‘Mastika’ was a monthly magazine published by Yusof Ishak, one of the founders of the Utusan Melayu Press. Years later, in 1965, Yusof Ishak became the first President of the Republic of Singapore. Utusan Melayu Press was the first Malay newspaper in Singapore that was entirely owned and published by Malays, as previously the Malay newspapers were owned by Muslims of Arab or Indian origin. The Jawi text on the cover of the April 1956 issue is a Malay poem which literally translates to, "Paper boats are pretty to look at. Arranged in a circle and floating in water. When you are not in your homeland, there is no one to depend on."
