News Bites is a monthly scan covering issues and trends surfaced in various local mainstream media sources that would be of relevance to the Malay/Muslim community. It is produced by the Research and Design Department (R&D) of Yayasan MENDAKI. The key highlights for this month are: • More will be done to support the marriage and parenthood aspirations of Singaporeans, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The government will continue to review and update policies, including ways to extend more help to parents who are caring for their infants, and to those seeking to better manage their work and family commitments. (ST, 14 Apr) • Broadening the definition of meritocracy, introducing targeted re-employment support and reducing the cost of SkillsFuture courses are among the moves the Government will make to shape Singapore’s future amid an uncertain and dangerous external environment. (ST, 17 Apr) • The Muslim community has learnt from its experience during the Covid-19 pandemic and continued to implement good practices throughout the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli. (ST, 21 Apr)

1. April 2023

2. 2
What is News Bites?
News Bites is a monthly scan covering issues and trends surfaced in various local
mainstream media sources that would be of relevance to the Malay/Muslim community. It is
produced by the Research and Design Department (R&D) of Yayasan MENDAKI.
News Bites begins with an article count across different media sources which are
categorised into these main areas: education, economy, employment and employability, social
and community, and Malay/Muslim affairs. Other salient areas for the month are also
highlighted. It then delves into emerging themes and trends observed.
We hope you find this month’s News Bites insightful and useful for your needs. We
look forward to your continued partnership and support, and welcome any suggestions you
might have. You can reach us at RD@mendaki.org.sg to give feedback.
RESEARCH &
DESIGN
DEPARTMENT

3. Overall Coverage
• With a total of 227 articles, Community (50), Economy (37) and Employment (27) news were
widely reported in April 2023. This reflects Singapore’s growing support towards families and
efforts in improving the employability of Singapore’s workforce.
32
19 16
8
17 14
18 18
11
19
9 9
50
37
27 27 26 23
Community Economy Employment MMA Health Education
No. of Articles
ST BH/BM Total
3

4. Emerging Themes & Trends
4

5. Community
Families
• More will be done to support the marriage and
parenthood aspirations of Singaporeans, said Deputy
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. (ST, 14 Apr)
– The government will continue to review and
update policies, including ways to extend more
help to parents who are caring for their infants, and
to those seeking to better manage their work and
family commitments.
• Kebun Baru Community Club launches Dads for Life
initiative to help fathers bond with their children. (ST,
15 Apr)
• Sustaining social mobility across generations, uplifting
those in need, and working together to build a caring
and inclusive society, are ways to help families improve
their circumstances and build a better and brighter
future, said Minister for Social and Family Development
Masagos Zulkifli. (ST, 18 Apr)
Source: ST
Source: ST
5

6. Community
Youths
• Online support may improve the psychological well-
being of young people, with a study finding a 40 per cent
drop in self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms
for those who confided in their peers online, found a
study by the National University of Singapore (NUS). (ST,
19 Apr; BH, 28 Apr) Title in BH: Kesihatan mental: Wujud
jurang pemahaman ibu bapa dengan anak-anak
• A recent Youth Epidemiology and Resilience study of
3,336 respondents aged 10 to 18, led by Associate
Professor John Wong from the Yong Loo Lin School of
Medicine at NUS has found a gap in parents’
understanding of mental health issues. (ST, 26 Apr)
– Only about one in 10 parents observed signs of
distress in their children, but one in three
adolescents reported such symptoms.
Source: ST
Source: ST
6

7. Community
Senior Citizens
• From helping seniors age in the community and remain
healthy to ensuring they have enough for retirement,
Singapore has been preparing for a “super-aged”
society and will continue to do so, said Health Minister
Ong Ye Kung. (ST, 20 Apr)
Social Service Sector
• The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) launched
the 4ST (Social Service Sector Strategic Thrusts)
Partnership Fund, to foster further collaboration
between the social sector, the public sector and
businesses, to help those in need. (ST, 27 Apr; BH, 28
Apr) Title in BH: NCSS lancar dana sokong projek inovatif
dalam khidmat sosial
Source: ST
Source: ST
7

8. Economy
Economic Outlook
• Inflation may remain stubbornly high, and the
geopolitical landscape may be more fragmented, but
Singapore will try to secure sustained economic
growth and embed itself deeper into global supply
chains and markets, including new ones. (ST, 12 Apr)
• Slower economic growth is expected this year, but
Singapore should avoid an outright contraction, said
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. (ST, 30 Apr)
Tourism
• Singapore is the smartest Asian city and the seventh-
smartest in the world, according to the 2023 Smart City
Index. (ST, 3 Apr)
• Changi ranks 9th among world’s busiest airports in
2022 for international passengers. (ST, 9 Apr; BH, 9 Apr)
Title in BH: Changi tangga sembilan antara 10 lapangan
terbang paling sibuk pada 2022
Source: ST
Source: ST
8

9. Economy
Housing
• Prices of Housing Board resale flats grew at a slower
pace of 0.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2023,
compared with the 2.3 per cent increase in the previous
quarter, with some analysts citing this as a sign of price
resistance setting in. (ST, 3 Apr)
• From May 9, potential buyers of Housing Board flats
just need to make a single application to get a letter
informing them if they are eligible to buy a new or
resale flat, how much in Central Provident Fund (CPF)
housing grants they can use and how much HDB
housing loan they qualify for. (ST, 28 Apr)
• Service and conservancy charges (S&CC) are likely to
go up soon for Housing Board residents, but the
Government will provide temporary support to cushion
the impact on households. (ST, 30 Apr)
Source: ST
Source: ST
9

10. Employment
Employment and Employability Trends
• About nine in 10 fresh graduates from the Singapore
University of Technology and Design (SUTD) were
employed within six months of completing their final
examinations. (ST, 3 Apr; BH, 5 Apr) Title in BH: 9 dalam
10 lulusan baru SUTD dapat kerja dalam masa enam
bulan
• Broadening the definition of meritocracy, introducing
targeted re-employment support and reducing the cost
of SkillsFuture courses are among the moves the
Government will make to shape Singapore’s future amid
an uncertain and dangerous external environment. (ST,
17 Apr)
• Although there are greater efforts to recognise workers
with technical skills, Singapore needs to move faster on
this front, said President Halimah Yacob in her annual
May Day message. (ST, 29 Apr)
Source: ST
Source: ST
10

11. Employment
Support for Workers
• Adult learners will be given more opportunities for
training and learning in their lifetime, as the Ministry of
Education (MOE) ramps up efforts to help Singaporeans
stay competitive in a changing global landscape. (ST, 11
Apr)
– The MOE will also provide stronger support for mid-
career workers to reduce their opportunity cost for
training, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.
• People and companies in Singapore will get help to
upskill and deepen their proficiencies in high-demand
areas such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and cyber
security, as the Ministry of Communications and
Information (MCI) rolls out initiatives to ensure the
country keeps pace with technology. (ST, 12 Apr)
Source: ST
Source: ST
11

12. Employment
Support for Workers
• Plumbers, electricians and air-conditioner technicians are
set to get expanded job opportunities, as the National
Trades Union Congress (NTUC) strives to ensure a steady
supply of local workers into these trades. (ST, 17 Apr; BH, 18
Apr) Title in BH: Model Kemajuan Kerjaya diperluas kepada
kerja 'pertukangan'
• To help companies to implement the higher wage rungs in
the Progressive Wage Model (PWM), the Government has
given advance notice of one to two years ahead of the
PWM implementation and is providing funds for wage
rises, said SMS Zaqy Mohamad. (ST, 21 Apr)
• A pilot scheme that will allow young people to try out a job
while being guided by a mentor will be launched in the
second half of the year, as the NTUC works to better
support younger workers. (ST, 28 Apr)
– The Career Starter Lab will support Institute of
Technical Education (ITE), polytechnic and university
graduates, including those who have completed
national service (NS), as they make the transition to
work life.
Source: ST
Source: ST
12

13. Education
Ministry of Education (MOE)
• Normal Technical students can use laptops for one
section in basic mother tongue language exams. (ST, 3
Apr)
• MOE said student absenteeism due to flu-related
illnesses remains manageable. But it added that parents
whose children are unwell should seek medical attention
and have them rest at home. (ST, 15 Apr)
• Some 540,000 Singaporean students aged seven to 20 in
2023 will each receive a one-off top-up of $300 in their
Edusave accounts or Post-Secondary Education Accounts
(PSEAs) at the end of May. (ST, 28 Apr)
Institute of Technical Education (ITE)
• ITE students who are looking to pursue a career in airport
operations will receive training at a new state-of-the-art
centre launched on 21 Apr. (ST, 21 Apr; BH, 22 Apr) Title in
BH: ITE lancar pusat latihan operasi lapangan terbang,
tawar sekitaran holistik
Source: ST
Source: ST
13

14. Education
Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs)
• Students from Singapore Management University
(SMU) will soon have a transcript recording their co-
curricular activities (CCA) and the skills they have
learnt – a first among universities here – in a move to
go beyond academic grades. (ST, 6 Apr)
• More apprenticeships will be offered in the wider
financial sector as part of a three-year grant scheme
worth $8 million that the Monetary Authority of
Singapore (MAS) launched on 24 Apr to help the sector
augment its existing talent pool. (ST, 24 Apr)
• Three bond-free scholarships – worth more than $4
million over five years – were launched on Tuesday by
Temasek Foundation for students from lower-income
backgrounds, whose families will also receive awards.
(ST, 25 Apr)
– This will benefit 39 students from institutes of
higher learning each year, or nearly 200 individuals
from 2023 to 2027.
Source: ST
Source: ST
14

15. Health
Living with Covid-19
• Singapore is in the throes of a Covid-19 wave, with the
estimated number of daily infections rising from about
1,400 a month ago to 4,000 last week. (ST, 14 Apr; BH, 15
Apr) Title in BH: S'pura hadapi satu lagi gelombang Covid-
19 sejak Mac: Ye Kung
• Though the number of hospitalisations related to Covid-19
is increasing amid a new wave of infections, this is unlikely
to overwhelm hospitals here. (ST, 15 Apr)
• Covid-19 has not been shown to be more deadly than the
flu, said local experts. (ST, 16 Apr)
Health Assistance
• A total of 712 general practitioner (GP) clinics have joined
the Healthier SG initiative since recruitment of these
clinics began in March, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
(ST, 5 Apr; BH, 6 Apr) Title in BH: 712 klinik keluarga sertai
SG Lebih Sihat: Ye Kung
• From 28 Apr, Singaporeans aged 15 and above holding
Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) cards will be able
to access them through the Singpass app. (ST, 27 Apr)
Source: ST
Source: ST
15

16. Malay/Muslim Affairs
Malay/Muslim Community
• Tabung Amal Aidilfitri (TAA) distributed Aidilfitri funds
worth more than $1.4 million to a total of 3,611
recipients in conjunction with Ramadan 2023. (BH, 16
Apr) Title in BH: TAA agih lebih $1.4j hasil derma
masyarakat
• It has been a meaningful Ramadan in 2023 spent
renewing and strengthening ties within the Muslim
community and beyond, said President Halimah Yacob.
(ST, 20 Apr)
• The Muslim community has learnt from its experience
during the Covid-19 pandemic and continued to
implement good practices throughout the Islamic holy
month of Ramadan, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim
Affairs Masagos Zulkifli. (ST, 21 Apr)
• The past three years have challenged Singaporeans but
also strengthened everyone’s resolve to look out for
one another, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs
Masagos Zulkifli to more than 400 participants at the
Minister’s Hari Raya Get-Together on 28 Apr. (ST, 28 Apr)
Source: BH
Source: ST
16

17. Malay/Muslim Affairs
Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS)
• MUIS announced the appointment of its second
Deputy Chief Executive (DCE). (BH, 9 Apr) Title in BH:
Khairul Anwar Timbalan Ketua Eksekutif kedua Muis
– Mr. Khairul Anwar, will oversee the development of
religious education, which consists of six full-time
madrasahs as well as aLIVE and fair part-time
programs for children, youth and adults in local
mosques.
• Starting in 2023, Muslims here who wish to increase
their chances of being offered a spot to perform the haj
pilgrimage will be able to tap a new automated
balloting scheme. (ST, 10 Apr; BH, 10 Apr) Title in BH:
Muis perkenal sistem undi tunai haji di bawah kuota
tambahan
– Developed by MUIS, the limited balloting scheme
will be integrated into the MyHajSG platform,
which allows applicants to register for the haj.
Source: ST
Source: BH
17

18. Published by
MENDAKI Research and Design Department
(April 2023)
18