A Nose For News

Just two weeks into his stint as the editor of Tamil Murasu, Mr Raja Segar learnt of a major announcement: that Singapore would see its first leadership change in 20 years. The handover from Mr Lee Hsien Loong to Mr Lawrence Wong was only the third such change in prime ministers since Singapore’s independence in 1965. The news got Mr Segar, 62, thinking. “I wanted to make the story come alive for our readers, especially the younger ones, who might have been born after the last leadership transition in 2004,” he said. “We in the news business today are blessed with the ability to tell stories like never before, thanks to the power of social media and technology.”

With this in mind, he set a clear goal for his team: to bring Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s inauguration to life for audiences. Judging by the scope of its coverage, they certainly did just that. There were videos that not only captured the formal proceedings at the Istana, but also the groundswell of emotion at Yew Tee, a precinct that PM Wong represents in Parliament. 

Mr Segar recalls rushing from the inauguration ceremony to Yew Tee to support his team and hear their views. “With news, you have to be on the ground,” he explained. “I enjoy going out to meet people and be with my team as they tell their stories.” In the month of April 2024, during the annual Tamil Language Month, he attended over 20 of the 48 events to meet supporters. 

Mr Segar’s affable nature and fondness for meeting people have earned him many valuable connections over the years. These have proven useful in his quest to tell stories in a unique manner. He began widening his network as a Science student at NUS. “I would hop on the University bus and travel to the Arts faculty twice or thrice a week for an Economics class,” he recalled. “At those classes, I was exposed to students from other faculties, like Business, Arts and even Law. I cherish those friendships till today.” Also useful is the academic foundation he gained from his time at the University. “We were trained to look at issues from multiple angles, which has come in handy throughout my career,” he shared.

These traits are exemplified in Tamil Murasu’s coverage of a recent solar eclipse that was visible in the United States. “We didn’t just want to do a straightforward story,” he explained. “So I got in touch with a teacher friend in Dallas and we had a Zoom interview about the activities she had organised for her class. Readers in Singapore could feel like they were watching the eclipse, even though it was taking place thousands of miles away.”

Like many media outlets, the 88-year-old Tamil Murasu, Singapore’s oldest and only Tamil newspaper, has had to adapt to digital trends to stay relevant to younger readers. This is a source of excitement, rather than apprehension for Mr Segar. “It has lit a fire under us to stay relevant to younger readers,” he said. “If you’re not going to connect with them, you might as well send the paper to the gallows, because the time will come when no one will read you!”

The paper has done well on this front. Since the start of 2024, the Tamil Murasu app has been downloaded more than 22,000 times and its social media reach has grown steadily through the years. 

A JOURNEY OF SERVICE

Indeed, people are at the heart of Mr Segar’s long and varied career. This began right from his University days, when he held office in the NUS Indian Cultural Society and Tamil Language Society. “It’s far from linear,” he said of his career, noting his stints at media outlets, schools, community organisations and even the Ministry of Defence. A common thread that runs through this is service, especially to the Indian community. 

While at Mediacorp in the 1990s he was instrumental in the setting up of Vasantham Central and led the team for four years. He has also served as chief executive at two organisations familiar to many Indians: SINDA from 2009 to 2014 and the Hindu Endowments Board from 2017 till earlier this year. His return to media as the editor of Tamil Murasu is the latest chapter.

“I was very honoured to be appointed editor of Tamil Murasu, a paper that is very dear to the Tamil community. Many of us grew up with it on our coffee tables at home; we read it, contributed to it and through this, forged a bond with it,” said Mr Segar, recalling the many poems and articles he had published over the years. “Through our efforts, I hope that Tamil Murasu will remain an important part of the Tamil community, the same way that it has been for many generations before.” 

   
Text by Keenan Pereira. Photo courtesy of T Raja Segar