Tell You First Podcast

What if the government had an opinion on who you should marry? In 1980s Singapore, the state became increasingly concerned about a falling birth rate and the educational profile of parents. One response was the Graduate Mothers Scheme, which encouraged university-educated women to have more children while the government tried to get educated Singaporeans to meet and marry. We trace the ideas behind the Graduate Mothers Scheme, how Singapore tried to put them into practice, and why the policy became such a political headache. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on…

Singapore may have no oil, gas or natural resources to speak of, but there was one resource it could not afford to lose: water. For decades, much of Singapore's water supply came from Malaysia, making something as basic as turning on the tap part of a much bigger geopolitical relationship. Water became a source of political tension, with old agreements, threats and negotiations carrying consequences far beyond what came out of the faucet. We trace how Singapore turned one of its greatest vulnerabilities into one of its greatest strategic successes, from the water agreements with Malaysia to NEWater and the push for water independence. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast…

Before TikTok dances and viral fitness challenges, Singapore was Making Workouts Great Again. The Great Singapore Workout campaign encouraged everyone to don bright yellow T-shirts to perform 15 moves in synchrony to a relentlessly catchy song and an exercise video that cost S$500,000 to make. However, behind the harmless fun was a targeted public health campaign to get the populace off their couches. To launch it, Singapore’s Prime Minister Goh, clad in a pink T-shirt, led a combined workout of more than 26,000 people at the Padang in an attempt to break a world record. We look back at how this unforgettable movement came to be, why so many millennials still know the moves today, and what it says about the Singaporean psyche. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck…

The Noose was Singapore’s first and only parody show that poked fun at public office holders, accents, condo names and even why noodle stalls only serve five fishballs. But not everything was fair game. In this episode, creator and head writer Prem Anand takes us behind the scenes of Singapore’s most iconic satire show. He walks us through submitting every script to the censors, standing their ground on jokes they wanted to keep and getting nominated for an International Emmy, which took the team to the awards ceremony in New York. He also reveals that the show never received a complaint from anyone in government, and explains why he thinks satire can still work today without making fun of accents. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Prem Anand Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)…

What happens when a Singapore megachurch decides to push its beloved pastor's wife to become an international pop star? In the 2000s, City Harvest Church backed Sun Ho's "Crossover Project", an ambitious endeavour that sent her across Asia to perform Mandopop, then subsequently to the US, where she worked with the biggest names in music, like David Foster and Diane Warren. Then came the capstone of the project, the China Wine music video with Wyclef Jean, which lives in infamy to this day. However, behind the backlash was a much bigger story: prosecutors alleged that $24 million from the church's building fund was funnelled into sham bond investments connected to the project, with another $26 million allegedly used to cover the tracks. We trace how a church's mission to reach the world through pop music culminated in one of Singapore's biggest scandals. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia)…

Everyone who lived through the 2009 AWARE Saga remembered it, but nobody wanted to talk about it. Not the 3,000 people who queued four hours to vote at Suntec. Not the bank that publicly disowned its own VP. Not the "feminist mentor" who compared homosexuality to bestiality on live TV. It took filmmaker Jasmine Ng and journalist Kelly Leow two years, 50 interviews, and a lot of "no's" to finally get people to open up. Their efforts resulted in Saga, Singapore's first long-form narrative podcast. Jasmine joins us to talk about the six weeks that gripped the nation, and why it took over a decade for anyone to properly tell the story. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Jasmine Nga (@ngkinkiajasmine) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of…

On 20 April 2004, 100 metres of Nicoll Highway suddenly collapsed into a 30-metre-deep hole, killing four people and injuring three. The disaster exposed serious failures in the design and construction of the Circle Line, and also changed how Singapore approaches construction safety. We trace what went wrong, from flawed calculations and buckling steel supports to warnings that were raised before the collapse, and how four deaths eventually led to new rules governing deep excavations across Singapore. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the…

Sam's Alfresco Coffee Shop sounds like somewhere you'd order a flat white. But it's actually the innocent-looking front door to the Sammyboy forum, sharing commercial sex reviews, explicit erotica, and lewd photos. Click one link deeper, and you’ll enter the “Asian Commercial Sex Scene” forum, Sammyboy’s sex-focused arm with almost 250,000 members. It was allegedly founded in 1997 by a Singaporean man known only as Samuel Leong, whose real identity has never been confirmed. We trace how a list of brothel recommendations on Sammyboy curdled into a cesspool of hidden camera footage, incest-themed erotica, and an escort business run entirely off the forum's advice, before spilling over into a real-life wife-sharing ring. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos)…

In the 2000s, Malaysia became known for a very different kind of concert run. The Pussycat Dolls' outfits led to a fine against their organisers, Gwen Stefani changed costumes for every song just to stay covered up, Avril Lavigne was warned over her punk image despite barely showing skin, and Beyoncé cancelled her show rather than follow the guidelines. So what exactly were artists allowed to do on stage? As a radio DJ with her finger on the pulse of the region's pop scene, Sonia Chew joins us to unpack the strange history of concert censorship in Malaysia. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Sonia Chew (@soniachew) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple…

Barings Bank was founded in 1762 and was Britain's oldest merchant bank, trusted even by Queen Elizabeth herself. But in 1995, a 28-year-old trader in Singapore brought the whole 233-year-old institution to its knees via a mysterious account numbered 88888, buried deep inside the bank's paperwork. Nick Leeson’s actions triggered a global manhunt, and brought forth a sweeping wave of regulatory changes in Singapore’s financial system. We trace how the rogue trader hid billions in losses from the financial and regulatory institutions that were supposed to spot the warning signs. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can…

On 10 March 1965, two Indonesian Marine Commandos walked into MacDonald House and planted a bomb that killed three people and injured 33 others. But MacDonald House wasn't even their original target. What followed was a dramatic manhunt, a controversial trial, and an execution that nearly pushed Singapore and Indonesia back into conflict. We trace how it took eight years, and a Prime Minister scattering flowers over the graves of the men he'd ordered hanged, to bring the two countries back from the brink. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the…

Singapore Idol premiered in 2004 to a reported 1.2 million viewers, skyrocketing a local talent show into a national obsession. Dick Lee, sidelined into a desk job, found the show reigniting something he'd lost. He judged all three seasons, and watched Singaporeans become fiercely split over their favourite contestants. He also takes us behind the auditions, the infamous judging moments and the finale that saw 1.1 million votes cast. As one of the few Singaporean artists to break out of the Singapore market, he shares what it actually takes to become a Singapore Idol, and why there was never a Season 4. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Dick Lee (@dickleeparadise) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the…

Today, the USB thumbdrive is one of those bits of tech we use without a second thought. But before 2000, the best way to store digital files was a floppy disk holding 1.44 MB, barely one song. Then Trek 2000 International walked into a German trade fair with one cardboard sign reading “The World’s Smallest Drive,” an 8 MB device the size of a thumb. Buyers swarmed the booth within hours. That tiny invention would cement Singapore’s place in tech history, but also trigger a global fight over who invented it, leading to billions of dollars in lawsuits that no court could fully settle. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You…

Singer-songwriter Benjamin Kheng knows exactly how hard it is to write a song for an entire country, he did it himself with 2024's Not Alone. But long before him, the identities of the people behind some of Singapore's most beloved anthems were kept secret for almost twenty years. In this episode, Ben Kheng joins us to trace the evolution of National Day songs, and reveal what it was like turning a one-word prompt into a song that millions of people could call their own. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Benjamin Kheng (@benjaminkheng) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through…

A Luxembourg art student copied Singaporean fashion photographer Zhang Jingna's photograph by flipping it, changing the colours, adding earrings and a sword, before calling it his own. His painting won a government backed prize and was presented to Luxembourg's princess. While fighting the case, Zhang had to face racist and sexist comments, and a court even ruled that Zhang's photograph lacked originality, before an appeal reversed it two years later. We trace how close the plan came to working, and what it took to stop it. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on…

In 2014, fifteen people, mostly Malaysian and Singaporean, spent a day painting body art on each other, running relay races, and doing kettlebell exercises by a campfire, all while completely nude on a secluded Penang beach. When footage of this event surfaced online, it sparked a national backlash, with Interpol called in to help, and a years-long legal showdown. We trace how a beach retreat amongst friends led to the harshest penalties for public nudity in Malaysian history, and what the controversy reveals about personal freedom and public decency in the region. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch…

For 120 years, the British colonial government was Singapore's largest licensed drug dealer. Opium was processed on a hill in Pasir Panjang, that is known today as Opium Hill. By the time the system was dismantled, opium profits had ballooned to an astronomical $55 million, and was funding a significant part of Singapore’s colonial budget. In this episode, we explore how a state heavily funded by licensed addiction came to have one of the toughest anti-drug stances in the world. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment…

Twenty-six Brompton bicycles, a $57,200 government purchase, and a tender that drew just one bid. Sounds suspicious? HardwareZone users thought so. By tracing Facebook friend lists, company records, and regulatory filings, they uncovered a relationship that was the start of a national scandal. We follow the online investigation that forced audits, attracted CPIB attention, and turned a regular procurement exercise into a public scandal. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch Tell You First Shorts on…

Her name was a punchline in Singapore. A warning to others. She went from Singapore’s gifted education fast track to global infamy as a record-breaking porn star. But behind the 1995 headlines that stunned the world lies the story of Grace Quek. A gifted scholar whose life was derailed by a horrific act of violence in London. This episode traces her turbulent journey, uncovering each shocking life choice and how she continued to defy expectations at every turn. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch selected video episodes of the podcast on YouTube through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. Also, catch…

In 2003, Chinese President Hu Jintao coined a phrase that still shapes Beijing's strategic thinking: the Malacca Dilemma. Most of China's imported oil passes through the Strait of Malacca, a chokepoint so important that it helps determine the maximum size of many of the world's largest ships, a standard known as Malaccamax. Decades of pipelines, rail links, and new ports have failed to reduce that dependence. In this episode, we trace how Singapore transformed a narrow, piracy-plagued strait into the backbone of global trade, from the ancient empires that controlled it by force to a modern city-state that controls it through law, infrastructure, and carefully maintained neutrality. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Production Manager - Z’en Peck (@peck.takes.photos) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If…

From British colonial parties to bestselling books and internet scandals, few Singaporean stereotypes have had the staying power of the "Sarong Party Girl". Originally used to mock local women who dated Western men, the term became shorthand for a much larger debate about race, class, sex, and what it meant to be modern in Singapore. Joining us is Xiaxue, one of Singapore's most controversial and influential internet personalities, who spent years being labelled an SPG herself. She was criticised for her appearance, relationships, opinions, and willingness to say things many others would not. Together, we trace the surprising history of the SPG, from its colonial origins to its place in Singaporean pop culture, and ask why the label still refuses to die. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Wendy Cheng (@xiaxue) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak…

In 1992, Singapore was relegated to Division 2 of the Malaysian football, and publicly humiliated. The Kallang Roar was fading as fans stopped showing up, and the once-dominant team looked finished. Then came brutal training sessions, shock resignations, a match-fixing scandal, and an eight month season that could have collapsed at any moment. Instead, 1994 ended up being the year that saved Singaporean football. In this episode, 987FM DJ and lifelong football fan Joakim Gomez joins us to trace the story of how the “Dream Team” clawed their way from rock bottom back to the top of Malaysian football, and cemented themselves as Singaporean football legends. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Joakim Gomez (@joakimgomez) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can…

You might know Bugis Street today as a tourist hotspot selling anything and everything, from souvenirs to clothes and jewelry. But before all that, Bugis Street was known for its midnight drag shows, gang activity, and a notorious dance that involved sticking flaming torches up certain holes. This episode traces how Bugis Street became Singapore’s most popular tourist attraction, why authorities tolerated it for decades, and how it has since been wiped off the map both literally and figuratively. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

Singapore’s food story did not begin in air-conditioned malls. It began beside open drains, on pushcarts, and in smoky back alleys where migrant workers needed cheap meals fast. In this episode, we’re joined by food critic, street food crusader, and Makansutra founder Kf Seetoh, to trace how street hawkers were once labelled a public nuisance, then forcibly resettled into concrete centres, before being awarded Michelin stars and even recognised by UNESCO. We unpack how survival food became national identity, and why the people cooking it are still struggling to survive. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Kf Seetoh (@kfseetoh) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener…

They carried bricks, cleared rubble and helped build modern Singapore, yet most people barely know anything about them. Samsui women arrived on our shores as poor immigrants and worked brutal jobs in construction until the 80s, while living on the margins of the city they helped construct. In this episode, Lynn Wong, founder of Bridging Generations, joins us to trace the history of Samsui women, why they chose this life, and how an entire generation of builders will fade from public memory unless we preserve and pass down their stories. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Lynn Wong (@_bridginggenerations_) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach…

Singapore’s land reclamation story is not a smooth tale of engineering triumph. It began with failed seawalls, ten year delays and costs that multiplied sixfold, before evolving into a strategy that has reshaped the landscape. In this episode, we trace how Singapore has spent the past two centuries pushing the coastline outwards, and why the same methods are now hampered by rising costs, environmental damage and political limits. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the mouth of the Singapore River once stood a massive inscribed stone that may have been the oldest written record ever found here. No one could decipher its inscriptions, but its historical significance was never in doubt. This episode tells the baffling story of how the colonial British administration blew up the fabled Singapore Stone in 1843 to make way for a fort. We cover how that single decision erased 500 years of our early history, but also contributed to the aura of one of Southeast Asia’s greatest archaeological mysteries. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See…

There was a moment when YouTube felt like the most exciting place in Singapore. YouTube channels creating slapstick listicles became media conglomerates overnight, cross-genre collaborations were everywhere, and videos on the Trending tab were the talk of the town. So why did this ecosystem crash and burn as quickly as it came to prominence? In this episode, OG YouTuber Noah Yap joins us to revisit that short-lived golden age of YouTube, unpack how it inspired (and excluded) a generation of Singaporean creators, and why the same magic would be impossible to recreate today. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Noah Yap (@onlynoah) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener…

On a quiet Tuesday night in 1991, the routine Singapore Airlines shuttle flight SQ117 from Kuala Lumpur to Changi Airport turned into a nine-hour hostage nightmare. As hijackers flung crew out of the plane, issued ultimatums and set fires in the cockpit, authorities in Singapore made a call that would cement its place in counterterrorism operations history. In this thrilling episode, we walk through the events leading up to when elite SAF commandos stormed SQ117, ending the crisis in just 30 seconds without losing a single hostage. We also highlight some of the lesser known civilian heroes of the story who were instrumental in the safe and sudden end to the crisis. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the…

Orchard Towers opened in the 1970s with food competitions judged by Lee Kuan Yew’s mother and dreams of clean modern retail. Over time, bars, massage parlours, and underground economies moved in. We explore how this transformation happened, the crimes that cemented its reputation, and why its past refuses to disappear even as the building has rebranded. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yellow boots, a giant mole, and broken English. Phua Chu Kang has cemented his place as a household name across Singapore, JB, and some say Batam. But the story behind how the sitcom came to be is far less known. From rehearsing in storerooms with no sponsors, to sweeping major Asian television awards and becoming a regional phenomenon, Gurmit Singh joins us to unpack how Phua Chu Kang was created and why the show almost did not make it past its first season. Along the way, he shares some of the creative risks and struggles that transformed the show into one of the most memorable TV series of its time. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Gurmit Singh (@gurmit.65) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple…

In the 1980s, Singapore was openly labelled the world’s leading producer of pirated tapes, exporting millions of counterfeit cassettes across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. In this episode, we trace how piracy became a full-blown industry with factories, retail shops, and global supply chains, and how Singapore shed its past to become global intellectual property hub. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

That reinforced room within your HDB flat is not just for luggage and old fans. It’s a blast resistant capsule meant to keep you alive through bomb shocks, debris and even chemical attacks. From British era tunnels to modern HDB shelters stacked like a concrete spine through every block, we explore how Singapore turned everyday homes and MRT stations into a nationwide survival system. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surrounded by modern estates and valued at over a hundred million dollars on paper, residents here still pay rent in the tens of dollars and leave their doors open to neighbours. Behind it all stands one woman and her resistance to commercialisation. This episode explores why Kampong Lorong Buangkok still exists, how the kampong spirit endures, and why some residents refuse to trade for a flat. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore has never banned alcohol outright, but after the Little India riot it built a maze of rules that changed Singapore’s drinking culture and stopped people from buying rum raisin ice cream after 1030pm. We explore the incident that sparked the law, the backlash from businesses and residents, the absurd enforcement stories, and whether the crackdown actually fixed the problem or simply moved it out of sight. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long before Chinatown became known for its historic temples and colourful shophouses, its streets were controlled by secret societies fighting over turf, vice money, and influence. What began as migrant aid networks slowly morphed into violent gangs, stretching their reach from Chinatown’s back alleys to European drug routes. In this episode, we explore how Singapore’s underworld grew deeper and more organised than most people realise, the rise of infamous figures like Lim Ban Lim and “Mr Big,” and the brutal turf wars of the 1970s and 80s before sweeping new laws finally pushed the scene underground. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise…

What began as a celebrity Muay Thai match featuring Steven Lim spiralled into one of Singapore’s darkest sporting moments when bodybuilder Pradip Subramanian collapsed after stepping in as a last minute replacement. Together with Julian Wong from Rice Media, author of Steven Lim: One Last Shot at Fame, we uncover the rushed decisions, the missing safeguards and the tragic chain of events that transformed a publicity stunt into a national tragedy. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Julian Wong Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before Katong had cafes and condos, it had a cattle baron who built a seaside palace complete with a tower, fountains and a private football field. Step inside the strangest building in Katong and discover how a teenage money changer became Singapore’s Cattle King, and the scandals that turned his mansion into a site of glamour and crime. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few know that Christmas Island was once run from Singapore, complete with Singaporean schools, homes, and food. But in 1958, a $20 million deal was struck with Australia to transfer ownership of the island. In this episode, we tell the story of the island’s colonial tug-of-war, the politics behind its “sale,” and why visiting today feels like stepping into a 1960s version of home. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know Singapore’s most famous creature wasn’t born from myth, but a government-led marketing effort? Over the years, it’s been loved, mocked, and endlessly reimagined, but it remains as one of Singapore’s national icons. In this episode, we uncover the story behind the creature that was engineered to sell Singapore and accidentally became its soul. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A packet of tissues on a table means one thing in Singapore: it’s reserved. But how did this strange system of trust and order evolve in a city obsessed with efficiency? We explore how “chope culture” has stirred debates about kindness and convenience… and even becoming avant-garde artwork in Paris?? Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Denise Tan (@dizzie_t) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch this episode first on the meLISTEN app, or on YouTube one week later through the Mediacorp Entertainment channel. https://www.melisten.sg/podcast/playlist/Tell-You-First-2577946 Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener…

In a quiet corner of Toa Payoh lies a dragon that has seen presidents, queens and generations of children. Once a symbol of modern design and national pride, it now guards memories of sand-filled adventures and scraped knees. We awaken the legend of how this mosaic creature came to define an era of Singaporean imagination and what its survival says about our nation’s playfulness. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From banning Playboy and pinball to cutting the hair of foreign pop stars, Singapore once waged a full-blown crusade on what it called “yellow culture.” This episode dives into the secret morality purge that started with tabloid scandals in the 1950s and spiralled into raids, bans, and a nationwide obsession with purity and control. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legally recognised under British colonial rule, polygamy was rife in the early days of Singapore. Many men chose not to register their marriages, using this loophole to avoid financial or legal responsibility. In this episode, we discover how Singapore’s first generation of women activists set out to rewrite the law, and improve the rights of women in Singapore. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It started in April 2004 with a newspaper article about a bathroom tap. By the time it ended, the National Kidney Foundation’s (NKF) CEO was in jail, its board resigned, and the majority of Singaporeans had cancelled their donations to NKF. In this episode we break down the scandal that stunned Singapore. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Originally Singapore’s first coal-fired power station, St James has been many things, a warehouse, a nightclub, and now Dyson’s global headquarters. We follow its 100-year journey from fuelling the island’s first lights to powering late-night discos and high-tech innovation, and how it became a symbol of Singapore’s evolution from industrial grit to modern cool. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a few dollars, you could rent a bed beside coffins and wait for death. This was life on Sago Lane, once known as the “street of the dead.” In this episode, we trace the dark history of these death houses, from their origins in 19th-century Chinatown to their eventual ban in 1961, and ask what they tell us about Singapore’s changing relationship with death. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many know Haw Par Villa for its surreal statues portraying themes from Chinese folklore, or maybe even its water splash ride taking visitors through the 10 Courts of Hell. But few know the loss and misfortune that the park and its Hong Kong counterpart share. In this episode, we take you beyond the spectacle to the story of the Aw brothers, the Tiger Balm magnates whose family tragedies and business downfall echoes the fate of the parks themselves. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore has more than a hundred mapped haunted sites, a best-selling ghost book series, and a ghost festival that turns entire streets into altars. But our spirits are more than superstition. In this episode, we explore how Singapore’s ghost stories carry hidden histories of migration, trauma, and maybe even love? Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At over 200 acres, Bukit Brown was once the largest Chinese cemetery outside of China, home to the graves of more than 100,000 people including pioneers like Ong Sam Leong, Chew Boon Lay and the ancestors of Lee Kuan Yew. When plans for an eight-lane highway threatened to cut through it, activists and historians rallied to defend a site rich in heritage and biodiversity. Together with Munah Bagharib, we uncover the history beneath the headstones, the legacies of those buried here, and what is truly at stake when the dead meet the needs of the living. Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny). Credits: Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani) Guest - Munah Bagharib (@munahbagharib) Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet) Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi If you're a fan of our work, you can follow the podcast on the meLISTEN app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. You can also watch this episode first on the…