National identity has different layers; S’pore has to guard against fault lines: SM Lee

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Can prompting ChatGPT make us better communicators?

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It’s not about getting better answers, but asking better questions. It’s about figuring out what you really want to say, how to say it clearly, and anticipating how your words will land – on both human and machine ears. And in that sense, AI might not just be shaping our communication for us, it might be teaching us to be better communicators ourselves.

In daily life, the ability to communicate clearly is a surprisingly underrated skill. Whether you’re writing a note to ask for help at work, or reaching out to someone after a misunderstanding, the success of that interaction often hinges less on what you say and more on how you say it. Think: tone, timing, context. These are soft skills we’re often expected to know intuitively, but many people never get taught them. Prompting AI can offer a space to practice. 

For neurodivergent individuals and anyone who struggles with social nuance, structured prompting is especially powerful. Conditions like autism or ADHD often come with challenges around interpreting or producing indirect, socially “smooth” language prized in many workplaces.

Qn: To what extent has technology had a negative impact on the skill levels of people? (Cam. 2010)

Singapore’s success will never be measured by economic growth alone, says President Tharman

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Qns:

1. The key criterion for good government is how well the economy is managed. Is this a fair assessment? (Cam. 2012)

2. To what extent can any society claim to be great? (Cam. 2020)

Sweeping Texas law barring Chinese land ownership is racist, say critics

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Supporters say the law is prompted by concerns over national security, to keep China’s growing appetite for property abroad in check.

Critics maintain it legitimises harmful and racist claims about immigrants, and can encourage hostility and increase the incidence of anti-Asian violence. They say it sends the message that Asian Americans are unwelcome, that they do not belong.

The US is under pervasive threat from the Chinese Communist Party, from Russia, from Iran and from North Korea

It (the law) does nothing more than send us backwards to a time when Asian Americans were openly told they didn’t belong

Qn: Assess the view that the world today is more divided than before. (ACJC Prelim 2024)

With grand parade, China projects its version of war history, and its place in the world

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It was the one time in that era when China had a clearly defined external enemy; in all the other conflicts, Chinese were fighting other Chinese

the narrative in 2025 seeks to portray the CPC as the “central pillar” of the Chinese resistance against Japan, despite the fact that it was Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist forces that led the defence of China

historical narratives that run counter to its official version of the past, particularly how the country managed to overcome its “century of humiliation” only thanks to the CPC.

“In the PRC, history is less about seeking truth from facts and more about undergirding the party’s regime legitimacy

For issues on the reliability of history.....

Qn: Is there any point in studying history when we should look to the future? (ACJC Prelim 2024)

Police to issue Meta first online harms order in S’pore to fight scams; possible fines of up to $1m

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If Meta fails to comply, it can be fined up to $1 million. This is the first implementation directive issued to an online service provider in Singapore under the Online Criminal Harms Act (Ocha) since the law came into force in February 2024

Facebook is the top platform used by scammers to impersonate key government office-holders.

Several accounts or posts on Facebook impersonating Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and former defence minister Ng Eng Hen  popped up earlier in 2025.

In February 2024, then Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling criticised Meta in Parliament for repeatedly refusing to have safeguards on its platforms to tackle the scam scourge.

Qn: In today’s troubled world, should governments impose more restrictions over the media? (SAJC Prelim 2024)

Forum: Public confidence key when considering nuclear energy

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Nuclear power has often been described as a “double-edged sword”. It offers the promise of reliable and low-carbon energy. However, the prospect of setting up a nuclear power plant or a small modular reactor (SMR) in Singapore’s setting also raises concerns about safety, waste disposal and costs

Technology alone cannot win acceptance because citizens need to feel assured that safety will never be compromised, that emergency measures are in place, and that waste will be responsibly managed.

Nuclear energy may one day play a pivotal role in our energy future. But whether it does so will depend not just on technology, but also on trust. Open discussions, honest communication and shared understanding will be just as vital as scientific studies

Qn: Does science solve all of our problems? (JPJC Prelim 2025)

A new generation of ‘AI-native’ extremists is rising. Can they be stopped?

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the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

The attackers didn’t just wield machine guns and grenades that killed more than 160 people. They used then nascent handheld GPS devices to navigate the Arabian Sea from Karachi, studied their targets on Google Earth (made public just three years earlier), and spoke to handlers in Pakistan via voice-over-internet protocol – the forerunner of today’s WhatsApp calls – bamboozling investigators unfamiliar with the technology.

What worries practitioners now is AI’s immediate utility in three areas: 

producing propaganda at scale, fast and with wider reach; supercharging mis- and disinformation by lowering costs and eroding trust; and, of greatest concern to security agencies, opening more channels for radicalisation and recruitment via chatbots and translation tools.

The latest report from ISD noted two recent cases here. A 17-year-old ISIS supporter detained in September 2024 used an AI chatbot to generate a bai’ah, a pledge of allegiance in the Islamic context, to ISIS and a declaration of armed jihad against non-Muslims intended to inspire others in Singapore to violence.

A 17-year-old far-right supporter detained in March 2025 meanwhile searched an AI chatbot for instructions on producing ammunition and considered 3D-printing firearms for a local attack.

Recent events prove that reactive scrambling, rather than proactive safety measures, is the industry playbook. The modus operandi seems to be: wait for scandal, then patch.

After a recent Reuters investigation exposed Meta chatbots engaging with minors in “romantic or sensual” conversations, the company swiftly added safeguards.

OpenAI, meanwhile, is rolling out gentle reminders for long chats to prevent steering vulnerable users towards self-harm. This follows a highly publicised wrongful death complaint in San Francisco where a 16-year-old boy, initially using ChatGPT for homework help, became dependent on the app as a confidant for hours daily and asked it for advice on suicide methods.

Even with laws like Singapore’s Online Criminal Harms Act – which can act swiftly against platforms that aid terror 

Qns:

1. To what extent should governments regulate the development and use of artificial intelligence? (NYJC Prelim 2025)

2. 'Technology has given us a false sense of hope in solving problems. To what extent is this true? (RI Prelim 2024)

Shanmugam lays out S’pore’s approach to helping Palestinians, condemns Israel’s actions in Gaza

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Qn: Is foreign aid ultimately more damaging than beneficial to the countries it aims to support? (RI Prelim 2025)

Gender-row Olympic boxer Lin Yu-ting won't compete at worlds, says official

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Qn: ‘Traditional notions of gender are irrelevant today.’ To what extent is this true in your society? (NYJC 2025 J2 MYE)

‘How may AI help?’: S’pore firms tap ‘digital humans’ to reach customers, fill manpower gaps

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another digital human, Silvia... at Chinatown MRT station later in 2025. She will support the deaf community by responding to spoken or typed queries in the written word and sign language...Silvia represents another step forward in making public transport more inclusive. She also frees up station staff to focus on more complex assistance and safety matters. 

virtual workers have helped firms struggling to fill service positions

Singaporean celebrity chef Justin Quek is using digital human technology to drive sales for his sauces, dips and pastes business. He hopes to expand into markets such as China and the Middle East. “I don’t speak Mandarin or Arabic but this is me,” Mr Quek said of introductory videos for his business, which are fronted by his avatar.

Qn: To what extent has technology had a negative impact on the skill levels of people? (Cam. 2010)

US comedian Sammy Obeid ordered to carry Pofma correction notices on posts alleging censorship

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Social workers are essential for Singapore. So why don’t we treat them that way?

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common perception that it is not a “prestigious” profession like “finance, banking or IT”....social workers are often lumped together with vocational workers. Many Singaporeans still look down on jobs in technical and community care fields. As a result, these roles are often undervalued and underpaid. 

reports in the media add to this misunderstanding by often highlighting dramatic crisis cases, while ignoring the important day-to-day work that social workers do

Singapore’s sixth president, Mr S R Nathan, began working life in the 1950s as a medical social worker and became a welfare officer for maritime workers, before moving to other appointments in the civil service. 

Raising salaries may be one factor, but recognition and career progression are seen as more critical ...The prestigious Outstanding Social Worker Award is one example of such recognition. Corporations, as part of their CSR (corporate social responsibility), could fund sabbaticals and fellowship schemes for mid-career social workers to allow them to pursue adjacent interests and career paths. 

In a world where our interactions are increasingly digitalised and automated, social workers provide comforting “high touch” human care for complex social needs

Qns: 

1. ‘Essential workers are not appreciated enough in your country.’ Do you agree? (NYJC 2025 J2 MYE P1)

2. ‘People who do the most worthwhile jobs rarely receive the best financial rewards.’ To what extent is this true in your society? (Cam. 2016)

Blood shed in Jakarta: Prabowo appeals for calm but he’s unlikely to succeed, say analysts

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the significance of this incident lies in the fact that it was captured on mobile phones and widely shared, allowing people to witness in real time that someone died during a protest.

the current protests, which erupted 

after lawmakers sharply increased their allowances

 at a time when ordinary people are struggling with rising prices, came just weeks after provincial demonstrations over tax hikes

Qn: Does violence in the visual media portray reality or encourage the unacceptable? (Cam. 2019)