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SINGAPORE: Singapore has accredited its first batch of dating agencies. The SDU Trust Mark is aimed at building confidence in dating services and to weed out dubious agencies.
Founders of dating website, "Who Works Around You", said although online dating is not a new trend, more Singaporeans are giving it a shot.
Vary Yong, manager, "Who Works Around You", said: "There's no barrier stopping them from signing up, and they can do it in their own free time. So they don't have to go down to an agency."
The agency is one of seven which has been given the SDU Trust Mark. Nine practitioners were also accredited with the Trust Mark.
Singles who use dating agencies said security and privacy are their main concerns. The Trust Mark aims to address these concerns by ensuring industry players maintain professionalism and service standards.
Channel NewsAsia understands that the Social Development Unit (SDU) and the Social Development Service (SDS) will be merged by the end of the year.
Currently, the government is still involved in the dating industry, but the goal is to let the private sector take over.
Claire Chiang, co-chairperson, The Partner Connection Fund Evaluation Panel, said: "The SDU will still be the supporting framework, working as one of the players with all the private sector agencies to compliment one another.
"At the appropriate time, I think the private sector agencies, if they can take off on their own – having learnt through all these trade seminars to do better – then I think all the SDU agencies will scale down in terms of direct services."
The number of singles in Singapore now stands at 520,000 – an 8 per cent increase from the figure in 2000. According to the Study of Marriage and Parenthood 2007, 85 per cent of all singles said they want to get married.
- CNA/so
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