28 episodes

Mr. Tok Show is produced and hosted by Tok Jia Jie, in Singapore. Mr. Tok Show is a long format interview show. The interview is not edited, unless indicated otherwise, for which reason(s) I shall declare in my show notes. Any sponsorship, monetary or otherwise, will also be declared in the episode's show notes. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Similarly, words spoken by me are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of organisations and institutions I am affiliated with from time to time. I aspire the show to be a platform for guests from all walks of life to share their stories, express their opinions and beliefs. I very much welcome all feedback and discussion on the show's content.

Mr. Tok Show Tok Jia Jie

    • Society & Culture

Mr. Tok Show is produced and hosted by Tok Jia Jie, in Singapore. Mr. Tok Show is a long format interview show. The interview is not edited, unless indicated otherwise, for which reason(s) I shall declare in my show notes. Any sponsorship, monetary or otherwise, will also be declared in the episode's show notes. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Similarly, words spoken by me are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of organisations and institutions I am affiliated with from time to time. I aspire the show to be a platform for guests from all walks of life to share their stories, express their opinions and beliefs. I very much welcome all feedback and discussion on the show's content.

    MTS#25 Alvin Chiong, Volunteer, Loving Hand Fellowship, on Drugs and Accepting Christ

    MTS#25 Alvin Chiong, Volunteer, Loving Hand Fellowship, on Drugs and Accepting Christ

    Alvin is a former drug abuser and "recovering addict". 

    He was incarcerated 4 times for drug abuse. As a kid, he watched his Father abuse opium and later heroin. His Father passed away at the hospital, with opium in his bedside drawer. His Mother left the family. His wife divorced him because of his drug habits, but they later remarried again after he kicked the habit (what a great story!) 

    In this episode, we talk about his experience and journey with drugs. Why he believes he is just a "recovering addict". His journey accepting Christ, and why asking for help is the most important and powerful thing anyone can do. 

    Follow Alvin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076420544641

    Timestamps 0:00 The F&B Industry 3:48 Career vs. Job 4:37 Serving as a Prison Volunteer 6:15 Remarrying his Wife 7:00 Incarceration because of Drugs 8:02 What is a Halfway House? 9:08 Getting a Second Chance at a Halfway House 10:56 3 Kind of People at the Halfway House 14:45 Seeking Help at Halfway House 16:02 Detox at IMH 16:33 Withdrawal Symptoms of Drugs/Addiction 18:13 Worrying Trend of Youngsters Abusing Drugs 19:51 Drug Sources/Drug Dealers' Lifestyle 21:00 Evolving Demographics of Drug Abusers 22:03 Maintaining a Drug Free Singapore 22:39 First Exposure to Drug/Father's Drug Addiction & Vices 25:04 Elder Brother/The Importance of People you Mix With 26:32 Only Regret 26:54 "Triad Trial" by Architect of Life 30:53 Rituals of Secret Societies 31:33 Involvement in Secret Societies 32:17 The Drug Rehabilitation Center (DRC) 33:40 Continuing Rehabilitation at a Halfway House/Cannot Prove Anything While Inside 35:36 Aftercare Services 37:11 Challenges Inmates Face after Release 40:44 Support Network for Inmates 42:08 Repeat Drug Abusers/"We are just Recovering Addicts" 44:38 New "Normal" for Drug Abusers 47:34 CNB Operations 49:12 Who Runs the Drug Syndicates? 52:02 Quitting his Job to Become a Full Time Volunteer 55:38 Accepting Christ & Becoming a Christian 58:20 Understanding Love 1:00:03 Being Able to Share our Problems 1:01:23 Experience with God/Attempting Suicide 1:04:22 Applying Lessons from the Bible/Relationship with God 1:08:32 Suicidal Thoughts Mentality 1:09:16 What Happened to his Father? 1:12:20 Relationship with Wife & 2 Sons 1:14:03 Thoughts of the Death Penalty for Drug Traffickers 1:19:09 The Right Mindset to Quit Drugs 1:21:18 YOLO & FOMO/Thailand's Legalisation of Cannabis 1:25:54 Philosophy to Living Life/What is a Good Life? 1:28:47 Dealing with Negative Comments 1:29:36 Advice to Drug Abusers 1:31:48 Importance of Education/Life Long Learning 1:34:36 Biggest Wish 1:35:32 Plans for the Future/His Concerns 1:36:48 Message for Wife 1:37:33 JJ's Sharing about his Mother 1:39:10 Christianity is about your Relationship with God/On Filial Piety 1:42:01 His Mother 1:43:26 On Building a Relationship with God 1:46:22 Outro 

    Follow Us on our Social Media! 

    JJ & The Mr. Tok Show 

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrtokshow 

    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tokjiajie 

    Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrtokshow 

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrtokshow

    • 1 hr 48 min
    MTS#24 Ken Koh, Director, Nanyang Sauce, on Preserving his Family's Handmade Soy Sauce Heritage

    MTS#24 Ken Koh, Director, Nanyang Sauce, on Preserving his Family's Handmade Soy Sauce Heritage

    Ken is the 3rd Generation family member of Nanyang Sauce. Nanyang Sauce was founded in 1959 by his grandfather, Mr Tan Tiong How and is a premium artisan sauce maker operating in Singapore. Since joining the family business, he has transformed and rejuvenated the aging business through innovation and cultivating an intrapreneurial culture. 

    Ken has a strong belief in transforming lives. Prior to joining the family business, Ken was involved in starting his own training business which he ran for 13 years. 

    In this episode, we talk about why Nanyang Sauce is special, his thoughts on taking over the family business, the modern food industry, the first Web 3.0 Sauce he is concocting, and more! 

    Nanyang Sauce's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nanyangsauce 

    Sauce Legend's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saucelegend 

    Ken's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenkoh/ 

    Timestamps 0:00 Brand New Boutique Shop at Changi Jewel: Sauce Legend 6:04 Why Changi Jewel? 7:38 Vision Behind Sauce Legend 11:09 Why Is Nanyang Sauce Not Available in All Supermarkets? 15:19 Taking over the Family Business 18:11 The Food Industry/Nanyang's Manufacturing Process 20:49 A Sunset Industry 25:32 The Origins of Soya Sauce 27:34 Being Honest with Customers 28:37 Why did the Family Not Call It a Day and Wind Up the Business? 32:50 Remembering his Grandfather, Founder of Nanyang Sauce 35:44 Upholding Traditions in the Business 38:36 Fermenting Nanyang Soya Sauce at Home 40:47 On Family Business & Business Succession 49:33 Going on a Sauce Brewery Tour in the Region/Discovering What's Most Valuable 55:05 Cancer Inducing Food/Researching the Content of our Food 1:06:03 JJ's Tasting! 1:13:07 The Magic of Nanyang Sauce 1:15:55 The Pros & Cons of Running a Family Business 1:18:23 Preserving Food Heritage via Sauce Legend 1:27:56 Business Strategy for Nanyang Sauce 1:29:52 Customer Driven Innovation 1:35:30 Philosophy Towards Marketing 1:43:38 What is a Web 3.0 Sauce? 1:55:25 Preserving Memories of our Loved Ones 1:57:07 What's the Future of Nanyang Sauce? 2:00:49 Make All Sauces Safe Again 2:03:50 Outro Follow Us on our Social Media! JJ & The Mr. Tok Show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrtokshow Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tokjiajie Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrtokshow Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrtokshow 



    JJ's Post Production Notes 

    "Soy sauce, the condiment that surely must be present in all Asian households that cook. I honestly never thought too much about the manufacturing process of something as common as soy sauce. I would have thought that machines and technology would help in fermenting our soy sauce, but never imagined most of the soy sauce we buy today are essentially chemically produced. There is a Chinese saying 病从口入, it means "illnesses enter through our mouth", I guess referring to the food we eat. Is it then any wonder that cancer continues to be the leading principal cause of death in many modern and developed societies? Is this an inevitable tradeoff for convenience? I am glad there are food manufacturers like Ken who continue to espouse the belief that they would not feed their customers what they would not feed their own children. Meeting a businessman who is a romantic at heart is always refreshing. When dollars and cents, and commercial success is not the only end goal. When preserving a priceless family heritage is as important as making a living. I wish Ken and Nanyang Sauce all the best for generations to come. One thing for sure after this episode, they have got another loyal customer in me who will swear by their products. To umami and good health!“ -JJ

    • 2 hr 11 min
    MTS#23 Dr. Alvona Loh, Medical Officer, Ministry of Health on Being a Doctor & Learning Mandarin

    MTS#23 Dr. Alvona Loh, Medical Officer, Ministry of Health on Being a Doctor & Learning Mandarin

    Dr. Alvona Loh is a young doctor from Singapore. She studied Medicine at National University of Singapore and is currently practising at the National Center for Infectious Diseases (NCID). She also writes and review medical research papers to promote academia. 

    She has also been writing and contributing articles to media outlets such as Lianhe Zaobao and TODAY over the years. She is also known for being effectively bilingual, with a strong command of both English and Mandarin. 

    In this episode, we discuss life as a junior doctor working in a Singapore public hospital, her advice for aspiring doctors, her family background, how she became effectively bilingual and adulting issues. 

    Connect with Dr. Alvona on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alvona-loh/ 

    Timestamps 

    0:00 Introduction 1:02 Working as a Medical Officer at the National Center for Infectious Disease 4:40 Most & Least Enjoyable Aspects of Job 10:36 The Roster Monster 12:25 The Night Calls 13:39 The Healthcare Great Resignation 14:57 Dr. Alvona's Career Path 16:18 JJ's Experience as a Caregiver/Learning Lessons from the Hospitals 20:54 Palliative Medicine 24:51 Experience with Death Growing Up/Grandfather's Passing Away 26:15 Lessons from Being a Doctor 28:15 Mayor of Taipei City: Professor Ko Wen-je 30:08 Advice for Aspiring Doctor33:01 Has She Always Wanted to be a Doctor?/Attachment Experiences 35:17 Family Background 37:05 Our Experiences in Kebun Bahru 39:45 JJ's Memory of his Paternal Grandmother 41:46 On Community Service 47:07 On Living as a Millennial 49:57 Issues on Dr. Alvona's Mind 52:18 On Singapore Politics/Joining Business China 55:40 China's Variety Shows (最强大脑&奇葩说) 1:02:13 JJ on Distributing Mandarin Content in China 1:04:22 On Bilingualism, Chinese Culture and Learning Mandarin 1:10:55 On Other Cultures 1:12:08 Making an Effort to Learn Mandarin/Writing for Lianhe Zaobao 1:14:58 On Writing 1:18:22 Learning from a Film Production Set 1:19:26 Plans for Upcoming Community Work in Thailand/Lifelong Learning 1:23:36 On Relationships (Does Dr. Alvona have a Boyfriend?) 1:28:37 Dr. Alvona's Ideal Partner 1:31:20 On Adulting/Adult Money 1:34:54 Dealing with People's Perceptions 1:36:44 On Recognizing Own Strengths & Weaknesses 1:38:22 People's Judgement & Assumption 1:42:04 Wanting to Learn Tiktok 1:44:50 On Gender Stereotypes 1:50:10 Our Views on Toxic Masculinity 1:55:18 On Raising Boys & Girls 1:56:30 Outro 

    Follow Us on our Social Media! 

    JJ & The Mr. Tok Show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrtokshow 

    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tokjiajie 

    Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrtokshow 

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrtokshow 

    • 1 hr 58 min
    MTS#22, Dr. Angela Tan, Co-Founder, Academy of Relationship and Sex on Sex & the Metaverse

    MTS#22, Dr. Angela Tan, Co-Founder, Academy of Relationship and Sex on Sex & the Metaverse

    Dr. Angela Tan is family physician, intimacy coach and social venture builder. She is the Co-Founder of The Academy of Relationship & Sex (ARAS), which aspires to help people forge deeper & meaningful connections that strengthens their relationships and expression of sexual identity.

    In this episode, I ask Dr. Angela curious questions about sex and relationship, her aspiration to build a sexual wellness academy in the metaverse, and what her team at ARAS is up to with their upcoming 2nd NFT series drop.

    Academy of Relationship & Sex & Dr. Angela Tan
    ARAS' Website: https://www.academyrns.com/
    ARAS' YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdKMsLqrcYsnnFXGPdhWFLw
    ARAS' IG: https://www.instagram.com/academyrns/
    ARAS' Twitter: https://twitter.com/Academyrns
    Dr. Tan's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-angela-tan-338080183/

    The Intimacy Kit!
    https://www.academyrns.com/intimacy-merchanise/merchandise?tag=Intimacy%20Kit

    Yes-No-Maybe by ARAS
    https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f83e4c75fcfbb2127f808d6/t/611ba82e60a9ed2e90fffc81/1629202484459/YES-NO-MAYBE+%281%29+%281%29.pdf

    Timestamps 
    0:00 Introduction 
    1:17 Referring Patients with Issues Relating to Sex 
    1:54 The Importance of Relationships in our Life/Dr. Angela's Work 
    4:15 How Should We Learn to Have Sex? 
    6:20 How Should Parents Approach their Children's First Relationship 
    8:46 What is the Significance of Sex? 
    10:10 Do Men & Women Face Similar Issues? 
    11:36 Sex is not just about the Intercourse 
    12:02 Issues Married Couples Face/How to Reject Request/Scheduling Sex 
    14:20 Are Singaporean Couples Not having Enough Sex? 
    15:16 Is there an Ideal Frequency for Sex? 
    16:46 Is it Ok for Married Couples to not have Sex? 
    17:35 When do People see Dr. Angela? 
    18:57 Pre-Marital Sex/Teaching Consequences & Respect 
    22:10 Sex Education in Schools 
    25:40 Teaching Consent 
    28:34 The Work of Academy of Relationships & Sex 
    30:30 The Academy of Relationships & Sex's Vision & Signature Pleasure Masterclass 
    32:14 What is Web 3.0 & NFTs to Dr. Angela? 
    33:33 Creating a Healing Space in the Metaverse 
    34:38 Why do Some People Always Attract the Wrong Partners? 
    37:23 Good Guys Finish Last?/Why do Girls like Bad Boys? 
    38:42 Are Men & Women Wired Differently with Regards to Infidelity? 
    42:25 Red Lines in Relationships? 
    43:35 How can Singles Practice Sexual Wellness? 
    44:51 Views on Different Relationship Models/Presenting a JD in Relationships 
    47:11 Setting Expectations & Boundaries Early on in a Relationship 
    49:33 Academy of Relationships & Sex's 1st NFT Series: #CelebrateWomb 
    51:21 Upcoming NFT Launch: &Otterhalf 
    52:45 Building a Fairer Community in the Metaverse 
    55:24 Academy of Relationships & Sex's Intimacy Kit 
    58:50 Final Advice for Men & Women 
    1:01:59 Dr. Angela's Self Care Framework 

    Zhuang Ying 
    1:03:52 &Otterhalf NFT Project 
    1:05:30 Why Otters? 
    1:06:26 How does the Couple Matching Platform Work? 
    1:09:22 Creative Challenges 

    • 1 hr 11 min
    MTS#21, AhJie文王爷, 来自马来西亚的民间文化创作者

    MTS#21, AhJie文王爷, 来自马来西亚的民间文化创作者

    DISCLAIMER:此影片涉及宗教,尤其是对道教庙宇文化的讨论。纯属个人看法,仅供参考。

    AhJie文王爷是来自马来西亚的民間信仰影片创作者。

    我通过追踪他的IG,偶然知道他人在新加坡,拍摄不同庙宇的故事。

    因此决定邀请他一起在节目上聊聊我们对道教以及庙宇文化的想法。

    AhJie文王爷
    YouTube频道: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0hgH-nQ8zDnScoUkf6xosg
    IG: https://www.instagram.com/ahjie1996/
    Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wenwang0428

    Timestamps
    0:00 开场
    1:22 有关Youtube
    4:10 对新加坡的回忆
    5:05 新加坡的改变/与马来西亚的不同
    7:03 新加坡庙宇地契的问题
    8:12 新加坡的喊标文化/经济上的不同
    11:21 马来西亚不同区域的文化差别
    12:35 成长背景
    13:37 歌台/布袋戏文化
    15:31 什么时候开始对庙宇文化产生兴趣?
    17:09 跳童/乩童文化
    21:43 平安符/冲花澡的意义是什么?
    22:59 文王爷的跳童心得
    24:23 恩主:温侯元帅
    26:44 如何请天令?
    27:45 我们的民间神明到底是谁?/分灵的概念
    32:19 用政治系统来探讨分灵的概念
    33:58 家中神明的供奉
    35:01 布施行善,回向,累计阴德
    38:00 回响的方法
    38:43 跳童时的体验
    40:46 死后的状态
    42:15 祭拜祖先的意义
    45:22 庙宇人力资源的问题
    47:32 正面的与神明交流的心态
    49:17 道教的负面新闻
    50:19 有关鬼神
    51:57 与印度教的渊源
    53:58 帮印度和道教恩主服务的区别
    54:36 跳童时自身的灵魂在哪?
    55:23 马来西亚华人信奉印度教多吗?
    56:11 神是什么?
    57:00 面对批评
    58:26 做Youtuber的感触
    59:30 新加坡之旅
    1:00:23 文王爷的经典之作
    1:02:35 与观众的交流
    1:05:36 对未来的期许
    1:07:26 初学者可以如何开始探讨道教文化?
    1:09:31 拿督公文化
    1:18:08 总结

    Follow Us on our Social Media!
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrtokshow
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tokjiajie
    Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mrtokshow
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrtokshow

    Listen to the Mr. Tok Show's Audio Podcast
    Website: https://www.mrtokshow.com
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7LaJKpUpkxxV2lglkZwawg?si=0044d09c576144b3
    Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/mr-tok-show/id1558280398 

    JJ's Post Production Notes 
    "我本身从小生长在道教家庭。爷爷爸爸都信奉道教神明。对我而言,道教文化,庙宇文化有着一层神秘的面纱。不同的庙宇都有自己的一套体系及做法,各有各法。我和妈妈在2018年皈依了佛门三宝。但是毕竟儒释道在中华文化息息相关,所以我还是对道教信仰有着浓厚的兴趣。AhJie文王爷说我们的访谈是个交流,我再同意不过。非常开心有这个机会和邻国的自媒体创作者有这样的交流。希望你们也能从我们的交流中得到一些对于道教文化新的认识。“ -JJ

    • 1 hr 18 min
    MTS#20, Goh Meng Seng, Secretary-Gen, People's Power Party, on the Pandemic & SG's V Programme

    MTS#20, Goh Meng Seng, Secretary-Gen, People's Power Party, on the Pandemic & SG's V Programme

    Timestamps
    0:00 Content Creation & Freedom of Speech
    3:03 What is Science?
    3:27  Where is the Boundary for Freedom of Speech?/How to Moderate Content?
    11:16 Do we Need to Police the Internet?
    15:10 Linking our Singpass to Social Media
    17:10 The "Internet Brigade"
    20:49 Views on Facebook's Fact Checkers
    23:26 How do we Deal with the Unknown?/How would he have Handled the Masking Issue?
    34:25 How does GMS Work with Data?
    39:04 Does V Confer Protection?
    41:58 GMS "Do Not Know" if V Confer Protection
    44:19 Does Benefits of V Outweigh Risk?
    46:13 Should we Encourage the Elderly to Receive the V?
    50:22 JJ's Family's COVID Infection Experience/What is "Home/Early Treatment"?
    55:34 How would GMS Administer V in Singapore?
    58:41 "You Should Know your Body"/We Need Customized Advice for Everyone?
    1:00:22 What Happens if we do not have the V?/"Early Treatment" Saves the Day
    1:03:40 GMS will not Provide V for All Singaporeans/Focus on "Early Treatment"
    1:05:28 Why GMS Doesn't Believe the V is Safe
    1:09:05 GMS: V is Contributing to Excess Death
    1:15:40 Increased Sighting of Ambulances/What does it mean for GMS?
    1:20:43 Who is the Expert?/GMS: "In Front of the Unknown, no one is an Expert"
    1:23:53 The Importance of Long Term Data
    1:24:51 V Technology
    1:27:58 GMS Believes People are Dying Because of the V
    1:29:06 What Could be Happening in North Korea?/The Delta Wave at India
    1:30:47 How Does GMS Read Death Rates
    1:32:30 V Injuries
    1:33:23 JJ's Paternal Grandfather's Passing Away
    1:41:47 Will there be an Emerging Trend of Increased Heart Disease Related Issues?
    1:44:18 The Social & Economic Cost of the Pandemic
    1:46:40 GMS's "Confidence" in his Early Treatment Methods
    1:51:26 GMS: "The Virus will Mutate Itself until It's Mild"
    1:52:39 The Govt had Good Intentions, but Made the Wrong Judgement
    1:53:24 GMS's Approach to Handling the Pandemic
    1:55:14 Alternative Treatments Effective?/GMS: V is not the Solution
    1:57:38 GMS: LHQW has Saved the Day in Singapore/Kim Jong Un Should Stock Up on It
    2:00:53 No Long Term Data, No Talk
    2:03:45 GMS: The mRNA Technology has been a Failure All Along
    2:07:26 Fraud?/GMS: It's Impossible the Trials Were Conducted Properly
    2:14:02 Why have Almost All Govts Approved the V?
    2:16:36 GMS: Hong Kong Shot Themself in the Foot
    2:21:00 GMS: Government is Downplaying V Injuries
    2:27:02 Do People Generally Accept the Risk of V Injuries?
    2:29:53 Long Term Data, How many Years do we Need?
    2:31:31 GMS Wants to Make Singaporeans Pay for their Own V
    2:33:45 GMS: COVID-19 is not as Deadly as we Make it out to be
    2:34:18 On Long COVID
    2:36:37 Is GMS Prejudiced and Biased?
    2:42:10 GMS: "I want to get COVID"
    2:45:47 Does GMS Really "Want to get COVID"?
    2:48:47 GMS Seemingly Can't Get COVID? He Already Got COVID Back in Oct 2019??
    2:52:21 Does GMS Feel Lonely and Isolated?
    2:53:45 Does Benefits of V outweigh Risk?
    2:55:13 GMS: Government is not Pushing for Boosters
    2:57:13 GMS: There are 1,291 Known Adverse Reactions to the V
    3:01:00 On Taiwan
    3:01:46 GMS: People Do Not Understand Enough the Risk of the V
    3:03:08 Leveraging Big Data to Analyse Trends
    3:05:24 Why Does GMS Think More People are Agreeing with his Views?
    3:06:33 GMS: "Almost everyone or every family have heard of someone dying after V"
    3:08:45 GMS: 3 Elements Needed to Emerge from Pandemic
    3:13:34 China's Zero COVID Policy
    3:15:18 GMS: "We Need to have Controlled Infection of the Young"
    3:19:21 Is V for the Collective Good of Society?
    3:19:51 GMS Does Not Know if Singapore is very Different from Shangh

    • 4 hr 29 min

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