SINGAPORE: In Parliament earlier this month, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament (WP MP) Louis Chua (Sengkang) raised questions concerning the latest graduate employment figures and asked if targeted assistance could be considered for graduates of degrees with lower full-time permanent employment levels.

He addressed the issue again in a Facebook post, asking, “How cooked are our fresh graduates?” in light of “worsening” graduate employment figures.

The latest graduate employment survey, which was released on March 5, showed that fewer Singapore university graduates found jobs within six months of finishing their exams. In 2024, 87.1% of graduates found employment within half a year. Last year, this figure went down to 83.4%. Moreover, those who found full-time permanent jobs have decreased from 79.4% to 74.4% between 2024 and 2025. The results of the survey showed a continuing decline from 2022.

“And those who applied but got NO OFFERS jumped to 8.5% in 2025 (from 5.7% in 2024, 4.1% in 2023),” wrote Mr Chua.

He also underlined that the fresh graduates from Arts, Design & Media courses “saw the most worrying decline in full-time permanent employment of 12%-pts compared to 2024, to just 50%,” which is why he called for further employment assistance to recent graduates, particularly targeted assistance for graduates of degrees with lower full-time permanent employment levels.

The MP noted that when asked in Parliament last September about the GRaduate Industry Traineeship (GRIT) Programme, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng had said that if necessary, the Government was ready to roll out further support.

“Given the current situation, I believe now is the time to do more for our fresh graduates,” the MP wrote.

In answer to Mr Chua’s questions, Education Minister Desmond Lee pointed to support for graduates through expanded career services at institutes, including more job fairs, employer connections, and personalised counselling. In addition, graduates may access national career support like coaching and job matching through Workforce Singapore, and are encouraged to stay flexible about career paths.

The Minister also pointed to traineeship programmes such as GRIT that help graduates gain work experience as well as bridge the gap to full-time employment, adding that extensions are now being planned for future cohorts. 

“We will continue to watch the trends in our graduate employment outcomes closely and provide more support to our new graduates where needed. Our graduates are among the most talented and well-prepared in the world. The current market conditions are temporary, but the quality of our education and the resilience of our graduates are enduring strengths,” he added. 

This is a topic that WP MPs and NCMPs have been vocal about. Last year, they raised various questions in Parliament, including whether the Graduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) can help Singapore’s fresh graduates find jobs.

In August, NCMPS Andre Low and Eileen Chong invited new graduates to share their job search experiences, with Mr Low telling them that the struggles are “a systemic problem, and not yours to find alone.” /TISG

Read related: WP MPs ask if Singapore’s job market is leaving young people behind

This article (WP MP Louis Chua: Now is the time to do more for Singapore’s fresh graduates) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Ex-Minister Ng Eng Hen has posted a photo on social media showing himself on board an MRT train, sparking questions as to whether the veteran politician is trying to back Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Gan Kim Yong after the latter’s electricity saving tips caused controversy earlier this month.

Showing off his Passion Card, the former minister wrote on Facebook, “Took MRT to Maxwell Food Centre and had the laksa mee on Sunday. With this new long range capability, I can now target hawker food faraway!”

Comparisons to Mr Gan were immediate. He had said in Parliament earlier this month that Singaporeans should take public transport instead of driving and use fans instead of air-conditioning units to do their part in conserving energy.

Netizens on social media, online forums, and messaging groups were quick to ask whether the DPM and his fellow ministers would lead by example and take buses and trains, and turn off the air-con in Parliament, to do their part.

Others described the remarks as “tone-deaf” and “out of touch,” with some suggesting they reflected a disconnect between policymakers and ordinary citizens.

As the remarks continued stirring a sense of unease online, Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh was spotted travelling by train, winning widespread praise and comparisons to the DPM. DPM Gan was hot on Mr Singh’s heels and was spotted hours later on Friday (April 10) taking the Punggol LRT with an entourage following him.

However, just days after the LRT ride, DPM Gan has gone back to the comfort of car rides.

In a Facebook post on April 12, Mr Gan revealed he was on his way to Changi Airport for an official visit to the United States, where he is expected to meet government and business leaders, including in Austin, Texas. The post, which featured a photograph of him seated in a car, quickly drew attention online.

Critics asked whether the LRT ride had been a staged gesture and a one-off act rather than a genuine attempt to practice what he preaches.

The comments on Mr Ng’s post, meanwhile, include ones questioning whether he is “doing his part” and backing the DPM.

One commenter tagged the DPM himself and quipped, “Nowadays the trend is, taking mrt or public transport need to post online.”

Another netizen commented, “WP MP took MRT, DPM took MRT, SMOS took MRT. Now ex-Defence Minister also take MRT. We are suddenly so obsessed with MRT.”

Crediting Pritam Singh for starting a trend, a commenter said, “Now even ex minister joining the fab show started by PS.”

This article (Ex-Minister joins MRT bandwagon after DPM’s electricity saving tips cause unease) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan will be in the United States this week, speaking at the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 15 and 16, respectively.

He announced this in a recent video on social media, and added that on Labour Day, there will be an event at Hong Lim Park organized by young Singaporeans from Workers Made Possible and SG Climate Rally, encouraging viewers to attend.

Dr Chee has been going out of the country to talk about his latest book, Unbroken: The Power of Resilience, which was published in September.

In November, he was in the United Kingdom, where he spoke in London and Oxford. And in late March, he spoke on resilience and politics to young people in three events in the Philippines.

For his upcoming talks in California, which are open to the public, Dr Chee said he was excited to meet Singaporeans in the area, both students and those who live and work there.

He said that while the talk is about “building resilience in an age of rapid change and uncertainty,” he also wanted to update Singaporeans on what is happening in the city-state, as well as to hear their perspectives as to where Singapore is headed.

The SDP secretary-general will be at USC on April 15 (Wednesday) from 3:15 to 6:00 pm, in an event hosted by the USC Singapore-Malaysia Student Association. The following day, he’ll be at UCLA from 4:30 to 6:30 pm for a talk co-sponsored by the UCLA Asia Pacific Center and the UCLA Center for Southeast Asian Studies.

He then invited Singaporeans to attend this year’s Labour Day Rally, saying that 2025’s event had been a “smashing success.”

“I’ve never seen so many young Singaporeans participating so enthusiastically, so vociferously, fighting for their rights and their future. It gave me real hope, seeing so many so committed to this nation,” he added.

The SDP chief then sounded a grim note in his video, claiming that the situation in Singapore is not going well due to widening inequality, with a small section of the population getting richer “while the rest of us are told to accept vouchers, to work harder, to struggle quietly,” and mentioning HDB resale flats breaching the S$1 million mark, making them unaffordable especially for younger Singaporeans.

The May 1 rally at Hong Lim Park, he said, is about hope. “Hope that we can build a fairer Singapore, where hard work is rewarded, where housing is truly affordable, where we prosper together. Hope that we can have a better government, one that listens, one that is accountable, that puts people first.” /TISG 

Read also: Chee Soon Juan met Tan Wan Piow for the first time in the UK

This article (Chee Soon Juan to speak in California on April 15 & 16, invites S’poreans to Labour Day rally at Hong Lim Park) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong has followed hot on the heels of Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh in taking public transport, after public dissatisfaction over his advice on how Singaporeans need to play their part to conserve electricity.

The DPM caused controversy earlier this week after he suggested in Parliament that Singaporeans can help save electricity by using fans instead of air-conditioning units and by taking public transport instead of driving.

Netizens on social media, online forums, and messaging groups are asking whether the DPM and his fellow ministers will lead by example and opt to take buses and trains and turn off the air-con in Parliament to do their part.

Some asked whether Parliament would switch off its air-conditioning or whether ministers would begin commuting by bus or train. Others described the remarks as “tone-deaf” and “out of touch,” with some suggesting they reflected a disconnect between policymakers and ordinary citizens.

As the remarks continued stirring a sense of unease online, the WP secretary-general was spotted travelling by train, winning widespread praise and comparisons to the DPM.

One commenter asked, “Where is DPM Gan? After calling people to use and take public transport suddenly MIA.”

Another commenter felt Mr Singh was “leading the way with action, not words.”

DPM Gan was hot on Mr Singh’s heels and was spotted hours later on Friday (April 10) taking the Punggol LRT.

The clip of him taking the LRT, however, has not gone down as well.

Netizens pointed out that Mr Singh has travelled solo, standing and reading a newspaper, during what appears to be an ordinary commute. He has his bag tucked between his legs, like how many commuters travel, suggesting that he is well-versed in taking public transport.

Mr Gan, on the other hand, travelled with an entourage. As he tapped in through the MRT gantry, he looked at his card with what appeared to be wonder, leading some online to ask when the last time he took a train.

One commenter asked, “Why after he tapped in, did he need to double-take at his card?” To this, another netizen responded, “The previous time he took MRT, the whole card must slot in.”

Another commenter quipped, “Damn fake sia who will tap in the gantry so happily? He looks like a little boy going to the zoo.”

Yet another commenter said, “Tell me you barely take MRT without telling me.”

Some scrutinised the timing of the video release, with one individual saying, “I’d like to think that he was planning to release the video later on, but after the Pritam on the MRT post went viral, his team decided to release it now.”

Another person said, “I can imagine the panic in his office this morning.”Oh no, oh no, oh no, Pritam has been seen taking the train. Quick, can we put together a photo opp that looks totally normal and not staged?”

One person said the exercise felt like a “primary school level comeback attempt”.

Others questioned why the DPM needed a posse and noted that he chose to take the train during off-peak hours. One commenter said, “When you need a whole entourage to take public transport, you can’t make it any clearer that it’s wayang. Plus, they chose the least peak hour to do this photo op.

“Where is he even going on the LRT? How did he even get to Punggol anyway? Probably driven here.”

Another commenter quipped, “lol take during off peak with a whole posse.”

A number of voices online felt the outing appeared too staged and did not seem authentic.

One person wrote, “Dude went on an LRT like it was a short outing out of the office, he didn’t even have bags or anything on him lol. Even if photo op can do better anot ah?”

Another commenter said, “Haha, just as I’ve been saying, need minders and photographers on standby. SOP wayang pattern.”

Comparisons to the opposition politician were also rife. One netizen said, “Wayang number 1, Pritam’s seemed so authentic,” while another pointed out, “Well, Pritam was just actually commuting. The man was reading a newspaper, minding his own business. Nothing more authentic than that.”

Another commenter said, “See, I take LRT leh.” In the next clip, he will be in a room with windows open and a table fan blowing at him, while he sips a Lipton tea. “See, I never on air con leh.”

This article (‘Wayang or real?’ DPM Gan takes public transport after backlash; netizens say Pritam Singh did it better) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.