On 25th May 1961, a devastating fire wiped out an entire kampong, leaving 15,000 homeless—but was it just a tragic accident or a hidden turning point for Singapore? Discover how the Bukit Ho Swee fire sparked a housing revolution, birthed the HDB, and transformed the nation overnight. From conspiracy theories to political miracles, this is the untold story of the fire that changed Singapore forever!

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're a fan of our work, 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

On 25th May 1961, a devastating fire wiped out an entire kampong, leaving 15,000 homeless&mdash;but was it just a tragic accident or a hidden turning point for Singapore? Discover how the Bukit Ho Swee fire sparked a housing revolution, birthed the HDB, and transformed the nation overnight. From conspiracy theories to political miracles, this is the untold story of the fire that changed Singapore forever! 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're a fan of our work, 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

Hosted by the dynamic duo behind Ministry of Funny and Yah Lah But... - Haresh Tilani & Terence Chia - "Tell You First" is an edutainment podcast that aims to dive into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know.

And the fun doesn't stop there—sometimes, we bring in special guests to join the laughter! Tune in for a one-of-a-kind blend of comedy and knowledge, and uncover a world of captivating insights that will leave you both enlightened and entertained.

Produced by Ministry of Funny, and brought to you by Mediacorp

The views and opinions shared during this podcast series are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. or its group of companies.

Hosted by the dynamic duo behind Ministry of Funny and Yah Lah But... - Haresh Tilani &amp; Terence Chia - "Tell You First" is an edutainment podcast that aims to dive into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know.
And the fun doesn't stop there&mdash;sometimes, we bring in special guests to join the laughter! Tune in for a one-of-a-kind blend of comedy and knowledge, and uncover a world of captivating insights that will leave you both enlightened and entertained.
Produced by Ministry of Funny, and brought to you by Mediacorp
The views and opinions shared during this podcast series are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mediacorp Pte. Ltd. or its group of companies.

Tell You First

Hosted by the dynamic duo behind Ministry of Funny and Yah Lah But... - Haresh Tilani & Terence Chia - "Tell You First" is an edutainment podcast that aims to dive into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know.

And the fun doesn't stop there—sometimes, we bring in special guests to join the laughter! Tune in for a one-of-a-kind blend of comedy and knowledge, and uncover a world of captivating insights that will leave you both enlightened and entertained.

Hosted by the dynamic duo behind Ministry of Funny and Yah Lah But... - Haresh Tilani &amp; Terence Chia - "Tell You First" is an edutainment podcast that aims to dive into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know.
And the fun doesn't stop there—sometimes, we bring in special guests to join the laughter! Tune in for a one-of-a-kind blend of comedy and knowledge, and uncover a world of captivating insights that will leave you both enlightened and entertained.

The Fire That Built Singapore: The Shocking Truth Behind Bukit Ho Swee!

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

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 &nbsp;aura of one of Southeast Asia&rsquo;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

When the British Blew Up One of Singapore's Oldest Relics

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.

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.
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
 Tell You First is an original podcast produced by Mediacorp and Ministry of Funny (@ministryoffunny).
&nbsp;
 Credits:
&nbsp;
Hosted and Produced by Terence Chia (@tchia) and Haresh Tilani (@hareshtilani)
&nbsp;
Guest - Noah Yap (@onlynoah)
&nbsp;
Sound Engineering - Tristen Yeak (@yeakstreet)
&nbsp;
Commissioning Editor - Danny Koordi
&nbsp;
If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

The Golden Age of YouTube in Singapore and Why It Disappeared

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 Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts

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 Melisten App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts

The Fire That Built Singapore: The Shocking Truth Behind Bukit Ho Swee!

Tell You First

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