Prepping for their Parliament debut

“It’s like the teacher calling your name.”

What is the true test of meritocracy?

Pitfalls of idealising meritocracy

An elderly woman and her pigeons

Leading the MPS sessions

Speaking in Parliament vs at GE2025

The supportive wives behind these MPs

Challenging the PAP-lite claims

A need for direct answers from the Government

A marathon Parliament session unfolded last week, as MPs debated the President’s Address over five days.

A total of 81 MPs spoke in support of the motion, including the 32 newly elected members who delivered their maiden speeches. They raised issues ranging from job and wage anxieties to bridging the wealth inequality gap and the disruption caused by artificial intelligence (AI).

In this episode of The Usual Place, I spoke with Workers’ Party MPs Fadli Fawzi and Kenneth Tiong about their Parliament debut.

I chatted with both Aljunied GRC MPs about their speeches, and what life has been like after the 2025 General Election.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:25 Prepping for their Parliament debut

4:01 “It’s like the teacher calling your name.”

6:45 Social mobility is the true test of meritocracy: Fadli

9:24 Pitfalls of idealising meritocracy

12:03 An elderly woman and her pigeons

14:13 Leading the Meet-the-People sessions

16:11 Speaking in Parliament versus at GE2025

20:46 The supportive wives behind these MPs

22:46 Challenging the PAP-lite claims

27:20 A need for direct answers from the Government

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: Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

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

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#tup #tuptr

A marathon Parliament session unfolded last week, as MPs debated the President&rsquo;s Address over five days.
A total of 81 MPs spoke in support of the motion, including the 32 newly elected members who delivered their maiden speeches. They raised issues ranging from job and wage anxieties to bridging the wealth inequality gap and the disruption caused by artificial intelligence (AI).
In this episode of The Usual Place, I spoke with Workers&rsquo; Party MPs Fadli Fawzi and Kenneth Tiong about their Parliament debut.
I chatted with both Aljunied GRC MPs about their speeches, and what life has been like after the 2025 General Election.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:25 Prepping for their Parliament debut
4:01 &ldquo;It&rsquo;s like the teacher calling your name.&rdquo;
6:45 Social mobility is the true test of meritocracy: Fadli
9:24 Pitfalls of idealising meritocracy
12:03 An elderly woman and her pigeons
14:13 Leading the Meet-the-People sessions
16:11 Speaking in Parliament versus at GE2025
20:46 The supportive wives behind these MPs
22:46 Challenging the PAP-lite claims
27:20 A need for direct answers from the Government
Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Natasha&rsquo;s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iSXm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/iSXm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">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?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/v6DN?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/v6DN?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai and Chen Junyi
Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor &amp; Ernest Luis
Editorial producer: Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg/?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://www.awedio.sg/?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://www.awedio.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <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

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