Izaac Quek and Koen Pang remind us of a simple truth: Fair play is a beautiful thing

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local examples on sportsmanship......

‘Cultivating’ scammers: Trading card community says some mystery packs promote cheating, gambling

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Hobbyists said Oripas should be banned due to the gambling and scam risks they pose.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has said trading card packs will be regulated  to manage gambling risks involving blind boxes
prices have tripled in the last five years, blurring the line between collector and “investor”......It’s become difficult to disassociate the hobby from money and taking the fun out of it

while trading card communities can be good for the social development of the young, the gambling element of trading card packs must be managed. “They are a form of gambling. You chase that dopamine high of getting a special card, developing compulsive behaviour,

For issues on collecting items and hobbies....

Singapore to raise retirement age to 64 and re-employment age to 69 on July 1: Tan See Leng

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This means that Singapore is on track to raise the retirement age to 65 and the re-employment age to 70 by 2030

They shape social norms around ageing and work, giving seniors confidence to stay on, and giving employers the clarity to plan for and retain experienced workers

the Senior Employment Credit scheme allows the Government to provide wage offsets to help employers adjust to the higher retirement and re-employment ages

Chinamaxxing? Boiling apples won’t make you Chinese

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As Singapore considers nuclear energy, it’s time to ask the right questions

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Some useful rebuttals to often-cited advantages of the nuclear option....

Qn: 'Fossil fuels should no longer have a part in the production of energy.’ Discuss. (Cam . 2023)

S’pore’s fertility rate sinks to new low of 0.87, citizen population could shrink by early 2040s

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Over time, it will be practically impossible to reverse the trend, because we will have fewer and fewer women who can bear children

the need to therefore have a “carefully managed immigration flow to augment our low birth rate

Singapore’s population was 6.11 million as at June 2025

The plunging births and rapidly ageing population have massive implications on multiple fronts, from weakening family support networks to slowing economic growth....At a macro level, a declining economy means less vitality in our city and economy. Our economic growth and, correspondingly, our income growth will slow. And with fewer citizens, it will become increasingly difficult to meet our national security and defence needs. This raises the deeper question of what Singapore will be 50 or 100 years from now – will we remain vibrant, liveable and relevant? Will we exist?

Qn: 'The government should never interfere with people’s private lives.’ To what extent is this true of your society? (CJC Prelim 2024)

Where artificial intelligence lives: South-east Asia’s data centre boom

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many of Asia’s data centres 

will add demand to power grids

 still heavily reliant on planet-warming fossil fuels. And to keep servers from overheating, they will place new pressure on often-stretched local water supplies.

For issues on technology's impact on the environment.....

New tax proposal takes aim at Thailand’s salty food obsession

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Public health campaigns can only do so much to change people’s tastes. We need legal measures and taxes to reshape the landscape, to make extreme saltiness no longer the norm

Sweetness and saltiness can be addictive. Emotions often outweigh reason. We need an environment that makes healthier choices easier

Eating habits are deeply rooted in taste, lifestyle and convenience. A tax alone won’t move the needle

Qns:

1. To what extent do you agree that enough is being done in your society to encourage a healthy lifestyle? (Cam. 2025)

2. How effectively is public health promoted and managed in your society? (Cam. 2015)

Forum: Kudos to man who cleaned up stranger’s vomit on train

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Duped Singaporeans: The most tech-savvy targets in history

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At the heart of most scams is not technological brilliance, but human vulnerability. Scammers weaponise emotional triggers – greed, urgency, impulse, fear, authority and scarcity – to push victims into making fast, instinctive decisions. Behavioural science shows that under pressure, people rely on mental shortcuts that increase the likelihood of scam victimisation.

Advancement in technology means that we are constantly bombarded by manipulative tactics, from deepfake voices that mimic our loved ones to AI personas and spoofed domains that lend a false sense of credibility.

Digital literacy does not confer immunity. In fact, digital dependence often increases exposure

Singapore’s AI push needs a defensive shield to protect workers

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For workers, training and upskilling will open avenues to higher-value roles. Those who master AI tools may find themselves augmented rather than replaced and will command premium wages.

The vulnerability here extends well beyond factory floors and call centres. Recent research reveals that generative AI disproportionately affects cognitive workers – precisely the middle- to upper-income professionals who have traditionally enjoyed job security. Various studies show that occupations involving non-routine cognitive tasks are among the most exposed to AI automation. Computer programmers, accountants, legal assistants and financial analysts, who typically have college degrees and command respectable salaries, face significant exposure. This represents a fundamental shift from previous waves of automation, which primarily affected routine manual and clerical jobs. As the International Monetary Fund notes, nearly 60 per cent of employment in advanced economies is exposed to AI – and it’s the high-skilled workers who face the greatest risk. Singapore, with its large knowledge-intensive workforce, is particularly vulnerable.

Workers who are laid off often experience large and persistent income losses when they find new employment. Research on displaced workers shows that those who lose their jobs earn on average 33 per cent less when they are re-employed, with earnings deficits persisting for years. Especially for older cognitive workers who have spent decades building specialised expertise, the erosion of human capital can be particularly severe. Their skills may not transfer readily to other sectors – a compliance officer cannot easily become a data scientist, for example – and younger, cheaper workers familiar with AI tools may hold a decisive advantage.

Qn: To what extent is artificial intelligence replacing the role of humans? (Cam. 2019)

Can Olympic skier Eileen Gu continue to walk the US-China tightrope?

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Note that not all individuals represent the nation that they were born or grew up in....

Qn: 'Individuals achieve sporting success, not nations.’ Discuss.

Top 5% of households in S’pore hold one-third of wealth: Jeffrey Siow

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Singapore's top 1% holds 14% of household wealth; top 5% holds 33%, with wealth inequality (Gini 0.55) higher than income inequality

Gini coefficient for wealth estimated to be 0.55, while that for income was 0.38 after taxes and transfers.

Qn: To what extent should income equality be a goal in your society? (Cam. 2019)

Forum: Rethink fairness in exams when accommodating students with dyslexia

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Fairness should not mean treating every student identically. It should mean giving each student a fair opportunity to demonstrate what they know.

Qn: In your society, how far is equality for all a reality? (Cam. 2012)

Back to school for Lions coach Gavin Lee, who shares lessons at Victoria JC

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Good local example on resilience....

Looking back, I’m just glad that I didn’t give up (my studies). I was very close to it and that was probably the easiest thing to do. It’s just like my coaching career, where I have had (more) setbacks than good moments.”

Getting through the tough times, it really came down to the support around you. And it’s a journey that you cannot go through alone.

also shared with students the importance of resilience, a quality that helped him ace his A-level examinations and earn a degree in business administration from the National University of Singapore.

Why post on Instagram? 4 in 10 South Koreans use it to boast, survey shows

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Link to idea of social media causing more self-centredness and narcissism...

Forum: Erasing sports coverage narrows the lens on public life

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When the Washington Post shutters its sports section, it does not merely cut costs – it abdicates responsibility.

A true public institution adapts; it does not retreat. To withdraw rather than innovate is to signal that the paper no longer sees itself as a custodian of collective memory.

Qn: Consider the view that profitability should be the highest priority of a business. (Cam. 2024 Syllabus 8807)

Singapore to resume crow shooting operations from second half of March

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Qn: To what extent are the rights of animals protected in your society? (Cam. 2012)

Meet insurance boss Lucas Neo, who faced backlash over frank reviews of Michelin-listed hawkers

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food content creators and netizens who slammed him for affecting hawker livelihoods and even accused him of “breaking their rice bowls”

Related links:

HERE: Hup Chong Yong Tau Foo owner breaks down over negative review 1 month before closure, says it was 'worst Christmas ever'....The owner of Hup Chong Yong Tau Foo, located in Toa Payoh, has said that their family have been "deeply hurt" by an online commentary criticising its pricing, just one month before it closes down for good.

HERE: 'Be human first, influence later': Kampong Glam bazaar banner a 'lovely reminder' to food reviewers, says netizen.....The banner reads: "We strive for perfection, but we are only human. If you feel inclined to leave a negative review, we humbly ask for the opportunity to make it right first." "Kindness is not found in anything except that it beautifies it. Be human first, influence later," it added at the end.

Qns:
1. Do social media influencers and content creators have too much power in today’s world? (VJC Promos 2025)
2. Should social media influencers be held accountable for their views or actions? (NYJC J1 Promos 2025)

Imagine a Singapore without all that hyper-competition

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There’s a difference between healthy competition – good-spirited motivation to advance sustainably – and hyper-competition. The latter requires us to push others out of the way and operate from a zero-sum mindset, believing that a win for others is automatically a loss for us. 

the idea of “can’t miss out” or “me-first” is pervasive in so many areas of our lives. Zero-sum approaches to life result broadly in three losses, my research found: a lack of curiosity, generosity and risk-taking necessary for leadership.

If we believe that success is winner-take-all, we’re less likely to want to cooperate and collaborate, let alone “give away” any of our resources unconditionally.

The narrative around competition is often about how it drives excellence, but in practice, it often rewards those who conform most closely to a set standard. Competition makes us more risk-averse. Risk-taking – and the corresponding failure at times – is deeply necessary for growth, innovation and leadership.

Qns:

1. Is competition always desirable? (Cam. 2016)

2. 'Being very competitive is not always desirable.’ Do you agree? Why or why not?

India’s top cities can be a nightmare to live in

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Qn: Consider the view that city life is losing its appeal. 

It is timely for Singapore to work on climate adaptation

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In 2019, then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his National Day Rally speech that Singapore’s climate change defences 

were as existential for the country as its armed forces

.

But one area we could do better in is to help people understand that climate adaptation also requires action on their part.

Unlike neighbouring countries, Singapore has not yet faced severe climate impacts, so climate change can feel like a distant concern for many. And this sentiment could slow the urgency of preparing for climate shocks. The problem is not ignorance, apathy or a lack of moral concern.....the way climate impacts are framed could be preventing the masses from taking action. Climate impacts are often described as happening years later from 2050, elsewhere in the Arctic and deep rainforest, or at a larger scale. “These framings, while scientifically accurate, unintentionally generate psychological escape routes. Together, they form what I call a ‘Pandora’s box of excuses’ that allows people to care abstractly while postponing action indefinitely

Sport for kids can’t just be about winning. It’s first about having fun

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Qn: 'Being very competitive is not always desirable.’ Do you agree? Why or why not?