Singapore Confidential

Phone bans, job losses, and a party facing a reckoning, this isn’t the jolliest of episodes. We take a hard look at the latest jobs report, and find out… in the words of Italian football legend Gennaro Gattuso… things are “sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe sh*t”. Ben looks Down Under to warn us about Australia’s extreme social media blanket ban, as MOE prepares to ban smartphones in school. Also, why social media is hurting us all!From the 155-page judgement and appeal of Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh’s conviction, to the 64-page Ministry of Manpower labour report, Marcus shares the TLDR about the debates that are closing 2025. Chapters:(00:00) Intro(00:53) Contempt of court?!(01:44) The big bully: PAP punishes its own people(02:30) History lesson: Ministers who embezzle, and union chiefs who run away(06:02) tldr 155-page judgement and appeal of Pritam Singh’s conviction(09:53) WP’s reckoning: They have faced hard choices before.(15:15) Break(15:30) Smartphone ban in schools: Can our teens cope without screens?(17:54) Australia’s blanket ban doesn’t work(19:24) Singpass to verify social platforms for kids?(27:35) Labour market report: middling retrenchment rates (29:46) The Government’s solution (30:50) Singapore’s “administrative heroes” vs business heroes🔎 Follow us for exclusive updates: 🔴 YouTube: @majulahpresents🟢 Spotify: @majulahpresents 🟣 Apple Podcast: @majulahpresents   🎥 TikTok: @majulahpresents 📷 Instagram: @majulahpresent

From the Ariana Grande “gatecrasher” and Singapore's jail-and-deportation response, to the potential return of Amos Yee, Marcus and Ben look into the security lapses and strange characters that have hogged the headlines.And what about the backlash to PM Lawrence Wong’s otherwise measured remarks at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum? A coordinated push to pressure the PM?Viral antics, political pressure, and the characters we somehow can’t escape, all in this episode of Singapore Confidential.Chapters:(00:00) Intro(00:35) The ‘Wicked’ Gatecrasher: Justice Served or Slap on the Wrist?(06:26)Does Singapore’s Safety lead to unprepared security?(07:46) Amos Yee: Making Pedophilia a “Cause”?!(14:55) If Amos Yee Comes Home… What Happens Next?(20:06) Break(20:24) Is PM Lawrence Wong the Target of a Coordinated Campaign? (22:36) How Countries Move On From Wounds of the Past.(24:09) Trying to push us away from rational responses, and towards extremes. 🔎 Follow us for exclusive updates: 🔴 YouTube: @majulahpresents🟢 Spotify: @majulahpresents 🟣 Apple Podcast: @majulahpresents   🎥 TikTok: @majulahpresents 📷 Instagram: @majulahpresent

Parliament got spicy.From Eileen Chong’s viral quote, to Kenneth Tiong’s ‘stupid question’ moment, and Pritam Singh’s debate about the word ‘gatecrash’, Parliament can hardly be called boring. Add to that the long-drawn out saga of 38 Oxley Road. With Jamus Lim’s revelation of a Lee family member donating to the Workers’ Party, warning signs are flashing and the duo discuss the UK’s infamous Cash for Questions scandal.Finally, the duo reflect on what the tragic Megan Khung case exposes about data gaps, red tape, and a worrying level of societal apathy.Do we hold our leaders, and ourselves, to high enough standards?Chapters:00:00 - What does ‘Gatecrash’ mean to Pritam Singh?07:12 - Eileen Chong’s Viral Quote: Are We Being Unfair?10:56 - Kenneth Tiong’s “Stupid Question”: First World Parliament?18:35 - 38 Oxley Road: Why Gazetting Might Be the ONLY Option19:57 - A Lee Family Member Donated to WP?! 28:40 - Megan Khung’s Tragic Case: How the System (and Society) Failed Her🔎 Follow us for exclusive updates: 🔴 YouTube: @majulahpresents🟢 Spotify: @majulahpresents 🟣 Apple Podcast: @majulahpresents   🎥 TikTok: @majulahpresents 📷 Instagram: @majulahpresent

A preacher's list of demands, a foreign political party's endorsements, and a Polish blogger's article. All of them at the center of a recent Parliament debate on identity politics and foreign interference.How do these discussions expose the thin boundary between representation and division, and what lessons does history warn us about when fault lines are weaponised?From Minister Shanmugam’s statement to Pritam Singh’s response, and a provocative claim by Kenneth Tiong on Critical Spectator’s Michael Petraeus, this episode reveals what these exchanges say about the future of Singapore politics, and the risks that come when identity becomes political currency.🔎 Follow us for exclusive updates: 🔴 YouTube: @majulahpresents🟢 Spotify: @majulahpresents 🟣 Apple Podcast: @majulahpresents   🎥 TikTok: @majulahpresents 📷 Instagram: @majulahpresent

From Cold War Moscow to modern-day LinkedIn, Singapore has found itself entangled in the hidden world of espionage. In this gripping episode of Singapore Confidential, Marcus and Benjamin uncover three astonishing Singapore spy cases involving Russia, China, and the United States.A cipher officer seduced by a KGB agent, a researcher-turned-spy, and a CIA sting gone wrong. These aren’t movie plots, they happened right here.Our hosts also explore how Singapore defends itself today, from blackmail and honey traps to foreign influence. It’s a tale of betrayal, manipulation, and quiet resilience in the shadow of global espionage.🔎 Follow us for exclusive updates: 🔴 YouTube: @majulahpresents🟢 Spotify: @majulahpresents 🟣 Apple Podcast: @majulahpresents 🎥 TikTok: @majulahpresents 📷 Instagram: @majulahpresent

One of Singapore’s most shocking and brutal crimes happened along Andrew Road. Three people were murdered in cold blood, and two others barely escaped with their lives.What started as a robbery ended in a spree of violence that stunned the nation—and revealed the dark descent of a young man failed by family, society, and himself.In this gripping episode of Singapore Confidential, hosts Marcus and Benjamin unravel the true story of the Andrew Road triple murders. From stolen rifles to last-minute escapes, this is a haunting tale of betrayal, guilt, and the price we pay when broken people fall through the cracks.🔎 Follow us for exclusive updates: 🔴 YouTube: @majulahpresents🟢 Spotify: @majulahpresents 🟣 Apple Podcast: @majulahpresents 🎥 TikTok: @majulahpresents 📷 Instagram: @majulahpresent

Singapore's deadliest riots saw over 500 dead, and some 300 homes destroyed. And yet, most Singaporeans have never even heard of it.Singapore, 1854. What should have been a small dispute erupted into days of bloodshed, turning the streets into a war zone. Rival Hokkien and Teochew factions clashed in a deadly street battle, homes burned, and the British—overconfident and unprepared—lost control of their own colony.But was this really just a gang war… or was something far more sinister happening behind the scenes?In this explosive first episode of Singapore Confidential, hosts Marcus and Benjamin uncover the untold truth behind one of Singapore’s most violent and forgotten riots.🔎 Follow us for exclusive updates: 🔴 YouTube: @majulahpresents🟢 Spotify: @majulahpresents 🟣 Apple Podcast: @majulahpresents 🎥 TikTok: @majulahpresents 📷 Instagram: @majulahpresent