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Media Contributions

I have contributed commentaries, expert opinion, and citations to print and online media platforms on the following topics:

  • Social determinants of health

  • Infectious diseases policies

  • HIV and other sexually transmitted infections

  • Legal expert opinion on scientific advances in HIV

  • Health equity in minority and vulnerable populations

Photo by Wherda Arsianto on Unsplash

Commentaries

  1. Time to go beyond psychiatric focus to address issue of suicide. September 5., 2024. The Straits Times: Singapore.

  2. When someone has a mental health crisis, arrest is not the answer. March 27, 2024. The Straits Times: Singapore.

  3. HIV treatments have evolved, the law needs to catch up. January 10, 2024. Channel News Asia, Singapore.

  4. Why it’s time to take the fight against HIV online. December 1, 2022. Sixth Tone – Fresh Voices From Today’s China: China.

  5. Criminalization of HIV in Singapore. November 17, 2022. Centre for Sexual Rights and Reproductive Justice: Seoul.

  6. Why more needs to be done to help LGBTQ youth. August 3, 2022. The Straits Times: Singapore

  7. Drugs on the rise among youth. December 10, 2021. My Mental Health, Temasek Foundation: Singapore.

  8. Singapore’s new workplace discrimination law is timely but lacks teeth. November 14, 2021. Rice Media: Singapore.

  9. Could the use of COVID-19 self-test kits and vending machines be replicated for HIV testing? November 4, 2021. Channel News Asia, Singapore.

  10. Understanding mental health access: Is an unequal world the biggest stumbling block? October 8, 2021. Rice Media: Singapore.

  11. Do HIV non-disclosure laws in Singapore still make sense today? September 28, 2021. Rice Media: Singapore.

  12. Going beyond a task force to build a mentally healthy nation. August 25, 2021. IPS Commons, Institute of Policy Studies: Singapore.

  13. Addressing The Heart of Stigma. July 16, 2021. My Mental Health, Temasek Foundation: Singapore.

  14. Minority health isn’t a minority issue but an issue of public health equity. March 16, 2021. IPS Commons, Institute of Policy Studies: Singapore.

  15. HIV laws out of touch with scientific evidence and should be amended. July 10, 2019. TODAY Online, Singapore.

  16. Public attitudes of HIV have not moved beyond narratives of fear, prejudice from early years of global epidemic. February 2, 2019. Channel News Asia, Singapore.

Media Citations

  1. Confronting suicide: The conversations we need. October 17, 2024. The Straits Times.

  2. National suicide prevention office proposed in Singapore White Paper. September 17, 2024. The Asian Parent

  3. Report calls for national strategy to prevent suicides. September 11, 2024. The Straits Times: Singapore

  4. Ground-up initiative proposes national suicide prevention strategy for Singapore. September 11, 2024. Channel News Asia: Singapore

  5. Only half of Singaporeans know how to get help: Survey. September 11, 2024. The Straits Times: Singapore

  6. Only half of Singaporeans know how to access help for suicide support services: Study. September 11, 2024. The Straits Times: Singapore

  7. Half of S'poreans don't know how to tap suicide support services. September 10, 2024. The New Paper: Singapore

  8. National strategy needed to prevent suicides: Singapore mental health advocacy group. September 10, 2024. The Straits Times: Singapore

  9. 'Not always about mental illness': Discussions about suicide among youth are too simplified and secretive, helpline volunteers say. September 9, 2024. TODAY Online.

  10. Law change in S’pore to nudge more with HIV to get tested, treated. March 30, 2024. The Straits Times: Singapore

  11. Ministry of Health to review law on HIV disclosure. December 27, 2023. LianHeZaoBao: Singapore

  12. HIV disclosure law being reviewed. December 27, 2023. The Straits Times: Singapore

  13. Forum: Not fair to lay responsibility for disease prevention solely on persons with HIV. November 27, 2023. The Straits Times: Singapore

  14. New community-led initiative to develop suicide prevention strategy for Singapore. September 10, 2023. The Straits Times: Singapore

  15. 30 people submit applications to become Nominated Members of Parliament. April 22, 2023. Channel News Asia: Singapore

  16. At least 13 names from varying backgrounds submitted for consideration as nominated members of Parliament. April 19, 2023. Channel 8 News: Singapore.

  17. Deadline for submission of names on April 19, 12 individuals intend to be considered as nominated members of Parliament. April 13, 2023. LianHeZaoBao: Singapore.

  18. Selling sex in a post-pandemic world. November 22, 2022. Western Independent: Perth.

  19. For Singapore’s LGBTQ+ activists, repealing Section 377A is only the first step. August 25, 2022. The Diplomat.

  20. Singapore’s plan to decriminalize gay sex draws mixed feelings from the LGBTQ community. August 22, 2022. Vice News: New York

  21. Monkeypox declared global emergency: Large-scale restrictions in S'pore unnecessary, say experts. July 24, 2022. The Straits Times: Singapore

  22. Four LGBTQIA+ advocates share their experiences growing up in Singapore. July 1, 2022. Vogue Singapore: Singapore.

  23. Married couples had more sex during circuit breaker but baby boom in near future unlikely. January 9, 2022. The Straits Times: Singapore.

  24. Mental health in an unequal world — let’s ask what happened, not what’s wrong. October 11, 2021. TODAY Online: Singapore.

  25. Meet the mothers supporting their gay sons at substance addiction recovery centre, The Greenhouse. September 3, 2021. Rice Media: Singapore.

  26. Concerns over giving people ideas undermine needed conversations on suicide. August 28, 2021. Channel News Asia: Singapore.

  27. The Survey on academic freedom raises as many questions as it answers. August 21, 2021. Rice Media: Singapore.

  28. We need to stop saying 'boys don't cry' & 'boys will be boys': AWARE's Corinna Lim. August 14, 2021. Mothership: Singapore.

  29. Gay men and drugs: Chemsex in Singapore. July 25, 2021. Transformative Justice Collective: Singapore.

  30. All staff at Four Leaves bakery in Ion Orchard quarantined; outlet closed temporarily. June 9, 2021. The Straits Times: Singapore

  31. 6 Hua Zai workers who tested positive for Covid-19 were living together, working in 2 places. June 3, 2021. The Straits Times: Singapore.

  32. Improve equity of S'pore healthcare by better meeting needs of the marginalised: Panellists at Yale-NUS College forum. January 29, 2021. TODAY Online: Singapore.

  33. New HIV cases this year likely to dip below 300 for first time since 2003. December 2, 2020. The Straits Times: Singapore.

  34. Data leak in Singapore shines spotlight on HIV awareness. February 15, 2019. China Global Television Network: Beijing.

  35. This man has a stolen database of HIV-positive people in Singapore. He's not afraid to use it. February 13, 2019. Vice News: New York.

  36. An American hid his HIV status to survive in Singapore. Exposed, he allegedly punished thousands living with the virus. February 1, 2019. The Washington Post: DC.

  37. Many HIV-infected persons in S’pore more vulnerable following leak: HIV researcher. January 29, 2019. Mothership: Singapore.

  38. 'Shock, despair, and helplessness' in Singapore after HIV data breach. January 29, 2019. Gay Star News: London.

  39. Shocked by data leak, local HIV researcher writes about its implications and improvements that can be made. January 29, 2019. Coconuts Singapore: Singapore.

Television, Podcasts and Radio Segments

  1. How to help someone having suicidal thoughts. October 17, 2024. The Usual Place Podcast (The Straits Times).

  2. New white paper calls for govt to set up national office dedicated to suicide prevention. September 10, 2024. Singapore Tonight, Channel News Asia: Singapore.

  3. 本地基层工作小组发布白皮书 呼吁政府推出更多预防自杀策略. September 10, 2024. 8world, Mediacorp: Singapore.

  4. IPS On Diversity Podcast S4E2: Destigmatising HIV and AIDS. IPS On Diversity Podcast. December 20, 2023. IPS Commons.

  5. Teh Tarik with Walid Episode 70. The Tarik with Walid. October 10, 2023. Instagram Live.

  6. Special D&I episode: LGBTQ+ pride month. May 31, 2023. Beyond Markets Podcast: Julius Baer.

  7. How lived experience can transform health services (with Rayner Tan). January 25, 2023. Being Human Podcast (Spotify): Relate Malaysia.

  8. Sobering up: a heartfelt conversation on the lived experiences of substance use. October 4, 2022. Transformative Justice Collective: Instagram Live.

  9. Teh Tarik with Walid Episode 43. The Tarik with Walid. September 15, 2022. Instagram Live.

  10. Monkeypox: Addressing the facts and misconceptions. In The News with Yvonne Gomez. August 15, 2022. Power98fm: Singapore

  11. Radio segment on COVID-19 restrictions in Singapore. CNA938: Asia First with Arnold and Yasmin. March 25, 2022. Channel News Asia: Singapore

  12. World AIDS Day and Rainbow Grant Interview. CNA938 Singapore Today. December 1, 2021. Channel News Asia: Singapore

  13. Radio segment on HIV self-testing. CNA938: Asia First with Arnold and Yasmin. November 5, 2021. Channel News Asia: Singapore

  14. The ABCs of H.I.V (with Rayner Tan). Queer From The Straits.

  15. #AreWeOkay and the proposal for a Mental Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Office in Singapore with Socialservice.sg

  16. Pride Month: Celebrating Diversity with Pink Dot SG and The Greenhouse. August 2, 2021. Cloud Flare TV

  17. Episode 2 – Pretend. 50 Shades of Love podcast with Anthea Ong

  18. On the researcher’s privileged position, community partnerships, data and research advocacy: Postdoctoral fellow Rayner Tan with Socialservice.sg