it's Singapore's…
- Yah Lah But
#575 - Spanish Couple Detained for Protesting Singaporean Ownership of Valencia FC & PM Wong Flies Scoot
This episode we ask: when is a protest, a protest? A Spanish couple on their honeymoon here are providing a fascinating test case. They held up signs…
- Yah Lah But
#574 ft. Munah Bagharib - School Bullies Tore a Girl’s Eardrum & Invent Your Own Major at SMU
We’re horrified that a secondary one girl was beaten up by her own schoolmates at a HDB block near their school, resulting in a ruptured eardrum. We discuss…
- Yah Lah But
#573 - That Photo of Iswaran in Prison Garb & Qantas Makes Passengers Watch R-Rated Movie
Oh Iswaran, we wish we knew how to quit you. Just when we thought we’d packed the former Transport Minister off to prison and closed that chapter, details of…
- Yah Lah But
#572 - Iswaran Apologises, Begins Jail Term & Taoism-themed Labubu Dolls?
It seems we’re not done talking about former Transport Minister Iswaran yet! Just before entering prison, he announced he will not be appealing his one-year…
- Yah Lah But
#571 - Iswaran Gets 12 Months’ Jail & Food Court ‘Steals’ Artist’s Work?
The verdict is out! We break down former Transport Minister Iswaran’s jail sentence, and ask the tough questions. Who really won and lost? What else would we…
- Yah Lah But
#570 - Dyson’s Shock Layoffs & Singapore’s $70 Million Kampung
In news that both sucks and blows, Dyson has become the latest tech company in Singapore to do a sudden round of retrenchments, giving the relevant union only…
- Yah Lah But
#569 ft. Rishi Budhrani - MRT Disruption: Whose Fault? & How to Scam a Scammer
Rishi steps up to the plate of guest host, bringing the Sindhi presence back onto the podcast! This week, we talk about the elephant in the room, the MRT…
- Yah Lah But
#568 ft. Tristen & Dom - Iswaran Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charges & YouTuber IShowSpeed Zips Through Singapore
Just 2 days removed from F1, the trial of S Iswaran coincidentally begins…with a twist! The prosecution has amended charges of corruption against the former…
- Yah Lah But
#567 ft. Tristen & Dom - Condo Guard Throws Bubble Tea at Delivery Rider & Woman Blocks Car with her Body
Is it Bad Behaviour Week in Singapore? A condominium guard threw an order of bubble tea at a delivery rider who did not have the unit number, and a woman…
- Yah Lah But
#566 ft. Sergeant Gina - Why I Volunteered to Experience a Natural Disaster
We were thrilled to have Sergeant Gina, a paramedic who is also an Emergency Medical Service section commander, in the YLB studio. Dive into her inspiring…
- Yah Lah But
#565 ft. Jo Tan - Taking Higher Mother Tongue Just Because You Can? & Are Micro-Weddings the Next Big Idea?
From 2026, MOE is making it easier for students to qualify for Higher Mother Tongue classes. But why is studying your language at a more difficult level so…
- Yah Lah But
#564 - Man Wears Blackface to Sell Car & Yishun Bird Feeder Goes too Far (introducing Tristen & Dom!)
What, another case of blackface in Singapore? We discuss a car dealership’s recent promo video that features a staff member in dark makeup. It directly…
- Yah Lah But
#563 ft. Jack Sim AKA Mr. Toilet - Why Coffeeshop Toilets Are Always Dirty & What’s Wrong With Our Education System
Our latest guest Jack Sim brings a touch of good ol’ toilet humour onto YLB! As the founder of the World Toilet Organization that initiated the United Nations…
- Yah Lah But
#562 - PM Wong Runs With BMT Recruits & Toast Box Raises Prices on Kaya Toast Again
PM Wong made a rare visit on Tuesday morning to the Basic Military Training Centre on Pulau Tekong, and even completed a 1.8km run alongside a group of army…
- Yah Lah But
#561 - More Parental Leave Leads to Gender Discrimination at Work? & Can You “Chope” Queue Positions?
With Haresh finally back from his well-deserved babymoon in Bali, we resume our regular format! We address the big announcement from last week’s National Day…
- Yah Lah But
#560 ft. Sing Tien Foo - Kiasunomics: The Hidden Science Behind Singaporean Behaviours
(00:00) Tell You First (00:48) Intro (01:49) Discussion on Book - Kiasunomics 3 (02:00) Impact of BTO on Marriages and Divorces (07:42) Discussion on Economic…
- Yah Lah But
#559 ft. Lionel Lee - Why Singapore Needs More Bus Drivers Earning $5K
Our Sponsor: Octa! Download the Octa trading app https://bit.ly/Octa_YahLahButAug and use promo code YAHLAHBUT08 to double your deposit! Disclaimer: Trading…
- Yah Lah But
#558 ft. Kishore Mahbubani - Why the Future Belongs to Asia & How the West Is Weakening the UN
Veteran diplomat Kishore Mahbubani stops by the YLB studio to talk about his recently-launched memoir, Living in the Asian Century, which covers his storied…
- Yah Lah But
#557 ft. Mark Tan - Rice Media: Building a “Creative Disneyland” and Cultural Powerhouse
On this episode, Mark Tan, the founder of Rice Media, stops by the Yah Lah BUT studio to talk about what inspired him to start the alternative publication. Get…
- Yah Lah But
#556 - Olympics Women’s Boxing Sparks Gender Debate & National Day Decoration Defaced with Naughty Word
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif has been at the centre of a gender controversy at the Paris Olympics, with some accusing her of actually being a man competing in a…
- Yah Lah But
#555 - Mobile Guardian App Hack Causes Distress & Holland Road Estates Burgled by Crime Syndicate
The Ministry of Education disclosed that device management app Mobile Guardian, which is installed on most personal learning devices, was recently hacked…
- Yah Lah But
#554 ft. Tan Kin Lian - Income-Allianz Deal: Is NTUC Income’s Social Mission Still Relevant?
With the recent spotlight on the Income-Allianz deal, we wanted to get a better understanding of Income’s original social mission and why people are feeling…
- Yah Lah But
#553 - Property Agent Issued POFMA Over Criticism of Housing Policy & AI-generated Government Ad Draws Ridicule
A property agent has been POFMAed for a video that made false claims about the HDB’s Ethnic Integration Policy. We analysed the video and the POFMA order to…
- Yah Lah But
#552 - Olympic “Last Supper” Riles Up Conservatives & Lim Tean Rants About Child on NDP Poster
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics has outraged conservatives around the world, with an apparent depiction of da Vinci’s “Last Supper” painting…
- Yah Lah But
#551 ft. Ho Kwon Ping - Singaporeans’ Colonial Mentality, the Insidiousness of Meritocracy, & Why Businesses Must Stand For Something
Get ready for an unfiltered conversation as Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Group, drops by the YLB studio. He's here to unveil his…
- Yah Lah But
#550 - Grab and Trans-Cab Deal Falls Through & RI Student Dresses as Delivery Rider for Racial Harmony Day
Grab officially ended its pursuit of a buyout of Trans-Cab after Singapore's competition watchdog announced that it believed the deal would result in "a…
- Yah Lah But
#549 - Should Income Insurance Be Sold To Foreign Company? & Japanese Gymnast Withdraws From Olympics for Drinking and Smoking
Allianz’s plans to buy a majority stake in Singapore’s Income Insurance have sparked concerns among some Singaporeans, with prominent figures like Tommy Koh…
- Yah Lah But
#548 - Biden Exits US Presidential Race & Toilet Slippers Sold As Luxury Items
The tumultuous US presidential election took another strange turn this weekend, as incumbent US president Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race and…
- Yah Lah But
#547 ft. Sean Bai of Burnley F.C. - How a Singaporean Diplomat Made It to the Champions League and the Premier League
Earlier this year, Sean Bai, a born and bred Singaporean, was appointed the Chief of Staff (Football) at Burnley Football Club. How exactly did a born and bred…
- Yah Lah But
#546 - How Trump Assassination Attempt Changes The Election & Why Are Malaysians Naming Their Children “Skibidi”?
This past weekend, footage of the shocking assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump sent shockwaves around the world. Some have declared it as…
- Yah Lah But
#545 - Quah Ting Wen Excluded From Olympics & Barcelona Tourists Squirted With Water Guns
Singapore’s Olympics swim team came under intense scrutiny when veteran Quah Ting Wen was unexpectedly replaced in the women’s 4x100m medley relay team by…
- Yah Lah But
#544 - “Distasteful” Warplane Designs on Tampines Block & Parents Defend Bringing 4-Year-Old up Everest Base Camp
A Tampines resident urged authorities to remove a "warplane" design that was painted onto the side of a block, citing that it was “terribly distasteful" and in…
- Yah Lah But
#543 ft. Bilahari Kausikan - Is World War 3 Imminent? & What Will A Second Trump Term Mean For Us?
Former Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan stops by the YLB studio to share his candid views about the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and to discuss…
- Yah Lah But
#542 - Yah Lah BUT Mentioned in Parliament & Who Are “Friends of the PAP”?
We usually talk about the news, but did not expect to BE the news, which is what happened this week! Our Yah Lah BUT episode with Leong Mun Wai was referenced…
- Yah Lah But
#541 - Politicians Graded on LGBTQ Stance & NUS Students Get Wednesday Me-Time
Recently, Protect Singapore released a scorecard grading politicians based on their LGBTQ stance. Some were disappointed that this occurred right before Pink…
- Yah Lah But
#540 ft. Caitanya Tan - Why Singapore Women Stay Single & Singaporean Accent is Cringe?
In this Haresh-less episode, we end the patriarchy with guest host Caitanya Tan @caitofalltraits, as we deep dive into the recent debate about why more women…
- Yah Lah But
#539 ft. Jacky Ng - Oil Spill Stains Singapore & Does Creativity Exist in Schools?
In light of Haresh’s absence, we have comedian Jacky onboard as this week’s guest host! We talk about last weekend’s big news: the oil spill caused by an…
- Yah Lah But
#538 - Yah Lah BUT Live! BTO System Leads to More Divorces in Singapore
2 years after our last SOLD OUT live show, we’re finally back with another YLB LIVE recording! 40 YLB listeners spent Saturday night with us at Monk’s Brew…
- Yah Lah But
#537 - Singapore Airlines Offers US$10K to Passengers in Turbulence Incident & Circles.Life Porn Ad Draws Flak
This week, Singapore Airlines announced that it would compensate passengers who suffered “minor injuries” in the SQ321 turbulence incident US$10K each. We…
- Yah Lah But
#536 - Singles to Blame for Lack of Babies in SG & Kid’s Poster Banned From Sports Hub Football Match
A Department of Statistics report recently found that more women remaining single is one of the contributing factors for Singapore’s baby drought. However, the…
- Yah Lah But
#535 - LTA Officer’s Death Sparks Outrage Against Teen & Singaporean Students Reconsider US Universities
This week, an 18-year-old involved in a motorcycle chase that killed a Land Transport Authority (LTA) officer tried to absolve himself of blame in his first…
- Yah Lah But
#534 - Science Centre Cancels Talk About Sex and Gender & Crystal Jade Offers Char Siew For Cantonese Insul
Earlier this week, Science Centre Singapore cancelled a ticketed event organised to discuss the differences between sex and gender, after an outcry from some…
- Yah Lah But
#533 - Ukrainian President Zelensky Calls Out China & New Raffles Statue Sparks Debate About Colonialism
This past weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue, where he called on Asian countries to join an…
- Yah Lah But
#532 - Migrant Worker in Loan Shark Case Leaves Singapore & SIA Passengers Lament New Safety Measures
This week, PM Wong waded into the case of the migrant worker who was fired for his involvement in a loan shark harassment case, when he wrote a letter to ICA…
- Yah Lah But
#531 - Hawker Prices Increasing at Slower Rate & NTU Student Activists “Protest” New Lab Initiative
A recent study by the Singapore Department of Statistics found that hawker food prices rose by 6.1% in 2023, the highest increase since 2008. The study also…
- Yah Lah But
#530 - Singapore Airlines’ Handling of Turbulence Incident & Kate Middleton Portrait Draws Ridicule
One passenger died and many others were badly injured after a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence, forcing the jet…
- Yah Lah But
#529 - Israeli PM Could Be Charged for War Crimes & Korean DJ “Monk” Might Be Cancelled
In an unprecedented move, the prosecutor's office of the International Criminal Court has requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin…