00:00:00:00 - 00:00:01:23
00:00:01:23 - 00:00:27:10
Unknown
What's up everybody? Welcome to another episode of Yalla. BA ba ba ba ba. Your thrice weekly podcast where we talk about the hottest news with a touch of what good old humor human beings are. Really got some hot user. Yeah. This home can't stop, man. Like Monday preterm Tuesday. Lawrence. Here we are. Like one banger after another.
00:00:27:14 - 00:00:52:07
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. It's really preterm and. Yeah, like like all, like extremes of like like like like really. And that there's like the, the the the government and opposition. Yeah. But why is such a negative thing, right. Like getting convicted of lying and being fined. The other one is like take the blows. Yeah. Santa Claus election. You're Santa Claus, you name for,
00:00:52:09 - 00:01:14:11
Unknown
I mean, like, I'm guessing after this Parliament, I put a new parliament. New, government is elected last week. Probably won't be finance minister anymore. I don't know. That's the thing. I never knew that you could concurrently hold Prime Minister and, like, finance minister. Course, there's such a big portfolio as well, right? Yeah, yeah, but I mean, I was going to say that it seems like we need a name for lawyers only.
00:01:14:11 - 00:01:32:21
Unknown
Oh yeah. Oh all the time. Yeah. We haven't got something else for, for Lawrence Wong yet. Like he's going to find a minister which I don't think he would. I think when elections come around there'll be, there'll be some catchphrases and everything like right. Every one of them will use. Maybe by then it will come a bit more naturally.
00:01:32:22 - 00:02:05:23
Unknown
Like I see a few nicknames online of Lawrence Wong. No, not in the most positively. Some people say like Liang people, that kind of thing, because he resembles that Jack Neil character from the smile of the, actually the the the the glasses and the wrinkles on the head and the slicked back hair and everything like, so some people like the Salem people and it is quite, quite derogatory, like I would say in the sense, I mean, yeah, it's not, it's not, it's not saying someone's looks good or anything like, yeah, things like that.
00:02:05:23 - 00:02:25:21
Unknown
And yeah. You know, so, so maybe something better will come in the picture closer to election. Yeah. Right. I mean, water use is so hot that we even skip the the ban. Good. This, I mean, but this is the better, right? This is all that people are talking about. They're talking about Britain. They're talking about budget. This is dominating my dinner conversations.
00:02:25:21 - 00:02:43:18
Unknown
Is is not the only thing else I know. I got nothing in my life since Monday that you're curious to know about. I'm sure you'd like me been wrapped into reading about these issues right. But. Okay. Okay. Okay, fine. How have you been? Irish? I think you and, Yeah, yeah, yeah. Our lives, our lives.
00:02:43:18 - 00:03:04:24
Unknown
We are mere pawns in this bigger game of, you know, people say we are mouthpieces. Mouthpieces. Yeah. What are the other insults that people have? A little bit of us stooges. Stooges? Yeah. Yeah. No, I don't know anything just at all. A lot of them. Yeah. Yeah. But, but it's, I mean, they stop us from doing what we do.
00:03:04:24 - 00:03:24:09
Unknown
Oh, genocide enablers. Enablers? Yes, yes. But we do have some some deep stuff to talk about. Yeah. Almost feels like one hour is not going to be, Yeah, when I was nine. And we do have a second topic as well. Yeah. But I guess enough with the. It's to do to do intends to hold back anymore.
00:03:24:16 - 00:03:45:10
Unknown
Yeah. So if you're new to this podcast and you like what you're listening to, please follow, share, subscribe. Tell the algorithm that you enjoy this and you want to be fed more of this yellow goodness all over your feet. And, if you want to work with us, just drop us a message and contact the Ministry of find our form or a message on Ministry of Icons.
00:03:45:12 - 00:04:09:08
Unknown
Yeah. Okay. But, Yeah, yeah, just jump straight into the meat of it, man. So, the news is, anyone will know is that PM Lawrence Wong? Also, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong delivered, budget 2025 yesterday. In February. I think a whole speech environment was about an hour, 40 minutes. And, like, how do you consume it?
00:04:09:10 - 00:04:29:05
Unknown
Live stream. You live stream, I said, then listen to it there. Yeah. I had to watch it after because, like, you cannot double speak, I don't know. Yeah. You don't you don't enjoy the theatrics of things. You just want to go get straight to the source stream. You. You watched? I watched the expressions. You watched. I mean, yeah, you don't want to miss certain things.
00:04:29:05 - 00:04:47:23
Unknown
Like when he, you know, apologize for being a bit under the weather. His voice was a bit, you know, raspy. Yeah. The little moments like that, you just want to capture and how, how you know, the, the rest of Parliament was behaving as well during that whole period that I see is it so, yeah.
00:04:47:23 - 00:05:16:02
Unknown
So got it in double speed. I mean, we've actually been spending the whole of yesterday and today, digesting as much as we can. So maybe just just straight into it, like what what what was your overall feelings as you were watching, you know, since you exactly watch the live stream. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I was watching live stream and concurrently just opening up, you know, read it and looking at what comments of people are saying, and as it was going on, people were like, like the only called election budget.
00:05:16:04 - 00:05:36:23
Unknown
And that's because Lawrence Wong spaced out all these announcements, right? They talk about CDC voters first, but he didn't talk about it. SG 60, you know, the the X360 bonus and everything like. Right. So that came much later. He didn't talk a lot about the all the other goodies that were mentioned along the way about active and all these things all came later in the second half.
00:05:37:00 - 00:05:57:10
Unknown
So people while watching I think they were just jumping the quick conclusions that. That's right. So in that sense, I thought it was like, oh, okay. I guess this budget thing is not just about like just doling out money, right? It's a you have to sort of craft a narrative behind it and space out the announcement such that there's more emotional impact when it actually comes out.
00:05:57:10 - 00:06:16:01
Unknown
Right? Yeah. So so that's what something I got from watching the live stream and, and just being part of it there. But do you find yourself being sucked into either either sentiment, you know, kind of extreme sentiment? No, no, I mean, yeah, initially I was like, oh, that's a bit underwhelmed, right, by whatever was being announced. But as he went on then I realized, oh, okay.
00:06:16:03 - 00:06:42:08
Unknown
The, yeah, there were more and more things on the C60 thing, and, and, you know, all the other things related to, your skillsfuture, your skillsfuture funding and all that as well. So, yeah, there really was a lot along the way. And, but they needed to deliver it in such a way that, there was enough time for every niche segment of the population to have to have the concerns work the right.
00:06:42:10 - 00:07:03:16
Unknown
Yeah. Which is essentially the theme of what they were saying, like write a budget for all Singaporeans. That. Right. Well, I almost sound like I'm spouting propaganda and all of it, but it's not. It's like I'm really just coming from a sense of like just my anticipation of what the budget speech would be and then it turning out feeling more like, almost like a National Day rally kind of thing.
00:07:03:18 - 00:07:23:14
Unknown
Yeah, yeah, yeah. How about you? What was it like listening to two speech? Yeah. Two times. I mean, I guess maybe less of the, the, the emotions or the the little quotes from, Lawrence Wong. Yeah, yeah. But I mean, because I watched it, retroactively. So I already seen the chatter online about people saying, oh, good deeds and.
00:07:23:14 - 00:07:42:16
Unknown
All right. Yeah. And went in with that mindset. Yeah. But I was trying to really look at it, a bit more of like, how to think about it as one whole thing. Because you really did, cover up almost like every imaginable. Yeah. Just to, rule off the things he spoke about. You spoke about the economic outlook.
00:07:42:16 - 00:08:10:01
Unknown
Yeah. The GDP, GDP expectations at all. Yeah. Overview of financial position. Rising costs. And then, you know, all the CDC budget real estate that's being launched. Yeah. Taxes, especially corporate income tax rebates, wages. How of government help, tech and innovation. I'm talking about, National Productivity Fund, Changi Terminal five, investments.
00:08:10:03 - 00:08:41:09
Unknown
About, you know, growing local enterprises, stocks, stock market to attract companies to set up. Yeah. Transport, which is, you know, expanding the rail network. Energy talked about like, you know, even nuclear power, workforce. It's been a lot of manual work for us from skillsfuture to, but time training, full time training, aging workforce, education, sustainability, climate risk, family support, a lot of schemes to to help families, especially larger families.
00:08:41:11 - 00:09:00:10
Unknown
Yeah. Older folk, and then the SG 60 package. So, so I mean, just from reading, even journalists who have been covering budgets for years, right? Yeah. This seems to be one of the most, if not the most generous in terms of things that have been given to the citizens. Yeah. Then like, most again.
00:09:00:10 - 00:09:20:17
Unknown
Okay, there's a lot of handouts. Then of course, you can look at the economic and the theoretical side of things and the practical side of things, but it almost feels like, well, how would you, you know, sustain this, these handouts, feels like you, you go into the budget thinking, what is it in for me? Yeah.
00:09:20:20 - 00:09:41:00
Unknown
I to get. Yeah. Which I mean, I never used to follow the budget like six, seven years ago. But now it is almost like CVC vouchers. Right. It's almost like, it's a currency that right. It's a currency. Yeah. It is a currency and not as like big credit. There's a website support where I see this something go where it's funny to me.
00:09:41:02 - 00:09:59:21
Unknown
Yeah. It makes more sense. Yes. And you can argue that, you know, policy branding, but it felt like. Well, there's a lot of so what what is the message is coming across. We have all these handouts. Because, you know, on one hand, these are almost like plugging the holes. Yeah. But what happens after the holes upfront?
00:09:59:23 - 00:10:16:19
Unknown
And is the budget even the proper place to think about future plans, or is it just focus really on financial stuff and things that, that that are given to us? And then there were more, discussions online about how to think about this budget and all. Yeah. So, so yeah, the first and the more I was like, oh, shit.
00:10:16:21 - 00:10:35:17
Unknown
This is just like, just a handout spree. Oh, no. And what would happen, you know, is that one of the you keep giving this more and more every year. You stop giving it. Yeah. So so yeah that was, that was my first thought before I brought. Yeah. But I was watching the CNA, the preamble to the, to this whole budget announcement.
00:10:35:17 - 00:11:09:21
Unknown
And they're just talking about you know when they say the election budget. Yes. Is because it's, you know, the idea of seeing that election budget kind of, gives you the impression that it's, it's going to be this handout, handouts given to you so that you would vote in favor of the incumbent. Right. But actually, the other thing about this election budget, when this was significant to call it election budget, is that, I think it also means that the current government is at the end of its term, you know, and, by the Constitution, you cannot carry on their surpluses onto the following the next government.
00:11:09:21 - 00:11:27:22
Unknown
Right. So there is, depending on the financial situation of the year, that right there is sort of like a, an urgency to spend there. And we experienced this as well with some projects and all that, where they tell you, oh, we know we're coming to the end of the fiscal year, and there's this amount of money that we need to spend on something we cannot carry on.
00:11:27:22 - 00:11:51:02
Unknown
So yeah. Doug, do you have anything for us, any projects and and things like that, that. Right. We see that a lot of industries, even ours. So in some sense that's why it's also it's expected for it to be a very, if the economy is not doing too badly, is this to be bigger that right. And I think in this case, they very clearly said that there was a apparently there was a lot unexpected rise in the corporate income tax that they collected.
00:11:51:04 - 00:12:07:08
Unknown
So that's why as this large surplus they can use as a warchest for all these. So what you're saying is that in some way, yes, it is an election budget. We're not in. The first thing that comes to mind is that, oh, this is a sweetener. Yeah, yeah. He's like no. Yeah. The end of all of them. Yeah.
00:12:07:08 - 00:12:26:23
Unknown
We've been prudent. We've we've done things well all the well time party. Yeah. We've got leftover budget. You. Yeah. But also the more practical side of things is that because it is the end of the election, the cycle. Yeah. I don't know how much you can commit to future plans, because who knows, the next couple months, I need money.
00:12:27:04 - 00:12:58:03
Unknown
I mean, it'll probably be temporary. Yeah, but, then it maybe the. Okay, maybe they are limited, by that. And I think he's warned a few times when it wasn't delivering the budget. Yeah. He's going to be the person overseeing the, you know, implementation. Correct? Correct. Guy. Yeah. Because he's like, there's the finance minister and then there's a yeah, but he's he's almost talking through his own plans for the one thing you said, like, I don't know which livestream you watched it, I wish I was the recorder one was the same here, right?
00:12:58:06 - 00:13:21:18
Unknown
Yeah. The think about it. I think they monetized this video because so many ads in between. Okay. Okay. Ads. Right? Yeah. Oh, I see, we are, we're talking about, you know, rising housing. Yeah. That is one property. Oh, I see that one 500%. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let us turn off the monetization for this video. I just please.
00:13:21:20 - 00:13:37:04
Unknown
What kind of things? Especially long as videos, you can turn off the monetization. Do not be annoying. Yeah. But. Yeah. So there was one thing that's quite jarring. You can. Right? You can. Yeah, you can. Especially the mid-roll is in the middle of the video. Yeah. You can stop and then I resume, then some, some new ad.
00:13:37:06 - 00:13:52:12
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. It ties back to what was said right before. Yeah, yeah, I agree this is not the best. Yeah, but you can't. I mean, you're not going to stop media from trying to make money from the platform. I mean, me watch. You have to. You're forced to sit through 30 minute long ads before you can even watch anything at all.
00:13:52:17 - 00:14:07:23
Unknown
Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. So sorry. Yeah. This this just going to be the case. I did experience it because I use YouTube premium. YouTube premium. So no ads. I mean, I pay for it. Yeah, I pay for it. Yeah. And the best thing there is that you can close the app and listen to it. Correct? Yeah.
00:14:08:00 - 00:14:25:09
Unknown
As a, you know, like a radio, you know, every premium. Yeah. Yeah yeah, yeah. No, I mean I it makes sense. I spend so much time on YouTube. Like if you have even 30s a day that you ate that up over, over your year and everything. How many man hours have you lost, you know, in your life and building my life?
00:14:25:11 - 00:14:43:18
Unknown
Yeah. But, I mean, the the the one thing, another thing to keep in mind is like, okay, so, you know, there's all these handouts, and I, it almost feels like, you know, when, whenever there's a new company that's starting up and they know they have problems to fix, but they need to get users in.
00:14:43:24 - 00:15:03:21
Unknown
What do they do? They offer discounts and all that. Right? Yeah. Yeah. So when all these handouts come on in my mind, it's like, okay, I don't understand it if you just answered that. But it doesn't instill like, a lot of confidence. And I don't know how much a budget is supposed to instill confidence. I do remember some speeches last year where it felt maybe it was a National Day rally.
00:15:03:22 - 00:15:22:18
Unknown
Yeah. That was like, oh, you know, okay, this is some, some level of like, give me we got this, but this budget, it almost fell. Okay. We know there are all these problems. But here are the things to tide you over. Until we figure things out. Yeah. Yeah. And that was the subtext that, that sometimes stood out to me.
00:15:22:24 - 00:15:51:15
Unknown
I mean the elephant in the room is cost of living. That right. Everyone's concerned with cost of living. I think the recent blackbox research survey was that people's biggest concerns are the cost of living. Just broadly looking at everything here. Yeah. So you're saying that your feeling is that are we really addressing the cost of living problem, or are we just putting benefits by like, giving these like CDC vouchers and C60 vouchers as handouts to people?
00:15:51:17 - 00:16:11:21
Unknown
Oh, I see okay, okay. To some extent. I don't know how much you want to talk about the plans to reduce the heavy prices in this speech. And he did say, you know, they are going to be increasing the supply of how, because it can be bought within three years. Yeah. But, it did, you know, all these handouts getting numb to it?
00:16:11:23 - 00:16:29:09
Unknown
My own cell. Right. When are you CDC vouchers? Right. Yeah. You you see vouchers to buy something that I think is expensive after I use easy vouchers when I walk away. I don't think that thing is more affordable. So feels expensive. Yeah. So, so that's sorry. Excuse me. Oh shit. This is almost like,
00:16:29:11 - 00:16:52:05
Unknown
Stop. Yeah. Until the government can find out what it looks like in the. Oh, very real things that it's tough to understand how to solve it at this point. Yeah, yeah. I think a few years ago, that was the beat 2.0, which is, the, the building, the global agreement. But like, I ran 40 different countries to, to kind of normalize corporate taxes around the world.
00:16:52:05 - 00:17:11:22
Unknown
Yeah. You know, to prevent like, profit shifting due to tax havens. And, but the U.S. just signed Trump just signed an executive order to pull of it out of it and not commit to a minimum 15% corporate tax rate. Yeah. So we'll Singapore to think about a strategy. It's tough to do that now. So yeah, you you really don't know.
00:17:12:02 - 00:17:31:16
Unknown
Yeah. Maybe the stop gap is the only way to go. But I really just felt like, oh yeah, it's going to be a rough ride. Mean. Yeah, I mean, I, I have heard criticisms of this budget. Right. Like people saying that just a stopgap measure that right. To try and keep, you know, the very, very high inflation in Singapore over the last five, six years.
00:17:31:18 - 00:17:53:04
Unknown
I think the numbers like 16%, inflation has been 16% in the last 5 or 6 years since 2019. Right. But, you know, at the same time it's, just thinking about what, when, when these handouts are given to, to people. That. Right. A lot of them, they actually benefit the lower income group a lot more.
00:17:53:06 - 00:18:14:08
Unknown
Right. And, you know, to a rich person. Right. Like this CDC voucher doesn't do anything for them. Not right, but for the, for the low income people. Actually, it's a significant chunk of it right off the the monthly expenses and things like that. So in some sense, giving out these vouchers is sort of a redistribution of, wealth.
00:18:14:08 - 00:18:38:10
Unknown
Right? Like where corporate taxes especially close the corporate taxes from seem to form the bulk of the surplus we have this time. Those are being sort of distributed to especially to the low income folks. So, so in some sense that is directly benefiting and in the form of wealth distribution. Right. As opposed to they don't need, you know, all the rich people get to keep whatever they have and everything.
00:18:38:12 - 00:19:00:22
Unknown
And then the, you know, the poor people just deal with it, you know? So in some sense, it's, to us, we see that it does not directly address the problem of rising prices, but we've talked about this where rising costs and everything are part of a global trend. That right going on. And, I think we've I mean, a monetary policy seems to seems to prioritize keeping the Singapore dollar stronger.
00:19:00:22 - 00:19:19:22
Unknown
Right, in recent years. So, imports actually, few cheaper. And then Singaporeans also when you go overseas were shocked by how how much, how much more purchasing power we have when we travel. Right. The usual refrain is when you go, JB, everything so cheap, so cheap, so cheap. And I ordered a yeah, annoying one day.
00:19:19:22 - 00:19:40:22
Unknown
Now I hear people when they go to pen in Korea, so they're just talking about how cheap everything feels is all that. Right. So, so that that is a very clear monetary policy we've had and, and the, global, headwinds that we can't fight against when it comes to inflation. Right. But what we can do here is try to redistribute a little bit of the wealth and, the prosperity that's come away this year.
00:19:40:24 - 00:20:00:10
Unknown
So in some sense, a government can only do so much to, to, to fight against the headwinds of inflation and all. So, yeah, I, I, I sort of see a positive in what, what is being done here as well. Yeah. I mean yeah. And I mean there are other limitations because this is a budget speech like, yeah.
00:20:00:10 - 00:20:19:03
Unknown
And with the surpluses not being able to kind of roll over to the next stage, there is a need to spend. Yeah. But it reminds me of the time when I was working at a job when I was, chairperson of the did. Okay. Well, the, when I got there and I was like, oh, shit.
00:20:19:03 - 00:20:37:17
Unknown
It was just a the cool thing was that everyone else in the room was like, cool. And so yeah, but we had a big we had a big surplus on the bus. Duh. Okay, okay. So that did it. Did you do you damn good dope. Yeah. But I think we kind of be like, if you go on an exchange, you're not prudent because there was no, like, a rollover.
00:20:37:23 - 00:20:55:06
Unknown
What did what did you look like when we, when the dinner finished or, like, I mean, the other thing, but it was then that volatility all that was a thing was. Yeah. No we did okay. But then when I heard about the next committee and how much they had. Yeah yeah yeah. But it's true. That's true.
00:20:55:06 - 00:21:18:06
Unknown
Yeah. So I mean yeah everything been written about a budget, this bonanza budget, you know, with no pain, no ink. That's a Straits Time set like that, right? There was a lot of I mean, the whole image of like, I think the Straits Times especially, it look perfect. I don't know the one at one point recording this, there was nothing but to sweeten the election, it's almost like you just stuffing your face with, like, candy.
00:21:18:07 - 00:21:38:14
Unknown
Candy? Yeah, yeah. And I mean, the interesting thing that I read somewhere was the whole notion that all with all these handouts. Right? Yeah. It is, it is to, to sway voters. But apparently in the 2011 budget. Right. That was that was $800 in growth, dividends that was handed out to Singaporean. Yeah, yeah. And I think that was one of the first times that there was a handout.
00:21:38:18 - 00:21:57:08
Unknown
It was also the election web loss, GRC for the first time. Yeah. Yeah. So it's necessarily translate. So so that's why I don't know how much this would sway voters because it seems like just looking online. Right. And I know people are not happy with the budget. Correct. Correct. Yeah. And of course there is the echo chambers operated.
00:21:57:12 - 00:22:27:19
Unknown
Yeah. Right. Is that correct. But in general, I mean, to be fair, there were also certain things that were quite interesting about, the, the sentiment towards nuclear energy. Yes. In nuclear energy. Yeah. Singapore. I never knew that there was something that you would even consider like. Yeah. Yeah I remember it being but as a test balloons put out there, I think they discussed a little bit in like opinion pieces on newspapers and felt like it was always shot down.
00:22:27:24 - 00:22:49:19
Unknown
Yeah, yeah. I felt like a very distant kind of thing. Yeah, but it seems like, you know, they're looking more into it, but, I mean, you kind of have to that, right? The, the, the world we live in today where America seems to be going back to its, going back to its America First policy. And I think, like turning heads in the recent speech, like becoming a land that.
00:22:49:19 - 00:23:16:10
Unknown
Right. Collecting rent from from other countries and all the US like. Right. Yeah. And yeah, Singapore kind of has to look at alternative sources for energy and raw materials and all that. Like so nuclear. I think it's it's a legitimate one to look at also. But we also need to realize that we, live in a very small space where, yeah, any kind of nuclear contamination would be disastrous for everyone in the country.
00:23:16:12 - 00:23:39:02
Unknown
Are you one of those island islands we reclaim? I don't even know if that's fine. If, like, you know, look at Fukushima and all that, right? And, whole, like, water from Fukushima, that is being rereleased back into the ocean. Contaminated water is, you know, is causing, people are projecting the kind of, environmental damage that will have even all the way to, you know, Korea and Jeju and all that as well.
00:23:39:02 - 00:23:59:12
Unknown
Like, people are protesting that on the streets. You need it. Right. But but that is the conventional nuclear reactors. The one thing specifically mentioned was the smart, the small modular reactor. Maybe I would assume. Yeah. It's not one of those, you know, you in the people. Yeah. But yeah, this kind of thing. But it's just smaller. So it does fall out.
00:23:59:14 - 00:24:21:23
Unknown
It's like the Iron Mender suit that, that, that they who maybe Lawrence Wong went into Parliament one day. I you know, whatever house. Yeah. But this one comes on. Yeah. Is this just because, this is the SMR that I mentioned in my budget speech? Whatever you say. You said you must have that ironing. You. Yeah.
00:24:22:00 - 00:24:51:14
Unknown
Iron core, nuclear nuclear reactor in my chest. Even though yellow iron is not the metal. Yeah. Oh, but I do want to mention one thing. Also, Larry talking about a us and all that. Yeah. I mean, listening to this budget, one thing that did strike me, especially because I've been consuming a lot about Trump and the US, and how even when they have gone overseas to talk to Europeans or go to the World Economic Forum, or that their speeches right now are very, America centric, that right.
00:24:51:14 - 00:25:14:13
Unknown
What's in it for America and how everyone else has filled America along the way? And we're moving away from this whole crap and, and environmental concerns and pulling out of the Paris Agreement. And we're not doing and NATO's not doing enough. All I mean, in that sense, our speech was, a bit more like what I expect political speeches to be.
00:25:14:13 - 00:25:38:12
Unknown
All right. What in the sense of we talk about the is quite wide ranging that right. We talk about energy concerns, renewable energy concerns. You talked about, you know, how to how to help this the persons with disabilities. Right. There's a lot more they dedicated whole segments to talk about how how, how they can help persons with disabilities find work, find meaning in their lives.
00:25:38:14 - 00:26:06:05
Unknown
You know, they talk about this, you know, the spots and cuts the, the cultural path where literally it's like, yeah, you get credits to go and enjoy museums and things like that. I can't imagine anything like that being table in the US to do it right. If you if you are literally a government department of government efficiency, like firing, you know, 20 or 30% of the workforce, imagine announcing, oh, we have a cultural past for you to enjoy museums like the Natural History Museum in New York.
00:26:06:05 - 00:26:41:15
Unknown
Anyway. So this is a it's really a few hundred million. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Up to the like they want to. Yeah. We don't even have that many like, you know, attractions, in Singapore. Right. But I can imagine this being used to the brim, like, right by families and everything. So in that sense, I was like, oh, this is, a very rare little, rare, very rare rarity in today's political climate in the world that right, where people are making speeches that talk about inclusivity and talk about, you know, a safe space for everyone in the future together.
00:26:41:17 - 00:27:01:10
Unknown
So, yeah, I thought it's interesting. I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that it's all positive and rosy. So, you know, before people come in and say that I'm stooge or something of that, I'm just pointing out the the kind of things that our Prime Minister is talking about. This is what I would expect from, you know, you had Trump, you know, the kind of speeches that he'd be making as president of the US now.
00:27:01:15 - 00:27:22:19
Unknown
Yeah. Because everything that you hear about kind of things coming out of us, especially the press secretary and all that, anything that seems to not be something that has, tangible impact on cost of living or something. Yeah. Is seen as a waste of taxpayers money. Yeah. I think what helps Singapore is that there's still there was still a surplus at the end of 2024.
00:27:22:21 - 00:27:51:21
Unknown
Right. I think six plus million and projected to have a surplus at the end of 2025. Yeah I mean the US is like $1 trillion in debt. Yeah. Right. So Singapore having that surplus. Actually it is also a rarity. Yeah. Globally. And I mean just in terms of like the budget, right. Because I think there was an article written a few days ago about the importance of budget planning and why it's quite unique to Singapore because, you know, now in the US, politics budget is, almost central to a lot of discussions.
00:27:51:24 - 00:28:19:21
Unknown
Yeah. Last year, the Germany's coalition government, collapsed, I think in large part, because there was, debates about the budget that was not resolved. And in France also, the, the debates around the budget, you know, led to the changing of the Prime minister. And I mean, in Singapore, it might seem a little well, it's all encompassing, somewhat paternalistic.
00:28:19:21 - 00:28:38:00
Unknown
Yeah. But I mean, looking elsewhere is like, well, maybe this is this is not a not a bad thing. Yeah. Like at least there's some place to play with. But I didn't see some people point out that at the end of the day politics and announcements like this, how many people actually want to dive into the details.
00:28:38:00 - 00:28:57:14
Unknown
Yeah. And from the optics of it, when you hear a surplus of six point something billion. Yeah. One question that could come to mind, the MoU to increase GST. Right. I can imagine why there would be a lot of reasons, but I've already seen enough comments online of people saying that, that make me feel like, oh shit, reality.
00:28:57:16 - 00:29:17:23
Unknown
These sort of things will be very polarizing. Yeah. And of course, need to bear in mind that this budget will be debated at the Committee of Supply. Yeah, right. In Parliament, which I'm not so sure is next week, I believe. Yeah. Because this is not this is not confirmed or finalized. I don't know what the historical, occurrences of the budget changing drastically after the Committee of Supply.
00:29:17:23 - 00:29:43:15
Unknown
Yeah. But there will be things that will be challenged, like. Yeah. Yeah, right. Correct. Yeah, yeah. So I mean, yeah, the, the thing I guess going back to your earlier question is the everyone who's like following this budget and looking at all the, the different how you can benefit from this, I think maybe the next step is also to think about, you know, what what you think are the biggest problems that Singapore has.
00:29:43:17 - 00:30:01:04
Unknown
And do you think this budget helps to, alleviate some of these issues? That. Right. I mean, cost of living we talked about already. Right. Like, is it a Band-Aid or is it, we're not tackling the root issue. Okay, that's definitely a discussion. But the other thing that I thought was quite interesting was about our fertility rate, the total fertility rate.
00:30:01:06 - 00:30:19:10
Unknown
A lot of things were announced in this budget about, you know, to encourage families to have bigger families and, you know, baby bonuses and things like that. How do you feel as a new debt now when you saw some of the stuff that did that doubling up for families? And one thing was like they wanted to be like, are you singles and things?
00:30:19:10 - 00:30:41:12
Unknown
Right? Yeah. We're going to focus on the people who are already making babies. Get them to make more. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. That was, I don't know, because you see all these different countries trying to encourage, like, you know, to, to improve the TFR. Yeah, I think there's some talk. Korea might be like 60,000 us a year to people, to, to subsidize, cost of a child.
00:30:41:12 - 00:31:03:10
Unknown
And yeah, I think that was just, proposed like. Yeah, this is almost like, yeah, okay. Do all those with kids, we, you know what we're talking about. What more to account for all these people who don't want to do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because the incentives for people to have the first child, and felt like that, there's some, those people who already have to.
00:31:03:10 - 00:31:19:17
Unknown
Really? Yeah. I want to have, like, a third child or, you know, you already have a child in the house that's more like there'll be $500 in credit for each Singaporean child, each up to 12. Right. You know, so to answer your question, as a new dad, when I hear the phrase third child, right. Yeah, I is I cannot have a headline.
00:31:19:21 - 00:31:41:24
Unknown
I cannot imagine that the child, you know, having a good child. Yeah. At this point, yeah. So it's all okay. Let me the whole large family scheme. Yeah. Can you imagine? Like there'll be this pool of people who are not willing. It's lot. Lot. Only three. Three is larger. Yeah. Two is, two is a squash and a squeeze, but three is like large.
00:31:42:01 - 00:32:05:17
Unknown
Large. But, yeah, you know, and a lot of chatter online also follows this lot, right? A lot of people say that. Yeah. At the end of the day, this whole total fertility rate thing, it's not about the money at the end of the day, like even a $3,000 baby bonus or that it's, it's a it's a mere dent in the in the actual cost of bringing up a child.
00:32:05:22 - 00:32:27:16
Unknown
Right. In Singapore, when you think about childcare costs and, you know, school, you know, any kind of enrichment kind of things that you do, your food and holidays or anything that basically to not just to survive, but to give your life, give your child, a fun chocolate that right. Fun childhood, an interesting, very childhood that you might not have had when you were a child.
00:32:27:16 - 00:32:47:11
Unknown
That right? Yeah. I think all parents aspire to that. That. Right. Yeah. So this, this thing that a lot of people are just seeing this a lot of these measures won't actually have a discernible impact on fertility rate at the end of the day. Like what you said, it's not about, so much about of money, but it's just about, I mean, you know, work life balance.
00:32:47:11 - 00:33:04:20
Unknown
How much time do you really have to devote to taking care of children? Right. When you're trying to juggle a job and everything as well? That right. You used $100 control. Yeah. Use 100 plus. Even if you if you got five in your family that one time this year, did you go one treatment. That's the whole purpose is gone.
00:33:04:22 - 00:33:20:08
Unknown
And you know you know I mean I literally was looking thinking about the cost of like going to the zoo and or the and I realized, wow. Yeah. The queen, the zoo is not a cheap kind of thing like either. So yeah. You know, it's it's when you're talking about the stuff like total fertility rate, it's not just about that.
00:33:20:08 - 00:33:38:04
Unknown
That's the one that I feel very strongly that even you give money is also what that. Right. It's a lot about other things. And I think when, when, you know, paternity leave was actually increased and is going to be increased starting is early, right? Starting this year from six weeks to the next year, it's ten weeks extra.
00:33:38:08 - 00:33:58:24
Unknown
So April. Yeah, will be six, six, eight. Yeah, yeah, yeah. To me stuff like that actually matters a lot more. And moving the needle for TFR. But this money wise, unfortunately I don't think it's a it's a very moves the needle that much now right. Yeah. I mean it's almost like is that whole thing delivered so many times when growing up.
00:33:58:24 - 00:34:25:08
Unknown
Right. You give a man a fish, you feed it already. Yeah. And fish, you feed it for a lifetime. Yeah. So I don't know what the alternative would be, to, because in some way, the handouts do help you title certain things. Yeah, but is it really solving the problem? You can argue it's not. Yeah, but on the flip side, I think I think the issue with the budget generally is that if you if you.
00:34:25:12 - 00:34:43:06
Unknown
Because I saw more people saying that. Oh, there's no talk about the plans for the future, you know, but to be fair to the budget, there was a lot of talk about, you know, making it more appealing for companies, increasing Singapore's relevance as an international transport hub, which, you know, which is going to increase our capacity by like 50%.
00:34:43:06 - 00:35:03:15
Unknown
Yeah. Then making, I think, committing to every household being within ten minutes of the railway station. Yeah. And but I think the problem with these sort of announcements, right. When you hear the Changi Airport Development Fund will be topped up by 5 billion. What does it mean to you. And I think that the I don't know whether they can be addressed in a budget like.
00:35:03:17 - 00:35:24:17
Unknown
Yeah. Explaining how this actually is going to help Singapore and long run. The one thing that I realized when I was researching on this. Right. There's only one small mention about the 50% corporate tax, rebate for the year of assessment 2025, which is meant to in some way make Singapore more attractive to companies.
00:35:24:21 - 00:35:50:17
Unknown
Yeah. But what I didn't realize is the impact that that that beach. Right. 2.0 yeah. So basically ocean and profit sharing framework is actually going to impact Singapore very, significantly. Because, you know, the one thing that we know, Singapore is attractive to is, international companies setting up shop here. Yeah. Right. And I, I never knew when the term MNC is now then because.
00:35:50:19 - 00:36:09:19
Unknown
Oh, I mean, you know, they did mean it, but it's a multinational enterprise. Okay. I guess it's kind of a similar one is a subset of. Yeah, yeah. But because there's going to be nowadays universal corporate tax rate and it's almost trying to, reduce the capacity of a country to make themselves more attractive to companies. Right.
00:36:09:21 - 00:36:24:18
Unknown
It's going to be a big problem for Singapore. Yeah. Right. Yeah. If we lose our appeal for all these these companies setting up. And so of course you can argue that is there really a trickle down effect and all that. But that's like a big selling point for Singapore. That's not attractive right. It's really a big problem.
00:36:24:19 - 00:36:44:09
Unknown
Yeah. And like it's hard to just summarize it in 1 or 2 two minutes during the speech. Yeah. But that's where I think when people are listening to the budget it is naturally what people see and like okay what's in it for me. So, so yeah. So I think budget will be definitely a lot of people will not be happy with a budget.
00:36:44:14 - 00:37:04:20
Unknown
I don't know what is in the budget that will make people happy. Yeah. I mean to your point about the 5 billion dedicated to develop, Changi Changi Airport, Larry, for the, people compared it to how about, what is the government doing to help hawker centers? So the government will allocate 1 billion, to upgrade aging hawker centers.
00:37:04:22 - 00:37:27:22
Unknown
But over the next 20 to 30 years, 30 years. So people are saying like, 5 billion to help the airport, then 1 billion over 30 years to help the hawker centers. Obviously, that's where their priorities like like just like attracting tourists and not taking care of people locally, you know, I mean, can debate lah, right, about what it is, but but that's the that's a double edged sword about putting figures on all these things.
00:37:27:22 - 00:37:44:17
Unknown
Like, right. Like we don't see what 5 billion and Changi Airport will be immediately benefit us. But because the hawker center downstairs, you tell me, is being upgraded. Now. Okay. That's a good thing. Like, I feel it immediately that. Right. And that's where communications come in in terms of trying to get people to explain why we need to spend so much on all these things on.
00:37:44:17 - 00:38:07:07
Unknown
Right. Yeah. This were like the one thing you said at one time to help offers a one time $600. Yeah. The rental rebate, Larry, what the workers feel about it. Easy. Like that's it's these at one time. Yeah. Of course, every dollar won't help. Yeah, but like what you said, it's where once you attach figures to it, people will will include them.
00:38:07:09 - 00:38:31:09
Unknown
Yeah. Perspectives on that. Yeah. Yeah. There's so many figures to compare to. Right. That's what I guess. I mean, how do you feel about the fact that it was this SG culture past, given that you are an artist yourself? I mean what they can use it for. We got a bunch. That'll be awesome if we can get that.
00:38:31:14 - 00:38:50:21
Unknown
But it really wasn't, I think only certain approved like arts and charities and all that. We'll be entitled to that. A bit like, well, fuck this one must tell Singaporeans what you going has on. Maybe it's like, you know, I mean, this word is clearly a friend of the arts. Yeah, yeah. Ambassador for for arts.
00:38:50:21 - 00:39:13:16
Unknown
So, yeah, should be just ministers who can go watch, night of the adult. Yeah. Go to all Singaporeans. Yeah. What, you just have an adult? Yeah. Is it YouTube now or adult? Something. Yeah. Yeah, something like that. Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah. I mean, I feel like it's for those. Okay. Well, like, there's, you know, so plus.
00:39:13:21 - 00:39:33:14
Unknown
Yeah. To give a pass. Okay. I mean, I, I did feel that. Well, at least it's good that the arts got to mention that right in this budget, because, we've been I mean, the art scene has been at the receiving end of being deprioritized before, right? Like, you know, the unessential service and things like that. Right?
00:39:33:16 - 00:40:03:19
Unknown
So it's nice to see. Okay. Like, at least there's some there's a mention of arts this, something to encourage people to go and enjoy the, the art scene in Singapore. But more importantly, also, I think like what we have discussed extensively on this podcast is, entertainment options in Singapore seem to be dying. Right? And we want to get people out of their homes not having staying at home, having a house party, not staying at home watching Netflix on it, but get out of your house and do shit like, right, maybe something like this will help and hopefully, you know.
00:40:03:19 - 00:40:21:12
Unknown
Yeah, yeah, love. But life? Sure. That kind of stuff. If the live show people, it can be. Yeah. Often. Haha, that'd be awesome. I would love to be part of the ecosystem. I would love it. Yeah. I mean, I feel like, you know, it's damn busy, right? Yeah. I want us to use the CDC. Oh, yeah.
00:40:21:12 - 00:40:53:09
Unknown
Chris Thompson. Yeah, yeah. The phone is obviously not not needed here. Yeah. And, but, Yeah. So so the one thing that there was a lot of talk about, the skillsfuture. Yes, yes. And, you know, about upskilling Singapore. So the one thing is. Right, like, I don't know if there's ever been like, public, report on the effectiveness of Skillsfuture.
00:40:53:11 - 00:41:13:16
Unknown
Because it is always a big part of the budget. Right. And I admittedly have not used a lot of the skillsfuture. Yeah. Budget. Yeah. Because there's so many there's so many free resources online. I feel a lot more up to date because I would imagine to become an accredited skillsfuture, like, education provider. Yeah, there's a whole process, right?
00:41:13:16 - 00:41:33:08
Unknown
Yeah, but the technology is moving like it's so fast. Then what is which is even relevant by the time you get the food. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know what the effectiveness because the whole point is because you just equip people to change, to upskill themselves. Correct. Get new jobs. Yeah. Extended workability. But how effective is it actually correct a lot.
00:41:33:09 - 00:41:53:05
Unknown
But I think, also should it compared to just watching YouTube videos and things like. Right. Because there are certain things where you need, you know, to physically to engage or something to learn how to, I don't know, fix your aircon and things like that. Right. So you can watch it online, but it doesn't like being there and having someone to tell you exactly what you're doing right or wrong.
00:41:53:05 - 00:42:19:22
Unknown
That right. So I think there's still something to to these courses. And I think there was an element of, the corporate, the corporate side of Skillsfuture, right where they allow where, corporations to all these companies to actually, send workers for these upskilling courses. And it used to be on a reimbursement basis, but now they're changing it to where, where you actually have an accountant and you can pay.
00:42:20:03 - 00:42:41:17
Unknown
You can use that, that, credits to pay upfront, which actually to me is like, oh, okay. The it's like logical. And it really helps businesses because I think we've all been in this situation when having to deal with like trying to claim, you know, make claims for, for these kind of, grants and everything like, right, which can be quite, can be quite a cumbersome process.
00:42:41:17 - 00:42:59:23
Unknown
And it feels very slow bureaucratic that. Right. Yeah. So I, I do appreciate these kind of little things that, try to make the whole process more seamless, like for businesses to access some of these grants and all the. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And what was that you mentioned previously on a podcast that you actually did a skillsfuture course on something?
00:43:00:00 - 00:43:17:23
Unknown
No. It's like a productivity grant kind of thing where I had to attend, like, like two days of corporate training to be a better manager or something like that. That's why I'm so I'm such a great manager, man. Yeah, yeah. I'm willing to share this, to share everything I learned with you as a Harris. This little guy.
00:43:18:00 - 00:43:51:09
Unknown
Yeah. Yours is 10101, 101 more advanced level. Advanced level. Okay. Using chat, GPT two of mentorship. Is it, and, give me a snarky response. It's not too offensive. What's it, given is 10 p.m.. Okay. Yeah. But I mean, overall like, I mean, I, you can't say no to money, right? Because I know the money comes in more money, but that's where it's very becoming like, okay, it's the norm.
00:43:51:13 - 00:44:10:12
Unknown
Yeah. It's expectation really from Monday to choose there. It was like freedom in law was that is like Batman and the Dark Knight. Under the same thing. Batman and the Dark Knight payment is the Dark Knight, right? Right. Oh, that's true. This isn't Batman, is it? Oh, what are you trying to say? Communicate? Yeah. Maybe not. Batman.
00:44:10:14 - 00:44:33:15
Unknown
Like, you get, like, yin and yang. All yin and yang. Okay, okay, okay. Can can can can basically is like two very different things on Monday, right? Yeah I don't I wasn't a communist vilifying the. Yeah. But we, we just people know what you did, right. I mean maybe they don't vilified it. Just yeah. I mean yeah, it just like, what is it's really like two very days of news.
00:44:33:19 - 00:44:56:14
Unknown
Yeah. But I like it that people are discussing whether, you know, these things. And also the budget will help to solve the real issues that people are facing today. Like you mentioned, cost of living, fertility rate. Our, you know, energy, use of resources and energy, climate change, you know, a lot of these issues that we're, we're actually facing as a country low.
00:44:56:14 - 00:45:15:07
Unknown
Right. And then doesn't feel like it's a seems to be a discussion for really thinking about a longer term for Singapore and not just about or what's in it for me so that I can vote for you. Right. It kind of feel. Yeah. Very transactional, which I feel is seems to be going a lot, going on a lot in, political discourse in the US.
00:45:15:07 - 00:45:39:10
Unknown
Now that right. You don't find it every in Singapore like, which, I don't know. Maybe you saw it a bit. You don't have to be more holistic, as in, I, of course, we see there's a lot of, like, on the surface, people, you know, very cynical, dismissive of it. But there are also people who look deeper into each of these things, like like let's say we talk about nuclear energy, like, you know, and then the, the posting links to research and things like that.
00:45:39:10 - 00:45:59:03
Unknown
So to me like, okay, at least at least is, starting a discussion on some of these important topics that that there is a small country, we will the reality is we will face these concerns and they are very important to us. Not right. I mean, if you, Trump and, you know, the US, it's so big and you know, there's so many things you in terms of natural resources, you can fall back on.
00:45:59:03 - 00:46:22:05
Unknown
But Singapore doesn't have all that. Right? Right. Yeah. I mean we need more energy to start drilling again. Yeah. Like like what. Yeah. What are you going to do. Yeah. What are we going to do. Yeah. But I mean like I know one big thing when Lawrence Wong was, you know, like leading up to him thinking over SBM, it felt like his message was that, you know, the forward Singapore, you know, the, the social compact.
00:46:22:07 - 00:46:43:11
Unknown
Like, we'll all do this together. And to be fair, this budget is actually quite all encompassing. You know, so you look at it, you're like, okay, that's why he's been preaching a lot. Yeah. His budget kind of reflects it, you know, I mean, in a way like, okay. And then let's see what happens next. But it is it is not easy to say one thing that the budget is totally different.
00:46:43:13 - 00:47:02:00
Unknown
Oh. But there was that one thing that came up that I also see people chatting line. Is it you know, like the climate savings and on off with the private property owners? Okay. Yeah. Because you talk about redistribution of wealth. Yeah. If you give everybody the same thing, then it's just everybody who's up is even not a great, great leveler.
00:47:02:05 - 00:47:19:18
Unknown
But just because you stay in private property doesn't mean that you, you, you know, you get environment. All right? You, you want them to, to feel part of the effort to try and reduce carbon emissions and everything as well. Right. Because if you leave them out, I mean, they're still, you know, a sizable part of the population, right?
00:47:19:18 - 00:47:38:22
Unknown
You leave them out, then they feel that why should I care so much about the environment and all that? Right. So, I'm I well, what what do you think is the main grievance? It's just that if you're rich, you should have the resources to buy by. But, by more, energy efficient, equipment around the house, is it?
00:47:38:24 - 00:48:00:14
Unknown
Yeah. So, I mean, I can get the logic. Yeah. Just looking at my own first, first reaction. Right. Was that. Oh then I don't want you started off by saying Singapore's wealth inequality is is the lowest right. Lowest. Yeah. Yeah. It I mean it depends on your measure. I mean it's all statistics like. Right. Yeah. It also is the echo chambers you live on online.
00:48:00:14 - 00:48:17:24
Unknown
Like I totally probably exist in my own echo chambers. Yeah, right. Doesn't feel like it. And if you think about redistribution of wealth, then it feels like they should be more geared towards the low income in. And I mean, there are things that depending on your household income and all it, it steps up like, yeah, yeah, it's step up noise.
00:48:18:01 - 00:48:37:05
Unknown
Hashtag step up. To to really keep that was a low income. So this one I don't know I'm kind of like confused. So I, you know, should the walk side of me be like how are we getting rich. Yeah. But logically you can kind of understand it. This is like, you know,
00:48:37:07 - 00:49:03:07
Unknown
Yeah. So I'm, I'm still thinking about for you is like. What? I mean, if it's, budget for. All right. And, things, there are behaviors that you want to encourage for everyone as well. So you you would I think this is, yeah, for the climate is one thing where I think encouraging people to be take up habits or, you know, buy equipment that is more, climate friendly is not a bad thing.
00:49:03:09 - 00:49:25:09
Unknown
It's a good thing. Right? Yeah. Yeah. So I, I, I mean, you can you can be cynical about everything. There's an answer. Right. But I want to be, like, kind of low on the totem pole. Right. What about the argument that you what you should be on an individual level as it was a hustle? Yeah. Maybe. Maybe, because there's also the talk that.
00:49:25:09 - 00:49:48:12
Unknown
Yeah. No, no. Nowadays, because rents are so high and all that, you know, people, kids, I mean, young children usually stay with their parents for longer periods, you know, within the 30s even. Right. So you go by household, actually, you know how the cost per household has gone up really low, right? It has stayed higher over longer periods for every family.
00:49:48:16 - 00:50:08:23
Unknown
Right. So, you know, there is an argument there for that as well. No. Yeah. Because I think like whenever you talk over the median household income is increasing. I mean people would point out that the median number of people living but also also increases. Yeah. Because then they can't cancel each other out. Yeah. Yeah. So they won't feel like oh because it looked like that.
00:50:09:00 - 00:50:34:04
Unknown
And then any scammers who change your home address. Yeah. Because exactly. Unless you get your entire career, then you land under the. Yeah. Yeah. But I mean, I like, interesting. Don't I'm curious to see how this takes hold in the comedy of supply. Yeah. Well this I think this is just a sign of the year to come, the year to come.
00:50:34:06 - 00:50:57:18
Unknown
Meaning what the, the, the, the the politics, the policies and government elections. Yeah. Trials and tribulations. Yeah. Yeah. I mean I mean again I would say like given the negativity I've, I've been feeling about like, you know, politics around the world, not just the US or even Europe, US all that this to me is, a lot more positive, like.
00:50:57:19 - 00:51:18:02
Unknown
Right. It's kind of obviously when when you give up money, it has to feel more positive, like. Right. But at least it's like there's still a very focus on like, you know, being inclusive to everyone. Right? Which the U.S is like, you know, American coffee, illegal immigrant. Right. You know, it did all cause of helicopter to crash everything.
00:51:18:03 - 00:51:46:20
Unknown
Yeah. So I mean yeah that's, that's that's that's the Singapore, narrative. Right? This is Singapore. We, regardless of race, like, which religion is better than, oh. That aspect. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. Possibly. Possibly. Yeah. Yes. But yeah. But speaking of, wealth inequality. Oh, sorry. You have thoughts about. Oh, yes. If you're new to this podcast, we do have, very active subreddit.
00:51:46:22 - 00:52:07:22
Unknown
Please go there. Leave your comments. I don't know, people comment on YouTube below on the video here. Also on Spotify. Yeah. But yeah confirm will generate discussion. Yeah sure. But yeah but yeah since we were on the topic of wealth inequality right. I think something happened recently in the business class section of, Singapore Airlines, that has set tongues and tails wagging.
00:52:07:24 - 00:52:31:19
Unknown
About, you know, inequality, right? At least one deal and what, to a tongue. Yeah. So what is who is this passenger in the business class section of SSC? It is, particular Dalmatian. Yeah. Employment, business class of for a man up for 5.5 hour trip to Japan. Yes. And, yeah, it's, that Dalmatian has an Instagram account.
00:52:31:21 - 00:52:55:04
Unknown
By the name of, sporty. The Swiss Dalmatian. Yeah. That's like 17,000 followers already. Yeah. And the video that went viral was just showing this, Dalmatian. And avoiding it, in the seat. And then. Cute. Damn cute. So, yeah, it's a pretty big, big, big. Yeah. The big. Yeah, but but this Dalmatian in particular was, what you call it.
00:52:55:06 - 00:53:22:21
Unknown
Yeah. An assistance dog. Service dog. Registered service dog. Yeah. So you don't like, I'm going to go with, Oh, no. Two dogs. Yes. Like the the whole spectrum of, like, service dogs with this emotional assistance dog. What what's what's the different category that, they're they're a lot lower. Right. But service dogs are really the, sort of.
00:53:22:23 - 00:53:57:02
Unknown
They've been licensed, you know, they're they're there's no official license and everything. They have a license because they are helping someone with, maybe a disability or someone who's, quite serious condition that. Right. Whereas compared to all the other categories like emotional support dog, all that, apparently ask, I mean, ask has already, and they only allow service dogs on their flights since I think April 23rd or something, 2023, because there were a couple instances where I think the there were dogs, emotional support dogs on the flight or that night, and then there were complaints from passengers and all that.
00:53:57:04 - 00:54:21:05
Unknown
So since then they've only strictly limited it to service. Doctor. But I did want to to highlight that this is, you know, you think that we, you know, when we talk about serious things like, budget 2025 or something, you know, phone. Guilty. Why are we talking about dog dollar business class? But this piece of news has reached India, has gone around the world.
00:54:21:05 - 00:54:41:09
Unknown
NDTV, you know, news 18, Kalinga TV a lot of times now, you know, a lot of different outlets around the world, but. Right. So a lot of people are discussing this and, I just find it quite amusing that. Right. But what what are your thoughts when you see the Dalmatian sitting business class? I mean, at first I was, but when you hear it's the service dog.
00:54:41:11 - 00:55:06:15
Unknown
Registered service dog. Yeah, I can I can understand, and, does it reek of inequality or privilege? I don't think so. Yeah, yeah. I mean, if the customer can afford it, and they they need it. They need the. Don't get it wrong because I'm not familiar with with the whole, space of service dogs and how they, certified and and what sort of help the provider owner.
00:55:06:17 - 00:55:20:18
Unknown
But this one, I thought. Oh, okay. It's interesting. I don't know what other airlines do with service dogs. Now, I know even Singapore market is once in a while, you see, a dog. Yeah. So service dogs. So I don't know whether emotional support dogs are a lot of these, Not sure. Yeah, I'm not sure.
00:55:20:18 - 00:55:41:23
Unknown
Yeah. So for dogs. And I think it's like I got no issues with it, like. Yeah. Yeah, but I do wonder, like how? Because, you know, for, for certain religions and, like, say, Islam, there is, certain considerations with regards to, so I, I, I don't know how Singapore Airlines manages that. Yeah. Yeah. Because it could get a bit dicey.
00:55:41:23 - 00:55:58:15
Unknown
You know, the city shouldn't allow because of that. But, yeah, you as a dog owner, I mean, it's a dream that right? To be able to travel with your dog so that because you have to get but you don't have to get, you won't see that. Yeah, yeah, yeah I don't. Yeah. It's a dream to sit in in business class with your dog.
00:55:58:15 - 00:56:15:08
Unknown
But I think that's the the big dream that right. And yeah, you know, a lot of people saying, well, this dog got a better life than me. He can see business, class, everything. But at the same time, yeah, maybe. I mean, the dog is maybe also more Instagram followers than, you know, right? Yeah, it really has.
00:56:15:10 - 00:56:34:21
Unknown
It seems to be a quite popular account with millions of views on his videos and all that as well. A little bit of a dog, celebrity or celebrity. So, you know, I don't I don't begrudge the owner for, for, you know, doing this with a dog. And I think it seems like they're going to Tokyo for, for a quite extended trip now, because a lot of the recent posts are from Tokyo as well.
00:56:34:23 - 00:56:53:00
Unknown
The regular, I mean, you watch the videos, the dogs are cute and looks are friendly and apparently was very well behaved on the flight as well. So yeah, nothing to nothing to complain about it, right? Yeah. Well, I, I found this one definition. An assistance dog is one on the street to perform task to assist persons with disabilities or medical conditions, such as in guy or hearing dog.
00:56:53:02 - 00:57:16:17
Unknown
Yeah. So I'm guessing both the individual and the dog needs to have some certification or verification. Yeah, yeah. And if that's the case yeah. Like are there any other animals that people use for assistance, Mario or not, that I know of? Yeah, yeah, but I know dogs have a very we have a very special relationship with dogs as human, as human beings.
00:57:16:19 - 00:57:39:01
Unknown
I can imagine this being very polarizing. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, the, the owner the dog has, has responded online. I mean, has responded in comments or sold out about people asking about things like, oh, but how the dog, how's the dog would a pee and poop and all that? And, yeah, you said that it was only a 5.5 hour flight, so they just limited their no food and water until an hour before landing.
00:57:39:05 - 00:58:00:10
Unknown
Right. And the dog was fine and they had their pets as well. So in some ways, maybe the other passengers around, maybe you rather that you would rather have a well-behaved, dog next to you than like, you know, say a, wailing, crying child. All right. That's all right. Actually, much, much easier to handle that, right?
00:58:00:12 - 00:58:20:07
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. For you. How do you feel about that? Like if you had to choose between sitting next to an infant or sitting next to a, you know, what a generally well-behaved dog that. Right. And you know it because, you know, one of the perils of traveling with children, right? Yeah. I mean, like when you say it is a dream to be on a plane with an adult.
00:58:20:08 - 00:58:42:10
Unknown
I mean, I'm like, well, being on a plane with a rigid. Anything else aside from another grown adult? Yeah. What's it going to be like? Yeah, it'll be like, Yeah. But I mean, you know, like, it's a sign of the times. Just a letter that it hasn't been, I, I haven't seen any other video of a dog on another airline.
00:58:42:14 - 00:59:01:10
Unknown
Yeah, I probably won't be in Europe. Middle eastern airlines. Yeah. In business class with business class. So it's quite cool. There's there's the videos of the dog, like, it's just sitting in a seat, just looking around as the stewardess is just walking by and. Oh, I need, Oh, I got another seat. Just for a dog.
00:59:01:12 - 00:59:20:03
Unknown
I want people to react very differently. Yeah, I think it did. Right. It is it it does. It seems either, but the the owner is taking video from her perspective, and then the dog seems to be in its own seat when I, when I look at it, the video where the dog is lying on the the window, but maybe that could just be.
00:59:20:05 - 00:59:40:18
Unknown
Well, let me just lie on you. Right? But it doesn't change things. But I you know, that's why maybe people say, oh, what? A dog's life is better than mine. Consider business here. Business class. But, like, like for those, I think as a owner, do you generally want to keep them away from screens? No, I don't know whether they can even perceive what's on the screen, because the eyes don't seize on colors and everything.
00:59:40:20 - 01:00:05:07
Unknown
You really one, that's like the Dalmatian for the. Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah, I don't I mean, I don't even know if they really would appreciate the difference between economy class and business class. Maybe more space, but they enjoy some things they do enjoy, like, you know, sitting under the owners and stuff like that as opposed to, you know, being exposed, you know.
01:00:05:09 - 01:00:25:22
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. It's a bit like Kettler, right? You give a cat, a big room. I think you'd rather just have, like a box or just a little. You can draw a little chalk. Chalk outline. The cat just wants to be inside. There's something comforting about, you know, being tucked in in such a small space. I of, you know, they put the tape around a, bull terrier or something.
01:00:25:24 - 01:00:41:20
Unknown
Not for my dogs. And my dogs are brought lot of, but but they enjoy, like, you know, cozying up to you, right? Like, sitting under your channel that they're. Yeah. So I, I can't say for sure that the dog enjoyed business class more than it would enjoy economy class. Oh, there was another link to another video.
01:00:41:20 - 01:01:03:02
Unknown
Rescue dog flies in Singapore Airlines business class. And this was posted 2021 oh, so it's been is it? It's not a same dog right? Different dog. Yeah. Oh yeah. So I guess that was that was a lot. That was a support animal. Welcome in the cabin. Okay. Okay. But I don't know, oh. But I think this is the emotional support.
01:01:03:04 - 01:01:23:08
Unknown
So no more not veterinary abandon, you know, a lot. Yeah, but, yeah, this, I mean, this spotty, pretty good life. This has been in Switzerland, Singapore and now in Japan, as you know, seen a lot of the world that, the dogs wouldn't have the chance to the, you know, speaking of, on the plane. Right. This is one I didn't go I know from someone.
01:01:23:08 - 01:01:45:12
Unknown
Who. Who, honey? From his friend who had been in the industry. And apparently they're all through. This is. But is it? There was one story that his friend told him that once they were transported, a dog on a flight. Yeah. And by the end of the trip, they found that the dog was dead. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So what the, the crew and who did was within a few hours, they found another dog.
01:01:45:14 - 01:02:07:06
Unknown
Yeah. Similar it breed to that dog. To to to cover up. But individual only saw a dog. Yeah. Dog. I brought it back for cremation. I don't know. Is that real? I don't know, it sounds like episode of, like, The Office or something. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I don't know how true that is, but.
01:02:07:06 - 01:02:33:00
Unknown
Yeah, like dogs on a plane, I see, I see, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, cool. So. So that was, him. Yeah. Discussion. After the One Show comment. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What is your one short comment? One short comment. Oh, so it was, with regards to the, the last episode, 620 on YouTube with them saying found guilty and Singapore in speak out.
01:02:33:04 - 01:02:53:00
Unknown
Yeah. There was one comment from, someone musical 3415 that I also saw on other Reddit threads, which made me think about the whole thing. I get I can imagine that being a sentiment that people feel, I realize is that something like, in order to protect this party member and not to protect himself.
01:02:53:02 - 01:03:17:14
Unknown
Those peoples who have committed, various crimes in the past and of late, awful self-esteem. Yeah. He will still be seen as a caring leader instead of selfish leaders as we know. Yeah. I'm not saying I agree with that. But it is a interesting way of looking at things, and it makes me wonder about the impact of this trial, the body, the sentencing on like, the, the people on the fence.
01:03:17:16 - 01:03:39:14
Unknown
So, so that was one, one, one I want you to go okay, okay. Oh my mind was on YouTube about the episode 61921 we did on the trade show and we talked about fatherhood though. Right. Someone commented, I really like this new setup. This is really going to the ground to consider such a setup when the election rally starts.
01:03:39:16 - 01:03:57:21
Unknown
Strangely, though, both the hosts look older under natural sunlight. As you and me. I guess coming from a larger family where you have, more younger siblings to take care of helps one mature sooner because most of the time the elder child needs to help with parenting the younger siblings, as well as providing financial assistance. I guess that's what we're talking about.
01:03:57:22 - 01:04:21:07
Unknown
Yeah, what everyone is talking about. Yeah, I guess the first half of the comment was, was interesting. That right? Yeah. And yeah, maybe. Yeah. Going to the ground when the elections really start. Possibly. Interesting. Interesting suggestion. Yeah. Maybe that's what's good. Yeah. But yeah, maybe. But I do realize one thing though, wearing headphones, so it keeps our hair in order, but when it's out there, it's just.
01:04:21:07 - 01:04:43:16
Unknown
It looks wild, right? Yeah. I think that at that point my hair was like. Yeah, yeah, it was just terrible. Yeah, yeah. You didn't sleep in the shower for, like, I would, you know, fatherhood doesn't mean that you. Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. No more under control of the, Yeah, yeah. Cool. And what about your one shot?
01:04:43:18 - 01:05:04:01
Unknown
Yeah. Do you have yours already lined up? Yeah. So, I mean, it's this article did. Okay. Like, what is it, like off the bat? It's a one time thing, but I find so almost, like, morbidly, comical, like, that there were a few articles that came up on, BBC and a bunch of other platforms. Yeah.
01:05:04:03 - 01:05:34:06
Unknown
So, noise canceling headphones. Right. Might be to blame for hearing problems amongst, younger for noise canceling headphones. Yeah. Really. Apparently. And these are by like audiologists. Yeah. Private audiologists. There's this thing called auditory processing disorder, a neurological condition where the brain finds it difficult to understand sounds and spoken words. Yeah. So there is this research and, there are cases of individuals who spend so much time using noise isolating earphones.
01:05:34:06 - 01:05:58:14
Unknown
Right. Yeah. That when they are in a place where there is a lot of background noise, yeah. They cannot hear like people talking. Okay. Yeah. Okay. And it's just so weird, like, this is almost like the, the Black Mirror side of, like, technology, like, yeah. And that's why I say this be my one. Sure thing is not to to, revel in other people's misery.
01:05:58:16 - 01:06:25:21
Unknown
Yeah. Through a mobile. Because now what, what this, this article recommends and what I'll do audiologists recommend is that, you know, to combat the effect of noise isolation. Yeah. Yes. That you use to expose you to background noise. Yes. Yes. You rewire. Yeah. So it's almost like you there's one piece of tech that is causing a problem that gets resolved, as opposed to just, if the tech wasn't there, it was wasn't you who?
01:06:25:21 - 01:06:41:19
Unknown
You. At one point, was it you that you were listening to, like, Cafe Noise while trying to work? And there was a website that just had like Cafe Noise and you were very big on that light, right? Last time. I mean, for me, I used to get those earbuds. Yeah, go into it and draw others. That is all.
01:06:41:21 - 01:07:04:16
Unknown
And noise isolating, but it allows you to hear. But then over time I grew to like the ones that are more open. Yeah open open. Yeah yeah yeah yeah you can hear. But also you can hear the stuff around you. And then nowadays, like there's, I guess it's, it is potentially preventing some sort of, hearing, hearing condition like, but I just want it.
01:07:04:18 - 01:07:21:13
Unknown
This is a sign of, like, technology sort of technology. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're sort of like, going around the corner. Problems that you. Yeah, yeah. And you pay and pay extra for that. Right. So maybe we get noise as we think in your phone. So you have to subscribe to this app that allows you to process more sound.
01:07:21:17 - 01:07:36:22
Unknown
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. The person in question, she said when she used to come from a small village in England, choose to use noises with your phones for like five hours a day. So when she goes to university and sits in a lecture hall, right, when people come on chattering, she she cannot, cannot process what the lecture is saying.
01:07:36:24 - 01:08:08:09
Unknown
She just there is background noise. Okay, okay. It's mind blowing. But yeah. Cool. Very real problems I think. Yeah. But yeah, my one sure thing is Instagram account called Death by Choice I think is by this guy called then poly doors. I, it just came up to me because I was looking this up recently and I where, he creates these toys, that are in the style of those 80s kind of figures where there's a this, you know, it comes with a cardboard backing.
01:08:08:09 - 01:08:32:11
Unknown
That right, and then a little plastic transparent bubble. And then so he designs that cardboard backing that, you know, it's sort of like the packaging for the toy. And it's quite interesting. Some of them, political statements as well. So, so, for example, the toy like for the, Boeing whistleblower, the toy is actually a casket that basically you let whistleblowers get get killed.
01:08:32:11 - 01:08:54:08
Unknown
And boy, you know, and, yeah. So he does a lot of interesting, interesting things like, like this one cut for a deadbeat that and it's just an empty and plastic bubble. I mean, that would be that was never around. Basically. Yeah. So, yeah, very funny, very creative. And, some references to movies, to movies that we all love, you know?
01:08:54:09 - 01:09:13:07
Unknown
Not necessarily like, what you imagined, then make toys for that. Right. So, yeah, I just been subscribing to a bunch of these, like, accounts that custom made toys and packaged them in retro packages, I think. I think they do. I think they, like, sort of like art pieces that you can buy and display around your own house.
01:09:13:08 - 01:09:33:03
Unknown
But it's just cool that, you know. And then I always thought about it like, yeah, you know, there are a lot of shows that we enjoy watching, like singles, Inferno and stuff like that. Imagine, like, you could make characters of each of them and know, because I think the one what got me into this was that one of these guys, these customizers, they made a figure of a terrace house character, like, right, one of the most beloved terrace House characters.
01:09:33:05 - 01:09:54:23
Unknown
And I was just there. I started to go into this rabbit hole of all these, toy customizers. And I was like, oh, this this is pretty cool. And you can buy it. Oh. You can. Whoa! This is cool. Yeah, the fucking asshole died. Hahaha. Oh, oh, you better be one for all the politicians or whatever in Singapore.
01:09:54:23 - 01:10:15:04
Unknown
So every cool it like don't get how we don't call it, I mean Lawrence Wong with his guitar obviously here at the and off for the movie, you know, Indranee with a folder, you know, you always press the the pedestal out of it. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. The head. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, that'd be cool. Cool. Yes.
01:10:15:10 - 01:10:32:02
Unknown
But, yes, that is the the end of the podcast on the budget 2025. Wow. What a taxing. I mean, pardon the pun. What a taxing week, right? In terms of the depth of the topics that we have to talk about the installment. Yeah. But yeah, if you knew the report personally, maybe that's for a while but haven't yet for us on social media.
01:10:32:02 - 01:10:47:15
Unknown
I left us a review on Apple or Spotify. Please do, and, join our subreddit as well. Yeah. And if you want to work with us, please check out Ministry of Honeycomb or email us at contact the Ministry of funny.com. All right thanks everybody. And we'll soon.