No bitter medicine?

Too much expectation?

Disconnect needs to be addressed

Delegating announcements to ministers?

PM Wong's style: Dichotomy?

How to really approach 'We First' style

How Singapore can truly be a ‘we first’ society.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

“It’s not ‘I’ or ‘me’. It’s ‘we’. To keep Singapore going, we must be a ‘we first’ society.” 

This was Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s rallying call to strengthen the Singaporean Spirit – to put the welfare of the community ahead of individual interest.  

It came towards the end of his National Day Rally address on Aug 17,  perhaps as a reminder that the way forward is not only paved by policies meant to fix problems.

PM Wong’s first NDR speech after the 2025 General Election emphasised that “when the whole is strong, each of us becomes stronger too”. This message built on what was put forth during the Forward Singapore exercise – launched by the country’s fourth-generation team of political leaders – to refresh Singapore’s social compact and build a shared future.

But how does this rallying call resonate with Singaporeans?

In this episode of The Usual Place, Natasha hosts Dr Rebecca Grace Tan, a political science lecturer at the National University of Singapore, and Mr Jeremy Tan, who ran as an independent candidate for Mountbatten SMC at GE2025.

They chat about PM Wong’s style of governance, and why he emphasised that Singapore needs to be a “we first” society to keep going.

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:34 Why Jeremy wanted PM Wong to give Singaporeans the “bitter medicine”

7:45 Were the expectations of big announcements warranted?

9:18 “The disconnect is something that needs to be addressed”: Jeremy

16:15 Does PM Wong’s style of delegating announcements to his colleagues work?

21:00 PM Wong’s rally call dichotomy: Empowering Singaporeans, yet slightly paternalistic?

28:06 The big question about PM Wong’s We First message: What can be the new approach?

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

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

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

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

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai & Eden Soh 

Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Lynda Hong, Danson Cheong & Elizabeth Khor

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

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

---

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/4Vwsa

---

Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

---

#tup #tuptr

How Singapore can truly be a &lsquo;we first&rsquo; society.
Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not &lsquo;I&rsquo; or &lsquo;me&rsquo;. It&rsquo;s &lsquo;we&rsquo;. To keep Singapore going, we must be a &lsquo;we first&rsquo; society.&rdquo;&nbsp;
This was Prime Minister Lawrence Wong&rsquo;s rallying call to strengthen the Singaporean Spirit &ndash; to put the welfare of the community ahead of individual interest. &nbsp;
It came towards the end of his National Day Rally address on Aug 17, &nbsp;perhaps as a reminder that the way forward is not only paved by policies meant to fix problems.
PM Wong&rsquo;s first NDR speech after the 2025 General Election emphasised that &ldquo;when the whole is strong, each of us becomes stronger too&rdquo;.&nbsp;This message built on what was put forth during the Forward Singapore exercise &ndash; launched by the country&rsquo;s fourth-generation team of political leaders &ndash; to refresh Singapore&rsquo;s social compact and build a shared future.
But how does this rallying call resonate with Singaporeans?
In this episode of The Usual Place, Natasha hosts Dr Rebecca Grace Tan, a political science lecturer at the National University of Singapore, and Mr Jeremy Tan, who ran as an independent candidate for Mountbatten SMC at GE2025.
They chat about PM Wong&rsquo;s style of governance, and why he emphasised that Singapore needs to be a &ldquo;we first&rdquo; society to keep going.
Highlights (click/tap above):
4:34 Why Jeremy wanted PM Wong to give Singaporeans the &ldquo;bitter medicine&rdquo;
7:45 Were the expectations of big announcements warranted?
9:18 &ldquo;The disconnect is something that needs to be addressed&rdquo;: Jeremy
16:15 Does PM Wong&rsquo;s style of delegating announcements to his colleagues work?
21:00 PM Wong&rsquo;s rally call dichotomy: Empowering Singaporeans, yet slightly paternalistic?
28:06 The big question about PM Wong&rsquo;s We First message: What can be the new approach?
Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Natasha&rsquo;s articles:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/iSXm">https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast">https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Teo Tong Kai &amp; Eden Soh&nbsp;
Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Lynda Hong, Danson Cheong &amp; Elizabeth Khor
Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday: Channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/5nfm" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/5nfm&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1749785082534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0lVWPuRyh5m8VD7V76OV1m">https://str.sg/5nfm</a> Apple Podcasts:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/9ijX" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/9ijX&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1749785082534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2gkqh0LEQ_ChzavW5BHf8F">https://str.sg/9ijX</a> Spotify:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/cd2P" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/cd2P&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1749785082534000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1A48Vj69llfD3EPQP2ZvlM">https://str.sg/cd2P</a> YouTube:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a> Feedback to:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
SPH Awedio app:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/">https://www.awedio.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates:&nbsp;<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-stringify-link="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-sk="tooltip_parent">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/4Vwsa" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:&nbsp;<a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
---
#tup #tuptr

Natasha and her guests unpack the latest current affairs, every Thursday.

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests. 

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.&nbsp;
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor &amp; Ernest Luis
Editorial producer: Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Advertisement