SINGAPORE’S overall factory activity improved in August to post its highest reading in three years, according to data from the Singapore Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management (SIPMM) on Monday (Sep 2).

The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) gained 0.2 point to 50.9, marking the 12th straight month that it remained in expansionary territory, and its highest reading since August 2021.

A reading above 50 on the index indicates growth from the previous month, while one below 50 points to a contraction.

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TO REACH out to a more youthful audience, Malay-language newspaper Berita Harian (BH) has launched a young audience platform that presents the news on social media in a captivating and relatable way.

This includes using various storytelling formats, such as images, infographics and long-form videos, on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to better engage Malay readers between the ages of 21 and 34 years.

At the official launch of OMGxBH on Friday (Aug 30), Berita Harian editor Nazry Mokhtar said the initiative is a response to the results of a readers’ survey by the newspaper in 2023. The young Malay respondents wanted news delivered in attention-grabbing ways and more lifestyle content.

The new platform will feature short videos, as well as in-depth Malay-centric and youth-related discussions on how to transition into adulthood. The segment called Spotlight features candid interviews with inspiring personalities such as those championing social causes and local Malay leaders, such as former president Halimah Yacob and former Bank of Singapore chief executive Bahren Shaari.

BH said OMGxBH’s content is guided by analyses of social media data that measures the performance of various posts, and is presented in Malay and English to appeal to audiences in Singapore and the region.

Since its soft launch in December 2023, the platform has gained 37,000 followers on its social media pages, more than double the initial target of 16,500, said Nazry.

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A popular post on translations of Gen Z lingo at the workplace has racked up more than 1.3 million views on TikTok. A chat with Madam Halimah has been viewed more than half a million times in total on TikTok and Instagram.

In May, the platform started a series of monthly dialogue sessions at the Working Title cafe in Lasalle College of the Arts. At the sessions, participants can seek advice from guest speakers, and share their aspirations.

The guests include Madam Halimah and past recipients of BH’s Achiever of the Year award, such as Shahrin Abdol Salam, SingPost’s chief executive officer for its Singapore business. The award recognises Malay/Muslim individuals who excel in their chosen fields.

The dialogues are in English, and are open to all youth between 18 and 35 years old, particularly tertiary students and young PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians).

At the Aug 30 launch, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad noted that consuming news through social media has become the norm for younger Singaporeans, and he applauded BH for its efforts to offer new content to grow its audience.

Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad applauded BH’s efforts to offer new content to grow its audience.

“I am happy to note that based on BH data, more than 80 per cent of OMG’s audience are aged between 21 and 34 (years old),” he said. Those in this age group may not read traditional print media, but BH can reach out to them through platforms such as OMGxBH, he added.

Zaqy said BH continues to play an important role in informing and educating the Malay community on current affairs, and that government agencies and Malay/Muslim organisations such as Mendaki will tap the new platform to reach out to young audiences. THE STRAITS TIMES

THERE are still three months to go until the flag off for this year’s Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM), and all signs point to the annual event being yet another – pun intended – runaway success.

More than 37,000 people have already signed up for the Nov 29-Dec 1 event, with organisers The Ironman Group saying that this figure is up 40 per cent compared to last year. Registrations are open until Nov 24 and the current pace could see the final turnout exceeding 50,000, said Santoz Kumar, its general manager (Singapore).

Last year’s marathon had just over 44,000 runners over the three days. “We are seeing 1,200 to 1,400 sign-ups a week, and we are on track to reach 50,000 and more. We are trying to see how else we can accommodate more runners,” Santoz added.

As he keeps a close eye on the numbers, some trends have surfaced: There has been a 76 per cent rise in young runners (those in the 18-35 age bracket), and within this group the number of female runners is 83 per cent higher compared to 2023.

Three in four registered runners are taking part in SCSM – a World Athletics Gold Label race – for the first time. As for overseas participation, there are more than 9,000 participants so far with the top five markets being Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, China and Hong Kong.

“We see a lot more running clubs in Singapore compared to a few years ago, and this is driving up the number of participants too,” pointed out Santoz. “Many of these groups are spearheaded by younger runners, the Gen-Z. There’s this strong community effect that is helping, for sure. People are signing up together to do the 5 km or the 10 km or other categories.”

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Return to the Padang

Last year’s SCSM was memorable for its finish line as participants had the unique opportunity to run the final leg of their respective categories on the track of the National Stadium at the Sports Hub. But with the stadium already booked for the biennial Asean Championship football tournament that starts in early December, the marathon’s organisers had to look elsewhere.

This year’s race will begin as usual at the F1 Pit Building beside the Singapore Flyer and conclude at the Anderson Bridge near the Padang, which is where the post-race village will be. The last time the Padang was used as the finish-line venue was in 2017.

“From an experience standpoint, the National Stadium was great for everyone and we did our best to deliver the best. There was the ‘cooling effect’ in the stadium, it was comfortable and people enjoyed hanging out together after their race,” explained Santoz. “One participant even told me that he felt like a superstar running on the track, with the floodlights on and so many people cheering.”

Santoz said that once it was clear that the National Stadium could not be confirmed as the finish-line venue, the organisers had to explore other options and make a decision. Even Sentosa was being considered, although that venue was eventually deemed too difficult as it would mean having to close off most parts of the island for the weekend to accommodate the tens of thousands of runners.

“We have learned from the experience in 2023 of being at the National Stadium, and because the feedback was so positive, we intend to return in 2025 if the stadium is available,” he noted.

Two decades of the marathon

Standard Chartered became the title sponsor of the Singapore Marathon in 2002, with that year’s edition featuring just 6,000 runners. In the two decades since, it has grown to become one of the region’s most popular marathons.

In June this year, the 2023 edition of SCSM won the Best Sports Event of the Year award in the community and mass participation category of the annual Singapore Sports Awards – the sixth time it has bagged this honour.

The Ironman Group has organised the marathon since 2016 and has a contract to do so until the 2025 edition.

Santoz said that he is keen to bid in an upcoming tender in early-2025 for the rights to operate the event from 2026 onwards. “We are going to try for it. We’ve been working very closely with other stakeholders to develop the race and make it better each time, and we’ve put in a lot of investment to make the marathon a great experience for all.”

More details on SCSM can be found at www.singaporemarathon.com