The Straits Times is launching two new digital publications to help Singaporeans overseas keep their fingers on the pulse of what is going on back home.
The two free monthly e-zines - one for adults and the other for students - detail major current affairs and interesting stories on Singapore and Singaporeans. They will be sent by the Overseas Singaporean Unit (OSU) to all Singaporeans based abroad and registered with the unit.
The newsletters are Singapore Heartbeat and Singapore Pulse.
The former is aimed at professionals working abroad and will include content on Singapore policy and business, investment opportunities and news about overseas Singaporeans. The latter will reach out to overseas students, who can read about Singapore news, education, inspiring stories about young Singaporeans, internship opportunities and entertainment-related stories.
The two newsletters will be released in the first week of every calendar month, starting next week.
Overseas Singaporeans who want more news can visit the new digital page, Singapore Connect, set up by ST. It will be regularly updated and is available at www.straitstimes.com/singapore-connect
Said Mr Wong Kan Foo, director of the OSU at the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY): "We engage fellow citizens all around the world so that Singapore remains close to their hearts. We do this through a variety of programmes such as Singapore Day and the Singapore Speaker Series, as well as through our online channels.
"Our partnership with SPH (Singapore Press Holdings) will provide overseas Singaporeans with an additional avenue to stay updated on the latest developments in Singapore. We hope that this will bring a slice of home closer to our fellow Singaporeans, wherever they may be."
The OSU, now part of the MCCY, was set up in March 2006 to engage overseas Singaporeans. One of its major annual events is Singapore Day, which will be held in Melbourne, Australia, later this year.
There are over 200,000 Singaporeans working, living and studying abroad, with the majority residing in the United States, Britain, China and Australia. All overseas Singaporean students and working professionals on the OSU mailing list will receive either the Singapore Pulse or Singapore Heartbeat, with the option to subscribe to the other newsletter, or opt out.
Said Mr Warren Fernandez, ST editor and editor-in-chief of SPH's English/Malay/Tamil Media group: "Singaporeans living or travelling abroad often miss home.
"The best antidote to this is to stay connected to home, and The Straits Times helps many do so with our digital editions. Through this partnership, we will be able to serve more people through our website as well as by curating content specially for those overseas who want to keep abreast of all the action back in Singapore and the region around us."
A special ST digital subscription scheme also gives unlimited access to overseas Singaporean readers free for the first three months. CapitaLand, Mitsubishi Estate Asia and Shimizu Corporation are key sponsors of this project. Those keen on Asian developments can also download a free copy of the bimonthly The Straits Times Asia Report magazine, from Singapore Connect.
