Talkback

On Tuesday (11 August), around 120 people were evacuated from Junction 8 mall, after a fire broke out at its Yakiniku Like outlet. A table grill and exhaust ducting were reportedly involved. But, incidents like these aren’t just limited to barbeque restaurants – we’ve heard of fires at hotpot and mookata joints too. Daniel Martin discusses further with Kelvyn Ong, Managing Director, King Fire Group – fire protection specialist based in Singapore. He’s a Certified Fire Safety Manager.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Wednesday (12 August), we heard news that the existing stretch of Orchard Road between Buyong Road and Handy Road could be transformed into a pedestrianised activity promenade. Now, this is just 500 meters we’re talking about here… How about pedestrianising the whole of Orchard Road, like Holland Village? Daniel Martin discusses further with Dr Lea Bou Sleiman, Assistant Professor, NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy – who specialises in the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of pedestrianisation policies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two cases of Singaporeans abroad sparked fears for their safety – one was uncontactable but safe, the other was kidnapped and held for ransom. So when a loved one suddenly goes silent overseas, how do you know what’s really happened, and what should you do next? Daniel Martin discusses further with Ivan Tan, private investigator and NUS-certified cybersecurity expert with Asia Top Investigation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if all you needed to get through the MRT gantry was your face? A closed trial of facial recognition technology is now underway at Punggol Coast MRT station. Daniel Martin discusses further with Dr Terence Sim, Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at NUS’ School of Computing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An LTA enforcement operation on Monday (3 August) to check compliance with new active mobility rules saw over 20 users stopped for checks, with even a modified PMD able to go at speeds of nearly 100km/h seized. With strict rules in place and so much public education available on why you shouldn’t own a modified PMD, why then are some people still holding on to these illegal devices? Daniel Martin discusses further with Bobby Lai, Head of Business Development, Mobot.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blind boxes have expanded far beyond designer toys. From toys to food and everyday brands, it seems everyone’s getting in on the action. Has the trend peaked? Daniel Martin discusses further with Dr Guan Chong, Associate Professor in Marketing at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and Director of SUSS Academy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should young employees be working from the office instead of home? The question comes, after Law Minister Edwin Tong said being in the office helps young employees learn from colleagues, ask questions more easily and build workplace relationships at the closing dialogue of the ASEANext Forum on 30th July. Daniel Martin discusses further with Jaya Dass, Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Randstad Enterprise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neighbour disagreements are common, but unresolved tensions can sometimes escalate. Following the recent fatal neighbour dispute in Lengkok Bahru, the tragedy has raised questions about why long-standing neighbour conflicts can spiral out of control, and why they shouldn't be allowed to. Daniel Martin spoke with Lela Kaur, a master mediator with more than 30 years of experience, about the warning signs of escalating disputes and why early intervention is key.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following reports that a Singapore pet cremation firm allegedly disposed of a deceased pet dog's body in a rubbish bin instead of cremating it, concerns have been raised about standards and accountability in the pet aftercare industry. Daniel Martin spoke with Yang Loo, co-founder of The Green Mortician, a pet aquamation service, about the protocols behind pet cremation and aftercare, and why they matter to grieving pet owners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From changes to the COE system to expanding car-sharing and active mobility, LTA’s second phase of focus groups for the Land Transport Master Plan refresh explored a range of ideas on car ownership and transport alternatives. Daniel Martin speaks with automotive industry veteran and consultant Say Kwee Neng. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Edmund Tan Shi Hui, a 28-year-old Singaporean man, pleaded guilty to six counts of statutory rape against three 13-year-old girls, with another 10 charges taken into consideration. He’s offered each of them between $100 - $500 for engaging in sexual acts with him. One of the young adolescent victims also advertised/offered sexual services on Telegram, while two others met the offender through Omegle. The sad (and heartbreaking truth) is some minors are using such platforms to “earn” money…has the OnlyFans generation normalised Sex-for-Pay? Daniel Martin discusses with Ooi Sze Jin, Psychologist and Founder of a psychology clinic, A Kind Place.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Singapore's private rental market stabilises, more landlords are turning to multi-tenant leasing to maximise rental returns. Daniel Martin speaks with Desmond Sim, Group CEO of Realion, the Group behind OrangeTee & ETC. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 people have been arrested over an alleged phantom worker scheme, with investigators looking into fraudulent CPF contributions and inflated foreign worker quotas. On this edition of TalkBack, Daniel Martin asks the question: Who’s hiring ‘phantom workers’ and would you accept CPF payments for free? He's joined by Singapore employment lawyer Jennifer Chih from Nair, Jen and Tan LLC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At least 20 furniture stores in the Tan Boon Liat Building have expressed interest in moving collectively to a new location if the S$950 million en bloc deal goes through. Daniel Martin speaks with Esmaeil Molazadeh, Honorary Secretary of the Singapore Furniture Association. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore has unveiled a new lineup of cabinet ministers and political officeholders. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has called the changes ‘balanced’ – blending a new generation of leaders, anchored by an experienced core team. Daniel Martin speaks with Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law at the Singapore Management University, and former Nominated Member of Parliament.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Packed trains, irregular bus waiting times, inconsiderate commuters and carriages that feel too warm. They’re among the top concerns highlighted in the latest Public Transport Council survey. Daniel Martin speaks with Professor Raymond Ong, transport analyst and Deputy Head of Research in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the National University of Singapore. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weaknesses in HDB's eligibility checks for season parking, involving nearly S$25 million in improperly approved applications, and lapses in contract management under the Ministry of Health were among the issues flagged in a recent report published by the Auditor-General's Office. Daniel Martin speaks with Dr Reuben Ng, Behavioural and Data Scientist at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 63-year-old employee won more than $26,000 at the Employment Claims Tribunals, after challenging the way his retirement and re-employment were handled. Do you know your rights when your company says retire? Daniel Martin finds out more from Samuel Yuen, Managing Director of Yuen Law.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Young seniors in Singapore will soon be eligible for Community Care Apartments from the age of 55, as the Government lowers the minimum age from 65 to make housing and care options more accessible and affordable. When it’s time to right-size your home, would you choose a two-room Flexi or a Community Care Apartment? Daniel Martin speaks with Vairavan Shanmugam, Data Insights Specialist, Ohmyhome. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Circle Line is now one complete loop, with the opening of Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road stations. So, with the circle closed, how will our orange line change your journey? Daniel Martin discusses further with Matthew Ng, Deputy President, SGTrains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the fifth episode of the '#TalkBack: World Cup Watch 2026' series, Daniel Martin speaks with Sanket Bothra, Regional Strategy and Investment Manager, Total Energies (Team France) and Aaron Low, Author and Co-Founder of the Nutgraf (Team England). They discuss how the respective teams they support have fared so far, among other newsworthy moments.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The legal alcohol limit for drink-driving in Singapore could be slashed by more than half under a Bill introduced in Parliament today (7 July), as part of wider changes to tighten the country’s road traffic laws and strengthen enforcement. Daniel Martin speaks with Kevin Liew, Head of Crime Practice of GJC Law. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jurong Lake District is set to get up to 1,200 new private homes, along with new office and retail space. But what are the benefits and the trade-offs when more private housing comes to your neighbourhood? Daniel Martin speaks with Nicholas Mak, Chief Research Officer of Mogul.sg.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the fourth episode of the '#TalkBack: World Cup Watch 2026' series, Daniel Martin speaks with Malminderjit Singh, Founder and Managing Director, Terra Corporate Affairs (Team Netherlands) and Associate Professor Victor Kwan, Deputy Director, SUSS Academy (Team England). They discuss how the respective teams they support have fared so far, among other newsworthy moments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two employee payment cases recently making our headlines – one involving unpaid overtime, the other due to late CPF payment. Timely then, to pose this question on TalkBack: Are you being overworked and underpaid? Daniel Martin discusses further with Naomi See, Director at Nair, Jen and Tan LLC – with a specialty in employment law.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, you’d heard of two kids breaking into an MRT train’s back cabin, wreaking chaos once they got in – the illegal act filmed and put online for all to see. So… Pre-teens prying open train cabin door; why did nobody stop them? Would you have? Daniel Martin discusses further with Dr Carol Balhetchet, Clinical Psychologist, Certified Hypnotherapist and Director of Dr Carol & Associates.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tailgating or road hogging – which is worse? In light of recent chain collisions in Singapore, Daniel Martin speaks with Thanaraj Ramakrishnan, Director of road accident reconstructionist and safety advocacy firm, TR Consultants.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore’s core inflation held firm at 1.4 per cent in May. But, the road ahead might not be too smooth… With stronger pressures to come in the months ahead, is the worst yet to come? Daniel Martin discusses further with Selena Ling, Chief Economist and Head of OCBC Group Research.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teochew screenings of the Chinese hit Dear You have sold out, with up to 50 more screenings now being sought. But in an age when streaming platforms already offer content in countless languages, why has this struck such a chord? Daniel Martin speaks with Dr Luke Lu, Assistant Professor of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies at Nanyang Technological University.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore workers are less engaged than their regional peers, according to Singapore Workplace Report 2026. It found that only 14 per cent of employees here are engaged at work, with younger workers faring even worse. If this goes on, are we going to lose out to our Asian counterparts? Daniel Martin discusses with Kanika Singh, Regional Director, Gallup.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the second episode of the '#TalkBack: World Cup Watch 2026' series, Daniel Martin speaks with Gustavo Civetta, Business Development Director, GJC Law (Team Argentina) and Dr Annabelle Chow, Clinical Psychologist, Annabelle Psychology (Team Australia). They discuss how the respective teams they support have fared so far, among other newsworthy moments.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

78% of households say they recycle, but contamination and overflowing blue bins remain persistent concerns. How do we get people to recycle more, and recycle right? Daniel Martin speaks with Chan Mun Wei, Founder and Principal Consultant, SustainableSG. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Container shipping rates have nearly doubled since the war on Iran began, while fuel costs have surged 55 per cent. How much of these higher costs will businesses absorb, how much will be passed on to consumers, and what can Singapore businesses and households do to adapt? Daniel Martin speaks with Dr Goh Shao Hung, Adjunct Senior Lecturer at NUS and Supply Chain Consultant.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Changi chalet site is being transformed into a co-living resort, raising questions about the future of chalets in Singapore. Are they still relevant in an era of staycations and changing leisure habits? Daniel Martin speaks with Dr Harvey Neo, Professorial Research Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, and Director of the Master in Urban Science, Policy and Planning programme at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 96 per cent of vehicles in Singapore have already been fitted with the ERP 2.0 on-board unit, and the latest trial is now testing everything from new road signs to parking payments and checkpoint tolls. Are you ready for ERP 2.0? Daniel Martin speaks with Associate Professor Walter Theseira from the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) School of Business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first episode of the '#TalkBack: World Cup Watch 2026' series, Daniel Martin takes a look at the biggest shocks, biggest shoots, and biggest problems that emerged (streaming problems, things that happened on-site) from World Cup 2026 so far. He's joined by Grace Shin, Presenter, CNA and Tris Xavier, Associate Director, Yuen Law LLC.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soon, you’ll be able to post letters and small packets directly from their residential blocks, instead of a post office or a postbox… But except for e-commerce homesellers, do Singaporeans even post snail mail or parcels out anymore? Daniel Martin discusses further with Dr Sugoutam Ghosh, Head of Graduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management Programme, SUSS School of Business.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore is stepping up efforts against illegal gambling ahead of World Cup 2026. But, there’s a new form of wagering attracting attention overseas: prediction markets. Could illegal ‘prediction market gambling’ ruin World Cup 2026? Daniel Martin discusses with Assistant Professor Feng Yifan from the Department of Analytics and Operations at NUS Business School.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From 1 July 2026, eligible delivery riders will get 30 minutes of free parking at selected CapitaLand malls. But beyond parking charges, what other obstacles are affecting their earnings and productivity? And what more can be done to make deliveries smoother and faster? Daniel Martin speaks with Andy Ang, Executive Secretary of the National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA).  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They do more than just drive. From keeping to schedules and helping passengers to navigating busy roads, bus captains play a vital frontline role. But beyond pay, what will it take to attract more Singaporeans into the profession? Daniel Martin speaks with Yeo Wan Ling, Member of Parliament for Punggol GRC, Executive Secretary of the National Transport Workers' Union, and Assistant Secretary-General of the NTUC.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore could be in for hotter, drier weather in the months ahead. The Meteorological Service Singapore says El Niño conditions are expected to develop between June and July, raising the risk of transboundary haze across Singapore and the surrounding region. Daniel Martin speaks with Professor Steve Yim, Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Health at Nanyang Technological University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PMDs were banned from footpaths back in 2019 over safety concerns, but they’re still showing up on our roads... A man was seen riding and doing a "Superman" pose on a personal mobility device along Keppel Road on Saturday (23 May) at a speed faster than other vehicles on the road. Daniel Martin speaks with Bobby Lai, Head of Business Development, Mobot.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Packed trains during the morning rush are part of daily life for many Singaporeans. But what if travelling earlier meant travelling for free? A recent trial on the North East Line and Sengkang-Punggol LRT offered free off-peak rides before 7.30am or between 9am and 9.45am, with peak-hour crowding falling by 9 per cent. Daniel Martin speaks with transport analyst Terence Fan, Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Singapore Management University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore’s birth rate fell to a record low of 0.87 last year, and policymakers are now looking more closely at the pressures of raising children, including what Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Indranee Rajah, described as Singapore’s education “arms race.” From tuition and CCAs to the fear of falling behind, how do we reduce the education arms race in Singapore? Daniel Martin speaks with Associate Professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education – Policy, Curriculum and Leadership. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Singapore to Paris and New York, the launch of the AP x Swatch Royal Pop watches sparked huge queues, overnight campouts and even crowd-control incidents around the world. Marketing aside, if product launches cause chaos – should brands take responsibility? Daniel Martin discusses further with marketing expert Associate Professor Victor Kwan, Deputy Director, SUSS Academy.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shoplifter was recently caught and jailed after being identified by facial recognition at a Sheng Siong supermarket in Punggol Central. But how accurate is this technology? Could AI mistakenly think you’ve shoplifted? Daniel Martin speaks with Yeow Ling Yun, a lecturer from Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s School of Infocomm Technology.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crisis Conversations continues as we look at how the war on Iran could start affecting healthcare — from rising medicine costs and possible drug delays to shortages of medical supplies such as PPE, syringes and catheters. Daniel Martin speaks with Associate Professor Cynthia Chen from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, NUS.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man used AI to create a fake nude image of a woman and hid cameras at her workplace. And in another case, a man was jailed for filming four men in a shipyard toilet. These happened in offices and restrooms – spaces we use every day. Should you be checking for hidden cameras? Daniel Martin speaks with Ivan Tan, Cybersecurity Expert from Asia Top Investigation.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The doubling of the minimum occupation period to 10 years, the removal of the Deferred Payment Scheme, and an increased quota and priority period for first-timers were recently announced by Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat as part of measures to help first-time home buyers secure an EC unit. Daniel Martin speaks with Eugene Lim, Key Executive Officer, ERA Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A live performance on your bus ride, a welcome surprise or an unwanted disruption? After a New Zealand singer-songwriter, went viral for performing on a public bus, the debate is growing over what counts as busking and where the line should be drawn in shared spaces. Daniel Martin discuss with Jonathan Goh, Chairman of the Buskers’ Association Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.