Johor votes in July – but the real contest is whether Malaysia's unity government survives the campaign trail.

Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus.

For our June episode, ST's Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh and host Zurairi A.R. are joined by Dr Francis Hutchinson, coordinator of the Malaysia Studies Programme at ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

Highlights (click/tap above):

5:20 Johor votes on July 11 – what does BN actually need to achieve in its own fortress state, beyond just winning?

13:50 What single result in Johor would most change the national political conversation heading into GE16?

21:20 Governing together versus fighting an election together – what would a real PH-BN electoral pact for GE16 actually need to look like?

29:40 BN wants 115 seats; PH won 82 in GE15 – is there any serious, practical negotiation happening for a pact?

32:00 Why did Anwar raise the prospect of a snap election publicly – genuine frustration, or a negotiating tactic?

35:10 Can we book our year-end holidays yet, or is GE16 actually happening in 2026?

39:00 Malaysia bans social media for under-16s – but where do these kids actually go now?

Read more:

Johor vote may shape Negeri Sembilan race as staggered polls raise questions: https://str.sg/4mkFp

Negeri Sembilan crisis signals end is nigh for Anwar’s unity government: https://str.sg/fsUA

Where do we go now? Malaysia's under-16 social media ban leaves teens detached and displaced: https://str.sg/tVuZG

Read Zurairi A.R.’s articles: https://str.sg/DCfr

Read Shannon Teoh's articles: https://str.sg/wzyK

Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz

Host: Zurairi A.R. (zurairi@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

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The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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The Chinese film Dear You, shot almost entirely in Teochew, is not only a box office hit - it has ignited intense debate among Chinese Singaporeans.

From film-makers to politicians, many people have weighed in on the authorities’ decision to limit screenings of the Teochew version, and instead have a wider general release for the Mandarin-dubbed version.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said that this move supports the bilingual policy which aims to promote Mandarin as the main language among Chinese Singaporeans.

But the strict policing of dialects, when other foreign language films have been allowed to be screened, has the local audience asking: is it time to relook how we treat dialects?

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:08 Why strong reaction to limited Teochew screenings?

6:22 Is it a film that touches only Teochews?

9:27 What's lost in dubbed movies?

13:11 Is the outrage fair?

15:27 Time to relook policy on dialects in film?

20:40 Has the Speak Mandarin Campaign been too successful?

23:48 Can Chinese dialects and Mandarin coexist?

29:08 “We’re not comparing like for like.”

31:34 Are dialects less valuable than Mandarin?

35:45 Who’s learning dialects now?

38:17 Beyond the uproar, what happens next?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Targeting one-child couples to have a second child is lower-hanging fruit than trying to get families to have a third under the Large Families Scheme, says a researcher who studies the modern parent.

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Stopping at one or two children is such a norm in Singapore that a 'large family' now means having three or more children.

This definition comes after the government launched the large families scheme in 2025, in a bid to encourage Singaporeans to expand their households.

In its first year alone, the scheme has already stepped in to help about 5,000 Singaporean children. Each of them received up to $16,000 in additional grants to ease the financial load of multi-child parenting.

But can money alone shift a couple’s mindsets to having more children?

Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies Kalpana Vignehsa joins assistant podcast editor Lynda Hong to discuss the modern realities, anxieties, and choices of raising children in Singapore.

Highlights (click/tap above):

7:27 Why focus on one-child family instead of two-child families under Large Families Scheme

25:48 BTO Co-Living: Building a Child-Raising Community with 12 Families

28:16 $300,000? $500,000? The value of child-raising to society

36:04 Why a family with 3 kids is usually on a single income

50:14 Youth prioritising education, NS and BTO, leaving no room for marriage, let alone babies

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Follow Lynda Hong on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/Gm2v

Host: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Teo Tong Kai

Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

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