The eight-page booklet titled When Boy Meets Girl - The Chemistry Guide by the Social Development Unit (SDU) contains practical tips and ideas on how to plan the perfect first outing to set the relationship on the right footing.

"For non-daters, it gives them ideas on where and how to date and, hopefully, they will be inspired to start dating," said Wee Ai Choo, an adviser with the SDU.

Her colleague, SDU director Tan-Huang Shuo Mei said: "By sharing dating tips and socialisation do's and don'ts, we aim to empower singles by helping them with basic courtship skills, showing them that it's really a natural process."

About 20,000 copies of the booklets have been distributed and reactions have been mixed.

"This is so typically Singaporean. It seems as though we need people to tell us what to do and how to do it,"

said Chen Wee Ping, a 28-year-old magazine editor and former SDU member.

But others were more receptive.

"I've been out of the courtship scene for the past 10 years because I've been busy with my job and studies," said Hani Ismail, an office manager who just joined the SDU.

"Things may have changed, so I found the tips refreshing, especially those on how to prepare yourself for dating or meeting people," she said.

The government set up the SDU with the aim of promoting marriages, particularly among graduates, to combat low birthrates.

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