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Deep Dive - Why some Singaporeans are saying no to having children

Singapore's falling fertility rate is now framed as a national problem to solve. But for a growing number of couples, having children simply isn’t part of their plans. How have our attitudes towards parenthood changed and what does the rise of the "dual income, no kids" or DINK lifestyle say about the country's future? In this week’s Deep Dive, Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang speak with Alisa Chopard, a 39-year-old who has chosen not to have children, and 31-year-old Alicia Lim, who hopes to start a family soon, to unpack the pressures surrounding couples in Singapore today.

Steven Chia

Steven Chia

Tiffany Ang

Tiffany Ang

Resume Pause 29 min

Deep Dive - Why are Community Care Apartments struggling to attract older Singaporeans?

The government has lowered the minimum age to apply for Community Care Apartments from 65 to 55 and cut the cost of the basic service package to encourage more take-up. But will these changes meet the needs of a fast ageing society that still want their freedom and independence? In this week’s Deep Dive, Tiffany Ang and Steven Chia sit down with associate professor Kelvin Tan from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and Nicholas Mak, chief research officer from MOGUL.sg, to explore who these apartments are really designed for and whether they can sufficiently fill the gap to house an ageing nation.

Resume Pause 27 mins

Deep Dive - Faishal Ibrahim’s resignation: How far should politicians be judged on their private conduct?

The resignation of former Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim, after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said his interactions with a woman fell short of standards expected of a political office holder, shocked many Singaporeans. What do these standards look like in Singapore's political system? How do they shape expectations and what impact could this have on attracting the next generation of political leaders? Tiffany Ang speaks with Dr Norshahril Saat, principal fellow at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute and Nicholas Fang, managing director of strategic consultancy Black Dot and former nominated member of parliament, on what the resignation reveals about political accountability and public trust.

Resume Pause 32 mins

Deep Dive - Can Singapore’s dialects survive or are they becoming history?

The release of Chinese film Dear You has reignited the debate over dialects in Singapore after the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) approved limited screenings of its Teochew original version. Has the time come to rethink Singapore's approach to dialects, or are they destined to fade away in the next generation? In this week's Deep Dive, Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang speak with assistant professor Luke Lu from Nanyang Technological University and Hokkien content creator Ong Yi Ting (@yitinggoyt) to explore whether dialects are worth preserving or are they fast becoming relics of Singapore's past.

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Deep Dive - Beyond regular checks, should nursing home inspection results be made public?

As Singapore becomes a super-aged society, more families are facing the difficult decisions about long-term care. But after two nursing homes had their licences revoked over serious lapses in resident safety and care, how can families know which homes to trust? Beyond regular spot checks and audits, should inspection results be publicised for greater transparency? Tiffany Ang and Steven Chia unpack this issue with Dr Raymond Chua, Deputy Director-General of Health (Health Regulation) at the Ministry of Health, and gerontology expert Professor Andy Ho from NTU.

Resume Pause 31 mins

Deep Dive - Chan Chun Sing on keeping Singapore safe in an unstable world: 'We are not at war but neither are we at peace'

Singapore's security is not just built on military spending and might. With the security landscape evolving and the nature of warfare changing, what does it take to strengthen the country's defence? How can the state deter potential threats without unnecessarily raising tensions? In this week’s Deep Dive, Steven Chia and Tiffany Ang speak with Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing in a wide-ranging interview on the role of defence diplomacy behind closed doors, the global arms race in military spending and how the Singapore Army is evolving to prepare soldiers for future conflicts.Are you an avid listener of the Deep Dive podcast? Share your thoughts on what you enjoy, how we can improve, what you would like to see in future episodes and stand to win a S$50 Grab voucher: https:channelnewsasia.com/cna-podcasts

Resume Pause 44 mins