The Lokal Dispatch Podcast

This week the lads are back to discuss PAP's succession plan, and the potential 'Prime Ministership' of Finance Minister Lawrence Wong. Dan and Vanan discuss how he became the chosen 4G successor, what works for and against him and if Singapore is ready for a new PM.

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Vanan got married! And so we thought the best way to celebrate was to get some public policy practitioners who flew in for the wedding to discuss the value of Trust in democracy. This week we are joined by groomsmen Mark, Toby and Oliver! 

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The lads welcome Ukraine's ambassador to Singapore, Kateryna Zelenko onto the pod. Madam Ambassador gave her insights on the question that is on everyone's mind - "Why is this war happening?". She also touched on what her country's interests are, and what a peaceful resolution might look like. She highlighted why this conflict represents an existential struggle between democracy and tyranny and why a global response is the only solution!

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With the budget debate coming up this week, the lads wanted to talk to someone actually taking part in it. This week, Dan and Vanan talk to legendary Singapore activist-turned-politician Louis Ng. Aside from his budget speech, the lads discuss how he balances his activism with politics, and some of the key areas he is looking to address during this year's committee of supply. 

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Dan and Vanan are back for emergency use of the podcast to quickly react and reflect on the committee of privileges final report on Raeesah Khan's lie before the report goes for debate in parliament next week. Things take a tangent when the lads discuss not just the responsibility of parliamentarians, but the how political activists can behave better to foster better political debates. 

Link to the first episode on Raeesah's lie.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2JUs0VTSMV9BOLO7TCa3gj?si=NN_LIhlkTtu7RshDdK_OIw

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A Chinese New Year treat: The lads discuss the current state of Money in the year of the Tiger. Also, Dan and Vanan try to understand how MAS (Singapore's central bank) tries to fight inflation, and how pulling policy levers in this fight may destabilise other parts of Singapore's economy. All in prep for the upcoming debate speech in parliament soon

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Happy New Year Everyone! The lads are back for the new year and the first instalment of their new monthly segment #ParliMates (name not fixed) - where they each cover a topic that resonated during the previous parliamentary session. This week Dan talks about changes to the Women's charter and how it impacts married couples and divorcees. Next, Vanan walks us through the adjournment motion on building a Green Economy in Singapore. 

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It is the most wonderful time of the year! This week, Dan and Vanan wrap up 2021 by revisiting some of the biggest political and policy stories of the year. The lad's also look ahead to 2022 and each predict a significant trend bound to capture Singapore's attention. 

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Due to semi-popular demand, the lads do a special pod to summarise and give a timeline of the Raeesah Khan - Pritam Singh - Workers’ Party - COP saga. It is easy to get swept up in a whirlwind of information, so Dan & Vanan lay out the facts and try to give context to events thus far.

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This week Dan and Vanan talk to Karen Lee, a mental health activist, who recently authored an op-ed chronicling her own mental health journey as a teenager in Singapore. Karen leads a fascinating discussion with the lads on understanding mental health, what the triggers are, and what the policy gaps in Singapore seem to be. She even shares a few interesting facts on mental health and underscores why mental health is not just a 'mental' issue.

You can find Karen’s op-ed here: 
https://www.todayonline.com/gen-y-speaks/gen-y-speaks-seeking-treatment-depression-self-loathing-changed-my-life-now-i-hope-help

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With renewed scrutiny over the management of the Singapore football ecosystem, Dan and Vanan invite former sports journalist and football insider Jose Raymond to give the 'juicy insights' and "unleash the roar". The lads discuss all things Singapore football (or soccer), from the current state of the game to the national team's next run at the World Cup and why its a no-brainer to invest more in women's football

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You can also find Jose Raymond here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseraymond/

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Days after one of the biggest storms in Singapore, Dan and Vanan are joined by sustainability advocate and practitioner - Kavic, to discuss the ongoings at #COP26 in Glasgow. Aside from Dan's personal climate crisis learning journey, the lads talk about why COP26 is happening during such a pivotal moment for humankind, why  Singapore has a role to play, and how we can and should be better global citizens. 

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You can follow Kavic on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kavickumar

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Happy Deepavali listeners! This week, Vanan and Dan are joined by guest Cai Yinzhou. Yinzhou, who is the Director of Citizens Adventures, discusses the plight of the low-wage migrant workers who have come to Singapore to help build our city. Aside from going to work, most of these workers have remained in lockdown since April 2020, a difficult situation that has led to increased activism and awareness about migrant worker issues. Listen to this special episode for more. 

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Check Out Yinzhou's other work at: https://www.citizenadventures.com/

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This week, Dan and Vanan can't escape the unfolding drama around Ryan and Sylvia from Night Owl Cinematics. Rather than addressing the he-said-she-said of the past month, the lads try to educate themselves on what the heck is Cancel Culture. The many cons and the few pros, and the role of inequality. 

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EDIT: The original edit of this episode contained some factual inaccuracies regarding our description of democracy workshops carried out by New Naratif and their former journalist Kirstin Han. After doing some checks we realised that our description was wrong and have removed that part of the episode. Sorry!

After a busy week off, the lads are back to take stock of the debate around FICA, otherwise known as the Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act. Specifically, to question whether the bill is really that heavy-handed. And if so, whether it makes sense for it to be. Dan and Vanan also spend a little time reminiscing about being students at Singapore's infamous spy school...

*Also, if you are wondering, yes Dan screwed up the recording, so the lad's had to re-record part of the show... whoops! 

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In light of Singapore's recent tightening of safe management measures, the lads (remotely) take a look at how other countries have developed (or not developed) their endemic Covid-19 strategies. Dan and Vanan compare Singapore to Denmark, Israel, The UK and America. 

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This week, the lads speak with Jane, a Yale-NUS College alumnus. She shares her experience of attending the college during its formative years, why the closure is so painful to many, and what the loss of a liberal arts institution might mean to Singapore and Singaporean students. 

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The lads review the 12-hour parliamentary debate on CECA in the context of Singapore's political and economic landscape. Dan attempts to digest the 12-hour debate, while Vanan attempts to digest the theory of competition, somehow linking it to the Premier League.

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The lads record a quick prod to preview this week's impending CECA debate in parliament by discussing the difference between Singapore's free trade agreements, and fair employment practices. 

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This week, Vanan and Dan take a look at the history of the Tudong, its symbolism around the world, and how that has led to Malay Muslim nurses in Singapore being allowed to wear the Tudung as part of their uniform. 

Also, the lads have their first guests! Two plucky, funny, and thoughtful young Malay Muslim nurses share their experiences with the Tudong at home and work, and what are the considerations for wearing the Tudung as part of their uniforms. 

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