The Straits Times
Singapore's oldest and most widely circulated English-language newspaper.
The Straits Times (often called ST) is a daily English-language newspaper in Singapore, owned by SPH Media Trust. It is widely considered the country’s newspaper of record and is generally seen as maintaining a close alignment with the Singaporean government, often reflecting the views of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP).
Historians disagree on the paper’s original conception. Before 1845, the only English-language paper in Singapore was *The Singapore Free Press*, founded by William Napier. An Armenian merchant, Marterus Thaddeus Apcar, planned to start a rival paper, hiring an editor and ordering printing equipment from England. However, the editor died suddenly before the equipment arrived, and Apcar went bankrupt. Another Armenian, Catchick Moses, bought the equipment from Apcar and launched *The Straits Times* with English journalist Robert Carr Woods Sr. as editor. The first issue, titled *The Straits Times and Singapore Journal of Commerce*, appeared on 15 July 1845 as an eight-page weekly, printed on a hand-operated press at 7 Commercial Square, with a subscription of Sp.$1.75 per month. Woods aimed to set the paper apart from *The Singapore Free Press* by including humour, short stories, and foreign news, and by using newly established regular steamship mail services. Historian Mary Turnbull has questioned this founding story, arguing it is unlikely an Armenian merchant would have wanted to start an English-language paper, especially with a more established competitor already present. By September 1846, the paper was given to Woods outright after it proved unprofitable and Moses could not sell it. Woods covered losses by using the press for other projects, such as publishing the first Singapore directory, *The Straits Times Almanack, Calendar and Directory*, in 1846.
The paper’s first major political stance was against James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak. Woods personally disliked Brooke and accused him of massacring peaceful civilian merchants under the guise of attacking Dayak “pirates.” *The Singapore Free Press* defended Brooke, and the resulting controversy boosted circulation for both papers. Woods petitioned the British government for an inquiry into Brooke’s actions in 1851, and a commission was convened in 1854. Brooke was cleared, but the episode made *The Straits Times* a success, and it became a daily in 1858. Woods sold the paper in 1860. Editor John Cameron (1861–1869) nearly lost the paper after a devastating fire; its assets were auctioned for $40, and Cameron went bankrupt, though he revived it. After Cameron’s death in 1881, his widow appointed young Scottish journalist Arnot Reid as editor, a role he held for 12 years. Under Reid, the paper covered major political and economic events in British Malaya, including shipping news, unrest in Siam and Burma, official reports, and high society items like tea parties at Government House and visits from dignitaries such as the Sultan of Johor. Colonial officials, including Frank Swettenham, contributed articles, sometimes under their own names; the paper later published Swettenham’s writings on Perak’s history and the British Residential system in 1893.
After Reid retired, Alexander W. Still became editor for 18 years. Still built a reputation for bold reporting and fearless commentary, earning the paper the nickname “Thunderer of the East,” a nod to *The Times* of London. The paper criticized the British colonial administration, though more mildly than it attacked unethical businesses. Under Still, circulation rose from 3,600 in 1910 to 4,100 in 1920, and advertising revenue grew. His outspokenness led to several libel suits, which the paper either lost or settled privately. Still believed the paper had a duty to investigate and expose corruption in both government and business, stating that the press’s liberty was valuable to the community as a whole and that its role was to act in the public interest, not to pander to scandal or private affairs.
- Founder
- Robert Carr Woods Sr. (with financial backing from Catchick Moses)
Lore & Background
The original conception for The Straits Times has been debated by historians. An Armenian merchant named Martyrose Apcar (details disputed) had intended to start a paper but went bankrupt after his would-be editor died. Fellow Armenian Catchick Moses bought the printing equipment from Apcar and launched The Straits Times with Robert Carr Woods Sr. as editor. The first major political stance taken by The Straits Times was against James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak. Woods charged that Brooke's action against Dayak 'pirates' was a massacre of peaceful merchants. Under editor Alexander W. Still believed the press had an obligation to investigate and expose corruption, resulting in libel suits. The paper focused predominantly on British and British-related events while ignoring the politics of Malay, Chinese, and Indian populations, and Asian reporters experienced discrimination.
Reader's Guide
The Straits Times holds a central role in Singapore's media landscape as the newspaper of record, with a history spanning over 175 years. Under editors like Alexander W. Still, it earned the nickname 'Thunderer of the East' for its fearless commentary, though it also faced libel suits. The paper's historical focus on British affairs and its discrimination against Asian reporters highlight its colonial roots. In the modern era, it is perceived as closely aligned with the Singaporean government and the People's Action Party. The Straits Times continues to shape public discourse in Singapore, though its perceived closeness to the government raises questions about press freedom.
Did You Know?
- Its first major political stance was against James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak, whom it accused of massacring peaceful merchants.
- Under editor Alexander W. Still, the paper was known as the 'Thunderer of the East' and faced multiple libel suits.
Roots in the Straits Settlements
Armenian merchant Marterus Thaddeus Apcar envisioned a daily paper, investing in printing machinery shipped from England and recruiting an editor. Fate intervened: the editor died before the first issue ever appeared, and Apcar's subsequent bankruptcy forced him to liquidate his equipment. Fellow Armenian Catchick Moses stepped in, forming the American Sarkies and Moses Company and appointing Robert Carr Woods to helm the editorial desk.
Becoming a Malaysian Paper
When Singapore severed ties with Malaysia in 1965, the editorial and corporate home of The Straits Times in Kuala Lumpur became politically untenable. The Malaysian government objected to a newspaper with deep penetration across the country having roughly seventy percent of its equity capital held in Singapore. In 1973, group chairman Simmons announced a sweeping restructure that split the operation into two entities: a Malaysian public company, New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad, and a Singapore-based group managing overseas subsidiaries. The former Malay Mail Press Company was reconstituted as a public entity under the name New Straits Times Press (Malaya). By October of that year, Fleet Holdings—the investment arm of the United Malays National Organisation, led by Junus Sudin—assumed operational control. The paper, which still carried the Straits Times name, finally adopted its current identity on 31 August 1974.
From Broadsheet to Talking Pages
The paper has since sold for RM1.50, roughly 37 US cents, in Peninsular Malaysia. Innovation continued beyond format. On 11 November 2011, both print and digital editions featured 3D publication. Then, on 21 February 2012, the newspaper made headlines as the world's first talking newspaper, playing audio to promote Dutch Lady's Friso product. In 2013, AXIATA dominated a full page's numbering, and in January 2014, Wonda Coffee was marketed through five senses across five consecutive days. Visual identity also evolved: a 2011 masthead and typography overhaul lasted until the end of 2016, a 2017 refresh introduced new sections and a stronger digital presence, and a 2019 redesign repositioned the front page with the ambition of a daily newsmagazine, foregrounding stories of national interest.
Sections, Trust, and the Record
The paper's supplement culture reflects Malaysia's media landscape. What is now the Bots technology section began on 1 January 1986 as Computimes, a pullout covering information and communication technology. It cycled through publication days and market focuses before settling as a Monday feature within the Life & Times section from March 2010. Similarly, the travel pullout launched in 1999 as Travel Times to support the government's Cuti-Cuti Malaysia tourism campaign, becoming the country's only weekly travel supplement. It was rebranded JOM!—Malay for Let's Go!—and merged into Life & Times in 2010, appearing on Thursdays. Leadership and credibility have also shaped the paper's standing. In a 2020 Reuters Institute survey covering fourteen Malaysian media outlets, the paper ranked fifth in public trust. More broadly, it is widely regarded as Malaysia's newspaper of record, a designation that underscores its role as a durable institutional voice in the nation's press.
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
What role does The Straits Times play in Singapore?
It is widely regarded as Singapore's newspaper of record, meaning it serves as the primary archival source for events and developments in the nation. It also reaches a substantial readership across the broader Southeast Asian region.
How is The Straits Times connected to the Singaporean government?
The paper has long been perceived as maintaining a close relationship with the ruling government and generally aligning its editorial stance with the People's Action Party (PAP). This perceived proximity to the PAP has shaped how both domestic and international audiences interpret its coverage.
Why is The Straits Times considered important?
As the longest-running and most widely circulated English-language newspaper in Singapore, it functions as a central reference point for the nation's political, economic, and social history. Its status as the newspaper of record gives it a unique archival and cultural role that no other Singaporean publication holds.
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