Day: February 27, 2025

Singapore MOE list of degrees that pay S$7,000 or more to the top 25% of fresh graduates

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed below belong solely to the author. Data sourced from the latest Graduate Employment Survey by Ministry of Education.

It’s this time of the year again—Graduate Employment Survey (GES) is in, with employment and salary data for graduates of Singapore’s public universities.

News outlets have already covered the general findings that fewer fresh grads were able to find work but those who did earned more money on average, with the median gross monthly salary (excluding employer CPF) hitting S$4,500, up from S$4,317 last year.

All of this is useful but I prefer to look deeper and see what the ambitious students can aspire to and which degrees offer the best chances of landing a very well paid job straight out of university. Fortunately, GES provides some insight into that as well.

Why settle for less?

Median is instructive of what the “average” outcomes are, somewhere in the middle. But how well can your effort be rewarded if you work harder to get yourself maybe not to the very top but at least the upper 25% of alumni (75th percentile)?

Here are the courses that gave their best bachelors the highest salaries in 2024:

$7,000 or more

$6,000 to $7,000

Unsurprisingly the list is dominated by technical courses in various branches of computer science. It is interesting, however, that the top spot was clinched by Business Administration. Lawyers, as usual, can expect good pay—though scoring better than your peers doesn’t seem to translate into higher salary.

There’s some good news for those pursuing arts—a Bachelor of Arts at NUS can land you an offer of over S$6,000 if you do well enough.

Is the extra effort worth it?

It’s up to you to decide, really. Being a better student can translate into a roughly 15% higher starting pay in most cases—or about S$10,000 to S$12,000 annually at this pay grade.

Of course it also depends on your success in job hunting, your employer, and your ability to sell yourself to him.

Nevertheless, even after your portion of CPF and tax are deducted, this is at least an extra good holiday or two, extra money for downpayment on your apartment, or seed cash for a side hustle for those more entrepreneurial types.

Plus, these amounts compound over time and a higher starting pay sets you up for future pay raises and bonuses commensurate with the level you’re already at.

Which is why getting those extra accolades at school, while not paying off instantly, is likely to translate into real money the moment you step out the door of your university.

Featured Image Credit: zdl / depositphotos

Serving a rare cuisine in M’sia, this restaurant is finally opening a 2nd spot after 9 yrs

Here in Malaysia, there’s always a little something for everyone. Be it Peranakan, Korean, a classic Western, or something novel, when it comes to food, we’re certainly spoilt for choice beyond just a comfy mamak restaurant.

In the short time that I’ve been with Vulcan Post, I’ve also come to learn that our dessert game is getting up there as well.

It almost feels like an evolution of our trading hub roots as cultures continue to come and mix with our own, forming the Malaysia of today.

However, if you’re craving Macanese cuisine, things might be a little tricky. It’s not exactly the most popular thing in our country.

But that’s not to say that it doesn’t exist here.

My first exposure to Fat Tea Macanese Food located in Petaling Jaya was through one of Foodiver’s posts, and it immediately intrigued me.

Headed by June Yap and the now-retired Susana Batalha, this eatery claims to be the first and only Macanese restaurant in Malaysia. 

Such a statement is, of course, difficult to verify. But the fact that the Macau Government Tourist Office collaborated with them in 2019 should be plenty indication that they are the real deal.

Taste of home

Fat Tea’s two co-founders met through a mutual friend five years before opening their restaurant in 2016.

June is a local entrepreneur who’s been involved in KL’s dining scene since the 2000s and is the one responsible for the place’s decor.

Previously, she ran Oriental Cravings, a Chinese restaurant in 1 Utama following in the footsteps of her parents and grandparents.

“I don’t know how I ended up in the F&B business!” she shared.

“When I was young, when I saw my parents and grandparents working too hard, I told myself I never want to go to F&B. But I guess I have the genes?”

Susana, on the other hand, is herself Macanese, being born in Macau to a Portuguese mother and Macanese father. She previously operated a cafe in Sydney for over 17 years before moving to KL with her partner.

Prior to her retirement just last year, she worked as the business’ chef and it is her heritage that gives Fat Tea the confidence to call its dishes “authentic.”

“Both my parents are great cooks. My mom was a dessert queen and my dad used to cook every chance he could,” said the co-founder in an interview with our sister company Discover KL.

“We wanted this restaurant to be an authentic take of what I could remember of Macanese food.”

As per Fat Tea’s website, Macanese cuisine is a mix of Cantonese and Portuguese culture.

It finds its origins in Portuguese sailors and settlers who brought European ingredients along with “other favourites” to Macau.

These “favourites” originate from major trading posts such as the Western Cape in South Africa, Goa in India, and Melaka where Susana’s great-great-grandmother actually happens to be from.

As June puts it, you could say that Macau is home to one of the world’s first instances of fusion cuisine.

A balancing act

The dishes served at Fat Tea consist of Susana’s passed down recipes primarily handed through word-of-mouth.

Preserving these recipes is thus crucial to the business and is something that they make sure to not lose sight of, especially now with her moving back to Sydney.

Being the national dish of Macau, one can naturally expect to find minchi on Fat Tea’s menu. It is a combination of minced meat stir-fried with vegetables, usually served alongside rice and eggs.

Fat Tea’s take on minchi specifically uses pork mince, onions, diced fried potatoes, long beans, and a fried egg. “Chi yau cha,” or pork lard cooked to a crisp, is also served on the side.

Patrons will also be able to find Macau’s ever famous pork chop bun amongst the restaurant’s lineup as well. Their version is prepared with an in-house sauce with the meat sandwiched between two sourdough buns.

Capela, porco balichao, and porco bafassa are only several other examples of what else the restaurant has to offer and their menu can be found here.

But of course, Macanese food may not be to everyone’s tastes. And with it being still unfamiliar to a lot of Malaysians, there’s also the crowd who don’t like being adventurous with their food to consider.

For these customers, they’ll be glad to know that Fat Tea also serves items like Hokkien mee, carryovers from Oriental Cravings.

While the business is passionate about its heritage, passion, June noted, is something that needs to be tempered with smart business practices. 

Perhaps had they only served Macanese food, they would’ve alienated themselves from an entire audience. Namely, those just looking for a place to eat and, as it turns out, many of their current regulars.

“Adapt and evolve with customers needs,” said the co-founder when asked to share tips for aspiring F&B entrepreneurs.

That also comes with understanding your niche, which explains why something like their chicken chop too has a Macanese flair to it.

Celebrating tradition

Though June noted that customer feedback has generally been quite positive, one of the biggest challenges that the restaurant faces is operating costs.

COVID-19 especially didn’t make things any easier, but the business managed to stay afloat by implementing online orders into their business model during that time.

At present, the plan for Fat Tea is to open a new branch in the upcoming KLGCC Mall in Bukit Kiara. And part of the reason for this expansion is actually for Fat Tea’s foreign staff who June sees as family.

“They’ve been with me for eight nine years, you know? I want to have a better life for them,” said the owner.

“This restaurant is not enough to sustain all of them if they want to make more money.”

Fat Tea shares its name with “Cha Gordo,” a concept in Macau that quite literally translates to “fat tea.” It is a time-honoured tradition where loved ones get together and feast. Think birthdays, weddings, or Christmas.

With how deeply Fat Tea is tied to family and heritage, there truly is no better name for the business.

• Learn more about Fat Tea Macanese Food here.
• Read other articles we’ve written about F&B businesses here.

Also Read: At 23, he coded a startup in his bedroom. Now, his M’sian HR firm serves 450+ global clients.

Featured Image Credit: Fat Tea Macanese Food

These M’sian dentists’ way of promoting oral health is by starting a… candy brand?

As dentists with their own practice, Dr Hadi and Dr Amira have seen a lot of teeth and dealt with plenty of oral health concerns. 

However, seven years into their practice, they began realising something curious—they saw patients with spotless oral hygiene still getting cavities, while others with less-than-perfect habits sometimes had healthy teeth. 

Hailing from Bangi and Melaka respectively, the two are a couple who first met as classmates at Alexandria University in Egypt. 

“Some people are just more prone to cavities than others but why? We have patients coming in frustrated that they’ve done everything their dentist advises but still get cavities,” Dr Amira mused. 

They knew that telling patients to just “brush more” or “floss more” isn’t the answer. They saw a clear gap in the market for a better solution, and felt a genuine calling to change the way people approach oral care. 

That observation led the couple behind Dental Duo Clinic to start a new brand by the name of Rechew. 

Relooking at oral care

Knowledge is power, which is why the two’s journey with Rechew began with research. Lots of it. 

As dentists, they were already aware of something called xylitol. But interestingly, xylitol products are relatively rare in Malaysia. In fact, many local dentists are unaware of its benefits even though Europe has been using xylitol for oral care since the 70s.

Essentially, xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol often used as a sweetener. Unlike regular sugar (sucrose), though, it’s actually good for your teeth. 

Explaining the ingredient, Dr Amira explained, “Xylitol selectively targets the bad bacteria that’s responsible for various sorts of problems in the mouth, reduces plaque build-up, and stimulates saliva production which helps hydrate dry mouth, reduce bad breath, and repair and protect the enamel.” 

But if it’s so good, why aren’t more products incorporating it?

The answer is money, of course. Compared to other sweeteners, xylitol fetches a higher price. As such, many products only include a small percentage of xylitol to lower the cost, but still mention the ingredient in their marketing materials to attract attention. 

Dr Amira clarified that with these products, you may not get enough xylitol to improve your oral health. 

“For reference, research suggests 6g to 8g of xylitol daily, spread throughout the day. As for safety, xylitol is generally safe for most people when consumed in normal amounts,” they said 

In very high doses, however, it can cause some digestive discomfort like bloating or a laxative effect. 

“And one important note, it’s toxic to dogs so those with dogs need to make sure to keep it away,” Dr Amira reminded. 

In search of the best product

Empowered by their combined expertise and passion for oral care, Dr Amira and Dr Hadi decided to take the plunge and create their own xylitol chewables. 

“It wasn’t just about launching a product, it was about offering a smarter, more effective way to support dental health,” they said. “We were up for the challenge because we saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between routine care, and real, lasting oral health.”

Essentially, Rechew isn’t just a mint brand—it’s their answer to a better approach to oral care. 

In the beginning, they collaborated with local pharmaceutical labs and confectionery manufacturers to create their products. However, the early prototypes fell short on taste, texture, and overall appeal.  

Because of that, they decided to team up with a pharmaceutical lab in China to produce their xylitol pastilles. 

With the lab’s state-of-the-art facilities and expertise, they were able to create their ideal pastilles in around five months.

While Rechew does have an exclusive contract with their manufacturer, it’s nearly impossible to completely stop others from trying to replicate their product. 

Thus, Rechew is focusing on building a solid brand identity that’s hard to beat. 

“We’re always researching and studying new research papers to stay at the forefront of oral care science,” they added. “With our dental expertise and commitment, we’re well-prepared to stay competitive and relevant.”

Not just a candy alternative

Rechew’s xylitol is designed for pretty much anyone who cares about their oral health, but particularly for those who are cavity-prone. 

The dentists also want to target concerned parents. “Our products are not chewing gums, they’re pastilles, hard candy-like thus, safe and effective for kids as young as 2 years old.” 

Essentially, the xylitol pastilles are meant to offer an extra level of protection alongside regular brushing and flossing. Rather than positioning it as a candy alternative, it’s more like an addition to your oral care regimen.

Coming in three flavours, the products are currently available for purchase online on TikTok Shop and Shopee, as well as at the founders’ practice, Dental Duo Clinic.

The products are also halal-certified by SHC, a certification body in China that’s recognised by JAKIM.

“The reception has been incredible,” Dr Amira shared. “It truly exceeded our expectations. We were surprised to see that many Malaysians already know a little about xylitol and its benefits in oral health, which helped us gain traction quickly.”

Fighting for oral health

As full-time dentists, it seems challenging to have to manage a retail brand on the side, too. 

But Dr Amira and Dr Hadi see the business as a natural extension of their passion for preventive oral health. “Our clinical work informs our decisions, and we set aside dedicated time to nurture the brand.”

Dr Amira elaborated, “At the end of the day, both our dental practice and Rechew share the same mission: to help people achieve healthier, happier smiles.”

Right now, the team is focused on getting Rechew onto drugstore shelves nationwide. 

From there, the dental duo aims to extend their reach into neighbouring countries, bringing better oral care solutions to more people. 

• Learn more about Rechew here.
• Read other articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.

Also Read: Not just a fad: How this entrepreneur plans to seriously grow Malaysia’s pickleball scene

Featured Image Credit: Rechew