Why the Strait of Malacca Keeps China Awake at Night

Why the Strait of Malacca Keeps China Awake at Night

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 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 Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Sarong Party Girls: “Ang Moh Better?” A History of the Stereotype

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 (@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 Mediacorp's socials.   Podcast artwork by Denise Nicole Yap, you can reach her on Instagram @deniseardenise See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The Year Singapore Football Became A Joke

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 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 [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

How Bugis Street Became One of Singapore’s Biggest Tourist Attractions

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 [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Hawker Culture: From Illegal to UNESCO Recognition

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 [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.