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: • Singapore private home price growth slows sharply in Q1 on cooling measures • Singapore inflation jumps to 10-year high in March on higher food, services and transport prices • NTU launches centre to study how dementia develops in Asians

1. APRIL 2022

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 feedback.
RESEARCH &
DESIGN
DEPARTMENT

3. Overall Coverage
• With a total of 198 articles, Community (49), MMA (43) and Economy (27) news were widely
reported in April; 2022. This reflects Singapore’s growing support within the community,
developments surrounding the Ramadan month and discussions on the country’s economic
outlook.
15
5
21
17
12 9
34
38
6 7 5 6
49
43
27 24
17 15
Community MMA Economy Health Education Employment
No. of Articles
ST BH/BM Total
3

4. Emerging Themes & Trends
4

5. Community
Housing
• Singapore private home price growth slows sharply in Q1 on
cooling measures (ST, 1 Apr)
• Condo, HDB rents extend rise in March as rental volumes
rebound: SRX (ST, 14 Apr)
• More new private homes sold in March despite no major
launches (ST, 19 Apr)
• HDB resale prices rise at slower pace of 2.4% in Q1 as signs of
price resistance set in (ST, 23 Apr)
• 6,000 BTO flats will be launched at the Keppel Club site in 3 years
(BH, 13 Apr)
Heritage
• Canvas of 550m displays history of Geylang Serai, launches along
Geylang Serai Road (BH, 18 Apr)
Travel
• Singapore-Malaysia borders reopen (BH, 1 Apr)
Source: ST
Source: ST
5

6. Community
Social Assistances
• More businesses in Singapore gave back to society last year amid
pandemic (ST, 12 Apr)
• New fund launched to help start-ups in the social service sector
(ST, 23 Apr)
• Lower-income families get festive gift packs containing healthier
foods (ST, 24 Apr)
• Only 3 in 10 low-income families in rental flats have a computer or
tablet: Study (ST, 25 Apr)
• 950,000 HDB flat households will receive GST rebate - U -Save (BH,
1 Apr)
• FairPrice donates $40,000 for children of needy Malay families
(BH, 2 Apr)
• S’pore households receive $100 CDC vouchers, other financial
support (BH, 4 Apr)
• Legal aid for SG citizens available for those that cannot afford a
lawyer (BH, 5 Apr)
• New ComCare clients will receive assistance for at least 6 months
(BH, 5 Apr)
• Needy students at SMU to get more financial help from new $3m
scholarship (ST, 22 Apr)
Source: ST
Source: ST
6

7. Community
Support for Senior Citizens
• Improved comprehensive care support for the elderly in the
community (BH, 6 Apr)
• Various efforts to encourage digital-friendly seniors (BH, 8 Apr)
Support for Women & Children
• Community bodies play a complete important role of women’s
empowerment (BH, 4 Apr)
• New bill better protects the welfare of adopted children (BH, 5
Apr)
• Several women's employment opportunity level programs
recommended (BH, 6 Apr)
• President Halimah: There is a need for follow -up action on the
progress of the White Paper on women's development (BH, 7 Apr)
• See Leng donates $1m to support women pursuing Stem careers
(BH, 8 Apr)
• A new charity was set up to address the issues faced by women
(BH, 13 Apr)
Support for Disabled Persons
• People with disabilities can tap free courses to upgrade in areas
like digital skills (ST, 22 Apr 22)
Source: ST
Source: ST
7

8. Economy
• Lawrence Wong endorsed as leader of PAP's 4G team, paving
way for him to be Singapore's next PM (ST, 15 Apr)
• Affordability a key concern as Singapore undergoes energy
transition (ST, 18 Apr)
• S'pore identifies supply chain challenges, rolls out strategy to
avoid disruptions (ST, 18 Apr)
• Govts must drive inclusive, sustainable growth in face of global
uncertainties: Lawrence Wong (ST, 19 Apr)
• Tighter criteria for family offices in S'pore to get tax incentives
(ST, 15 Apr)
• S'pore and New Zealand ink two pacts to work closely in trade,
food and tech innovation (ST, 21 Apr)
• Green lanes for flights powered by sustainable fuels to be
studied by S'pore and New Zealand (ST, 21 Apr)
Economic Outlook
• Singapore GDP growth slows to 3.4% in Q1, below forecasts:
Flash data (ST, 15 Apr)
• Singapore inflation jumps to 10-year high in March on higher
food, services and transport prices (ST, 26 Apr)
Source: ST
Source: ST
8

9. Health
COVID-19 Updates
• No limits on group size, masks not mandatory at workplaces as
Singapore eases most Covid-19 rules (ST, 23 Apr)
• Singapore to lower Dorscon level from orange to yellow from
April 26 (ST, 23 Apr)
• TraceTogether no longer required in most settings from April 26
(ST, 23 Apr)
• No more Covid-19 tests for vaccinated travellers entering
Singapore from April 26 (ST, 23 Apr)
• University campus life and in-person hall activities set to return as
Covid-19 measures ease (ST, 18 Apr)
• S'pore yet to detect any Covid-19 cases due to XE recombinant
strain: MOH (ST, 19 Apr)
• Oral antiviral molnupiravir gets interim authorisation for Covid-
19 treatment in S'pore (ST, 20 Apr)
• S'pore in good place in Covid-19 fight with no spike in numbers
despite easing of curbs: Experts (ST, 22 Apr)
• GPs relieved as clinics see drop in patient visits amid fall in Covid-
19 cases (ST, 22 Apr)
Source: ST
Source: ST
9

10. Health
Source: ST
Source: ST
10
Dengue
• More than 4,000 dengue cases to date, NEA urges public to
take precautions to prevent outbreak (ST, 17 Apr)
• Over 700 dengue cases reported in S'pore in one week,
highest since 2020 (ST, 20 Apr)
• Nearly 5,500 dengue cases this year, more than in all of 2021
(ST, 25 Apr)
Mental Health
• A look behind bars for inmates with complex mental illnesses
(ST, 24 Apr)
• New mental health centre in Newton to focus on helping
young people (ST, 24 Apr)
Advancements in Health
• NTU launches centre to study how dementia develops in
Asians (ST, 26 Apr)
• NUS scientists find that certain protein can suppress
inflammation from chronic lung disease (ST, 26 Apr)

11. Education
• New Cambridge qualification test for foreigners applying to
MOE's primary schools (ST, 22 Apr 22)
• NTU medical school to award its own degree from 2029,
concluding agreement with Imperial College (ST, 12 Apr 22)
• Ngee Ann Poly, J&J S'pore tie up to open training centre for data
analysis, marketing (ST, 14 Apr 22)
• $10 million donated to NUS for Teach SG community
mentorship programme (ST, 17 Apr 22)
• Many secondary schools still starting at 7.30am despite green
light to start later (ST, 18 Apr 22)
• NTU launches two new labs to help green start-ups and SMEs
commercialise products (ST, 22 Apr 22)
• New Stem educational programme to prepare young women for
careers in fintech (ST, 23 Apr 22)
Source: ST
Source: ST
11

12. Employment
• Flexible work arrangements should be a permanent feature:
Tripartite statement (ST, 24 Apr)
• Some firms want staff back at workplace, but experts warn against
rushing into it (ST, 26 Apr)
• S'pore workers want bosses to meet their flexi-work needs: IPS
survey (ST, 26 Apr)
• Record number of job vacancies in S'pore last year as economic
recovery picked up (ST, 1 Apr)
• 95% of SUTD fresh graduates found jobs last year, similar to 2020
level (ST, 7 Apr)
• Public workers in S'pore face rise in verbal and physical abuse (ST,
16 Apr)
• Google tops ranking of S'pore's best employers for second straight
year; EDB at No. 2 (ST, 18 Apr)
• Skills training must improve on 4 fronts for S'pore workforce to
stay competitive: Chan Chun Sing (ST, 27 Apr)
• Tripartite model key to helping workers adapt to post-pandemic
changes: Tan See Leng (ST, 28 Apr)
• About half of fresh graduates from private schools found full-time
jobs: SkillsFuture survey (ST, 15 Apr 22)
Source: ST
Source: ST
12

13. Malay/Muslim Affairs
Ramadan-related
• Two mosques joined the youth to help zakat recipients (BH, 22
Apr)
• Up to 150,000 pilgrims can perform Aidilfitri prayers: Muis (BH,
23 Apr)
• TAA distributed more than $ 1.4 million to 3,600 recipients (BH,
24 Apr)
• 600 beneficiaries received zakat, a gift from Darul Arqam (BH, 25
Apr)
M³
• Darul Ihsan orphans invited to break fast with M³@Geylang Serai
(BH, 11 Apr)
• Kurnia@WGS and Fuzz Bikers distribute Ramadan porridge (BH,
11 Apr)
Hajj
• Muis is ready in line with the implementation of Hajj for SG
residents (BH, 7 Apr)
• Saudi announces allowing 1 million pilgrims: Masagos hopes for
good results for S’pore pilgrims (BH, 9 Apr)
Source: BH
Source: BH
13

14. Malay/Muslim Affairs
Support for Malay/Muslim Community
• The open attitude of SG Muslims embracing change,
conforming to the ‘new norms’ due to the pandemic is highly
appreciated (BH, 3 Apr)
• PM Lee appreciates the cooperation, perseverance of the
S’pore Muslim community for being patient and efficient with
Covid-19 (BH, 3 Apr)
• PM Lee praised the community's resilience (BH, 22 Apr)
• Recipients of the Madrasah Development Fund Assistance
Scheme appreciate the support (BH, 23 Apr)
Mosques
• The new initiative of Gerakan SalamSG was launched to
breathe new life into the mosque program (BH, 2 Apr)
• Six organizations donated funds to the Khadijah Mosque for
the expansion of the RRG center (BH, 12 Apr)
• Masagos: Redevelopment of Khadijah Mosque, RRG center
strengthens social resilience (BH, 14 Apr)
Source: BH
Source: ST
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15. Published by
MENDAKI Research and Design Department
(April 2022)
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