Talkback

A young man targeted four schoolgirls as young as 11 years old online by posing as a "lovestruck teenager" before taking them to a secluded place where he violated them. How does a predator come into contact with schoolgirls? Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin speak with Ooi Sze Jin, psychologist and Founder of A Kind Place.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A woman lied about her address to secure priority admission for her daughter at a nearby primary school in 2023. She didn’t live at the flat she used, and when she later tried to change the address, suspicions led the school to uncover the truth. This isn’t the first case of parents bending the rules to get their children into well-known schools. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin speak with Family Life Education Specialist, Esther Foong-Tan, to discuss just how far parents are prepared to go for their child.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 66-year-old man has been charged with murder, after a noise dispute at a Yishun housing block left one woman dead. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss the issue of whether our society has become too noisy or intolerant with Dr Leong Chan-Hoong, Head of Social Cohesion Research Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, and former member of the Community Advisory Panel on Neighbourhood Noise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Education Minister Desmond Lee says all suggestions will be seriously considered to tackle bullying in schools. These include ideas from groups like parents, educators and community partners, as his ministry carries out a review of the issue. Bullying in schools here came into recent public scrutiny, after a Sengkang Green Primary School pupil bullied a female classmate and sent death threats to her mother. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss further with Esther Ng, Founder, Coalition Against Bullying for Children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

StarHub reported a net profit of 47.9 million dollars last month – dropping over 40 per cent on-year. But total revenue inched up 2.2 per cent – thanks to growth in broadband, regional enterprise and cybersecurity services. Still, that was offset by a drop of 9.1 per cent in entertainment service revenue, as subscriber numbers fell. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss further with Nikhil Eapen, CEO, StarHub.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabrielle Maswi, Director of Three by Garamika, and Jamie Lim, owner of Joo Bar and Sticky, dive into the murky waters of bulk-order scams targeting small food businesses. They share their experiences with trust and the vital role of deposits to safeguard against fraud. The guests highlight red flags to watch for in scams, including impersonation tactics, and emphasize the importance of internal checks and community alerts. Their insights offer a valuable perspective on balancing trust with safety in the food and beverage industry.

A 41-year-old man described as the "key player" in an operation that provided unauthorised short-term accommodation at 31 private residential properties has been fined S$1.14 million. The offences came to light after the management council of a private residential development filed a report with the authorities. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin speak with Lim Yong Hock, Key Executive Officer at PropNex.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

About nine in 10 parents have introduced at least one type of action in guiding their child’s digital habits, like restricting screen time or content types. But only about one third feel confident they’re doing it right and many are calling for more support, according to a Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) study. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss more with Associate Professor Natalie Pang, Department of Communications and New Media, NUS.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

$1,000 in LifeSG credits, a doubling of the CDA First Step Grant to $10,000, and a $5,000 Large Family MediSave grant - part of Singapore’s efforts to support large families. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss with Luke Yan, father of three sons how these incentives will help parents with three or more young children.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In light of Hotel Miramar Singapore’s impending closure at the end of October, joining several others like Lion City Hotel and Cockpit Hotel that faced similar fates, Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss if this is the end of small chain and stand-alone hotels in Singapore with Benjamin Cassim, Senior Lecturer for Hospitality and Tourism Management, School of Business, Temasek Polytechnic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.