Singapore’s declining birth rate
Sunday, 10 December 2006, 12:02 pm | 4,714 views
By Epilogos
Incredible, but true. Singapore is too expensive a place to have a baby, so many young couples in Singapore think. This is in spite of the fact that in Singapore, both couple – husband and wife – are more likely to hold down a paid job. A new acronym, DINKS, has been invented to describe couples with jobs but no kids (Double Income No Kids).
This situation is not getting any better as more of the population ages. This will be a problem that our shrinking number of kids today will have to contend with in the years to come: support a greater number of aged people – people that are from baby boom generation of the 1950s and 1960s.
If after 41 years, we have arrived at a situation where it becomes too expensive to have even one child, then we need to question our priorities in life and the way organise ourselves. Is our national education system any good at all in producing better prospects for its citizens when it doesn’t allow them to earn enough to even start a one child family? What do we mean by a better life? Is a double-income couple a desirable development for the long term? Are the pressures on performance at work putting undue pressure that inhibits procreation, in spite of the government’s best effort and generous incentives?
Is the education system at fault?
I remember spending years towards getting a degree from a local university. The PSLEs were easy then but I worked my heart out for them nevertheless. I hear that it has become very stressful for parents of children sitting for the PSLE nowadays. The ‘O’ levels, ‘A’ levels and undergraduate studies took a lot out of me. Many in my generation also went through this grueling study mill.
But if after 15 years of continuous studies (6+4+2+3) and thereafter, finding a job that can’t even pay for me to have and support a single baby, then I question the economic value that our education has brought us.
Yes, education trains the mind and uplifts the spirit, provides a skill that enables us to secure a job that feeds us and even obtain subsidised housing under the government’s generous housing policies, but nothing else, it would seem. How then are we better off than our parents?
At the end of the day, our stress (no, we don’t sweat anymore in our fully air-conditioned offices) and toil contributes to the nation’s GDP growth rate while also enabling us to keep up with the Jones’. We feel a sense of pride that we made First World status in 40 years and we are happy when the year-end bonuses will be bigger.
Ironically, within such a First World country where the wealth of its people are the envy of many in the rest of the world, many young, working Singaporeans at their most re-productive periods feel that a baby is just too expensive to bear.
How did we get ourselves into such a ridiculous state?
Even the farmer can feed himself off the land without that 15-year study mill. He has the time and mood to reproduce himself far more extensively than a typical graduate in Singapore. Sure, life may not be as exciting on the farm as in the cities, although some farmers in Lim Chu Kang may disagree. Before modern science and technology alleviates some of the uncertainties, farmers were often at the mercy of nature and the markets.
It boils down to priorities in life
It boils down to a matter of priorities in life, does it not? We tend to live more for ourselves than anything else these days. Technology has given us the ‘My’ generation – MyDocuments, MySpace, MySQL, MyFiles, My*Everything*, except people don’t want MyBaby. We want that car and that condo and that annual vacation (more won’t harm) and that maid (whatever for when you don’t have kids?) and ad nauseum. We want everything, and before we can attain all these material goodies, we have no money nor time for a baby.
People say that in Singapore, it costs upwards of $10,000 for a child, and I am not referring to adoption. But these same people think nothing of shelling out $60,000 for that car, even though the lifetime value of a child and a car are so vastly different, at least in Singapore.
Some people wonder how a family with a household income of $2,000 could raise 5 kids. Well, let me tell you that my Father never earned more than $500 a month and, together with my mother, raised 5 kids who are meaningfully employed today. Even adjusting for inflation and all, it will put people to shame nowadays who think that they do not have enough money.
I had a happy childhood even though I missed out on many material things. Toys were hand-me-downs, walking to school some distance away was a daily routine, though it did me good – figure-wise. Witness the many obese kids nowadays who have had one too many burgers, and chocolates and ice-creams and who are practically chaffeured from one place to another, leading largely sedentary lives.
Money is not the only problem
But money is not the only problem for young couples nowadays.
By its own admission, the government’s special tax incentives such as the Baby Bonus scheme, that are aimed at encouraging couples to have children have not worked at all. In fact, I suggest that it was not the real problem to start out with.
The real problem is a biological/psychological one. If we want our birth rates to increase, then we must get people to marry earlier, and to start a family earlier. Waiting till one is over 30 to start a family will necessarily reduce the ability to sire more children, even if, more likely than not, money would not be a problem then.
Can we slow down a bit but not jeopardise our competitive edge? Can we consciously change the way we measure success and happiness or in other words, change our KPIs?
Some have suggested polygamy as a solution. It is conceivable that polygamous relationships where older men marry and support a younger wife or two may increase birth rates, but this comes with higher social costs and inequity that our womenfolk would not soon accept. It is a fact that from the procreation perspective, it just won’t work the other way around. Women are necessarily ‘out of action’ for at least 9 months but the menfolk can ‘keep at it’.
As Stephen Hawking famously said recently, ‘I don’t have the answers’. But what I suspect is that it requires a significant change in our attitude to life and love – the happiness thing, and a willingness to sacrifice other things for a baby which, in my opinion, is worth more than its weight in gold. Perhaps the immigrants that the government is encouraging can teach us a thing or two about having babies?
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Just my factual opinion.
As a Chinese guy myself, I think logically, it’s time to give up searching for a mate. I will not have my decendents having agony trying to coax his wife to bear children or trying to cope with the ever increasing “Singaporean Stress”.
Since birth rate is dropping, that means we are going to Doomsday anyway. It’s a trend that one person can’t stop. So it’s time to stop giving birth, follow the downhill trend, and have my own way of life.
Once our existence ends, there will be no more worries to speak about. Isn’t that good to just be single? Nobody will stop me too, if I choose to be single
Any comments?
I am only 17, but I have to disagree with you. It’s true that nobody in the world can prevent you from being single but your words are quite offensive.
You are talking as if we have no choice and death is the only solution. The birth rate will and should increase, however, its only a matter of time. And if it doesnt, it’s always the case of ignorant and self-centered people.
Well, that only my factual opinion.
if that is the case should females go to ns too?
what has females gg to NS have to do wwith this?
do you think the government is doing enough to encourage more young couples to have children?
I agree with DOS that our overall birthrate is dropping. However, we need to look more closely to establish if there is any buckling trend among different communities. The Malays, needless to say, can reproduce themselves .Next, you must distingish between the Singapore Chinese and the Chinese national or Malaysian Chinese. If you have been to Jurong West and taken a walk through its housing estates, you will witness Chinese National enclaves. There will be pairs of old folks wheeling babies and toddlers in prams, like crocodiles along a river bank. Where I live and observe, almost all of these PRs from China have at least 1 to 2 children.So this group is reproducing themselves. However, I cannot say the same for many of my Singapore Chinese and married friends who are still barren or have only 1 kid after years of marriage. The situation will become scarier if it isn’t already is. One day, these PRC kids will grow up, compete with our singletons for jobs and crowd us out. Just witness their crowding at the playgrounds and basketball courts. The government may be wise in promoting immigration but at what cost? First you allow the young couple from some farming community to settle here, provide them with degrees in our tertiary institutions(my neighbour is one excellent example of a foreigner who has benefitted more from this system than a local) and then allow their parents to come over. Now if we really want to these immigrants to do some good to the economy, I say, do not let the old folks come over. The minute they get approval to come over, their sole purpose is look after their new-born grandchildren. So the money that the young PRC couple will have spent on engaging a nanny or with the infant and child-care centres is saved. That’s why they can afford the second child!But wait, look at our Singapore Chinese families. I have more friends who are forced to engage maids, nannies and infant-care centres to look after their new-borns simply because their parents still have to work and cannot afford to jeopardise their financial standing by quitting their jobs to look after their grandchildren.
Once I walked by a primary school and I observed that the PRC grandparents were actually free and able to fetch their grandchildren but our local grandparents still have to eke out a living, many clearing tables and collecting aluminium cans from rubbish bins. Isn’t it very sad, ironical and insulting that this is happening in the first place? Who helpled to build up the nation?Was it these struggling grandparents or those from China or India? Nobody needs to answer this question because everybody knows the answer. If the government really wants to reap the benefits of having a higher population, it should firstly, not allow aged parents to come over, and I am not only suggesting the PRC group. Consider the Indians from India. The story is repeated all over, many time over. The Indian couple conceives, gives birth and they bring in their own child-care support-and save costs.Second,the PRs should not enjoy the same privileges as locals. I was shocked and politically offended upon learning that a child of Singapore parents has to compete with PRs right from the first phase of P1 registration. Why is there no differentiation between these 2 groups? So tell me, what benefits are there for locals? No wonder so many thinking Singapore Citizens want to leave this little island.
Second,the PRs should be made to pay full fees for their children’s education, just like foreigners.
Without having to subsidise this group, the extra money can then be channelled into helping our poor folks or those who have been retrenched. That way, the government can return the money to the true-blue Singapore citizen whose money and those of his parents helped to build up Singapore into what it is today.
Third, there should be more careful screening of the qualification of the PRs. Just ask the teachers in the primary schools how many of these foreign(ie PR and foreigner)students have parents who cannot communicate in proper English. Why are we importing more problems than problem solvers? Just because you are Chinese or Indian shouldn’t automatically you for PR. The PR status is too cheap. It cheapens citizenship as a whole because we admit too many who cannot make it in their own country into our shores. If these PRs and foreigners are real talent, why are they here to eke out a living? These should be back home, making big time money. The way I see it, these PRs will not stay in the long run. The minute their kids grow up, are educated here or their parents fall ill or when our economy runs aground, they will leave. I can’t see how these groups are going to build up their attachment to our country.Putting myself into their shoes, I find it hard to come up with any reasons to stay on when things turn bad here.
what measures has Singapore government put in place to encourage couples to have more children?
i guess mostly because its really not that affordable to have children in singapore
The last paragraph puts it so well. And the point about attitude and priorities sums it all for me.
i may just about be the youngest here, but this topic is really quite important. i’m thirteen, and if not for some geography project i wouldn’t be looking at this website at all.
right.
so, personal opinion, i agree with vertigo totally. like, look at singaporeans now! We are, in a sense, endangered. and soon, we’ll be extinct. that is, if nothing is done. I can’t do anything, of course. YET. and to raymond, if you’re going to give up all hope on life, don’t influence others with your decision. Doomsday. Right. and if you keep talking like that you’re gonna face God in the final judgement.
what has the government done to encourage more people to have kids? Very little, I suppose, judging by the situation now. If bonuses are the only thing that has been done, then i say it’s not working. Not too long ago you had to pay a fine for every child after the first three. That restricted a lot of people from having more children. Now only, when the situation is getting critical, do people try to reverse what has been done? Too late. With all the problems people are facing now, survival is no mean feat.
take me for example now. i have two brothers, so that’s three of us altogether. my mum is a full-time housewife, which leaves only my father working. and he’s earning hardly more than a thousand per month. sure, all three of us managed to apply for financial assistance, but our troubles don’t stop there. my father is in his forties and that means “old”, by today’s standards. he was jobless for a year before this too. so, may i ask, what has the government done, AT ALL?
my personal opinion, and i believe, many others’ too.
do you think all these co-savings scheme etc really encourage couples?
“my father is in his forties and that means “old”, by today’s standards. he was jobless for a year before this too. so, may i ask, what has the government done, AT ALL?”
Gov do nothing. If you are not the solution, then you must be the problem. Gov will do nothing to problem.
But then, if you are the solution, gov will also do nothing because you already is the solution. Then why we did these millions dollars as#$#$holes for ?
The answer: For Nothing.
ust like Shalom, i’m also 13 and also here for some old geography project. And I think I disagree with Vertigo…with all the things about Singaporean PRs. I was a PR since I was a year old and I am now a citizen in Singapore. But somehow I agree with the point that people of other countries are given more chances of great survival here. The PRCs cannot be blamed for this. It is true that they left their own country and came to Singapore. But WHY is the question. As for my family, we came from srilanka. The situation there has been quite bad in the recent years. And once we came here, we got everything. My parents were graduates and they got wonderful jobs, a wonderful home, another Singaporean baby (my brother) and many facilities. But all I was told since young was that “we came to Singapore for survival. We must do well in whatever we do. Although u are well off here, you must not get it into your head, strive hard. Do your best. You must be grateful to the country, which welcomed you in the times of dark……” and more. It still runs in my head. However for locals in Singapore, I’ve noticed, with all the luxury, freedom, and you know the facilities for them to have, they forget to strive. They end up blaming those who came here for survival. And for the past years I have also noticed that children from other countries like china and India work harder. Their mathematics is brilliant for example. And not all Singaporean parents are family minded. I mean, they drink; they go to the pub and stuff like that. As far as I know, none of the PRC parents do that, nor do the overseas ones who became citizens afterwards. I might be wrong, but this is my way of looking at what Vertigo said.
shri,you come from the country that seem more oppressive than Singapore, and naturally you find yourself lucky to be in Singapore. But I suggest you be more sensitive to the plight of citizen here rather blahing how lucky Singaporean is to have such a government. In fact, I do observe one important thing is that the PR and foreigners are less receptive about political thing here because compare to their original country, they feel so lucky that they have little to complain about and moreover they feel they ought not to complain because they choose to come here.
How much do you know political thing that affect the livelihood of the citizen ?
How much do you know about the national service that we serve ?
How much do you know about the GRC, gov body and how they work ?
I don’t blame you for not knowing anything about Singapore deeply because like many foreigners I interact with, they are so impressed with the images of Singapore that they overlook everything else and rather be ignorant. What Singaporean need is substance not image alone. And sure, the foreigner need image to tell them it is the right place to invest in and that is why gov is making everything beautiful and good at the expense of local.
Do not perceive Singaporean as whiner or complainer but rather ask yourself why Singaporean will want to complain if the gov able to resolve issue that demonstrate competency for their obscene pay ? If they are incompetent, I rather they stop showing how smart they are so that they can give themselve another rise of salary.
I suggest you look beyond the image to see thing as they really are rather than what the media and propaganda want you to believe.
If you really want to know what happening to Singapore, good blogs that worth reading:
http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/
http://aaron-ng.info/blog/its-not-just-the-jobs.html
http://mollymeek.livejournal.com/
Singaporean do not complain for the sake of complaining, we have much better thing to do.
shri, I’m sure if you submit your entry to Strait Times, they will surely publish it because it is entry that please their utlimate master.
On the other hand, foreigner singing praise of the establishment albeit been so ignorant and uncritical is nothing new to me.
i bet my parent’s will blow up if they knew im writing in a forum. and yes daniel, i think your point is better off from a singaporean. im not worshipping s’pore or anything…im not saying that there is nothing to complain. i agree that local singaporeans ought to be treated better with more opportunities. i know that PRs have been..uhm..maybe “snatching” their opportunities??…but i say, there is room for improvement. and i do not blame anyone. i just found the fact of blaming it all on the foreign expats a little uncomfortable.
shri rah, I’m not sure why the perception of my comment do make you think we are blaming the foreigner. In fact, I glad that you came to Singapore for better future just like the Singaporean who migrate to other country for better future.
Why we Singaporean want the foreigner to know is the stand of been a citizen and why the citizen is continuously bearing the cost of foreigner infusion that part of government excessive-FT strategy that seem short-sighted. What is the cost of foreigner coming here and moving to greener pasture elsewhere later when the singaporean has to bear the cost of lower wages to put off high price of their house and survival ? Remember, our gov here is money-faced to help themselves than help the local. As long as it makes money for them, everything goes, and that’s why we are adamant about the government.
Why are we serving the same liability to compete in the same field level as foreigner ? Why are there a real discrimation in those serving NS and yet the government pretend nothing happen and assume that employer will be understand ? The government here has become overwhelmingly disconnected with the society as long as pursue their own personal gain as we have seen, and we afraid that excessive-FT strategy is part of their follies that detrimental to future of Singapore as well.
As far, the government made a lot of honest mistake. Remember, when we ask why the government give medicial subsidary to the foreigner, the government then cancel the medical cost where the government should have give citizen better subsidary instead. From here, you can see it is all about profit and money.
So foreigner, please do not blame us but blame it on our government. The government create a society that is survival of fitness except on themselves. I’m sure one day when you start growing up and treat nothing more like digit, you feel likewise.
shri rah , feel free to write on the forum if you are really concerned about the future of Singapore.
“i bet my parent’s will blow up if they knew im writing in a forum. and yes daniel, i think your point is better off from a singaporean.”
This shows very much the culture of fear that exists in this so-called first world country ! Indeed, it is because of this culture of fear that Singaporean has been marginalized by the government in term of ridiculous rising cost. The foreigner look nothing more than a pawn.
This is exactly another concern that one day will happen. The gov will want to jack up the population to 6.5 millions, and no doubt these foreigner will get to vote as well (Who to study them from voting anyway ? Singaporean ? You must be kidding !). And sure enough, the foreigner will vote the establish due to fear as you have now expressed. In this aspect, you can say FT strategy is double-edge sword as well as it could be seen as political-motivated.
Well i agree with what the writer said.
As a 17 years old student, what i can say that the educational system in Singapore is indeed prevent many to marry later. Yup with rising GDP so what? The cost of living in Singapore isnt low either.
As you know that, the education mill stated earlier.. if we finished our “normal” education path. By the time .. we already reach the age of 20 for female and probably more than 25 for men.
Nonetheless.. age 20-26 is indeed an ideal age for marriage. But think again, how many of us can reach financial independent at this moment. I can say not much maybe 10% . As adult who just started working might eventually get financial independent at age 30 to 40 or even 50.
Just my 2 cents of thought
One of the KPI (key performance indicator) of an effective Government is the ability to get the people to reproduce, so that the nation can continue its identity.
I find the low birth rate to be an indication of the failure of the current economic and social policies in Singapore. It could be due to the education system, the economic priorities, or other factors.
If the Government accepts this assessment, then they will have to realise that the Baby Bonus and other incentives have failed. They should be prepared to look at other options.
Otherwise, we have to say goodbye to the Singapore that we know of in the past.
I feel that Singapore always paints a rosy picture internationally. Telling the world we are small yet great. I doubt so, if Singapore’s that’s great, why are we having low birth rate even after ‘good’ measures had been carried out. At least the government thought so. But it was obvious that the ‘good’ measures thingy didnt agree with most Singaporeans. That’s why the government is reviewing their ‘good’ measures again.
Will this help in Singapore Birth Blooms??
My friends and I felt that Singapore is already too crowded yet our government is targeting a population to a heaven figure of 500m or 650m whichever it was in such tiny island! No wonder there are so many talks held nowadys about mental stress and stress management in our nation and even in companies. Coz, unlike NZ, Australia and European countries, we have had no wide personal space for us to enjoy during off-days with places crowded everywhere except our own house. . And that is another reason why many Singaporeans had chose to leave here for wider personal space and freedom.
Ironically, the birth rate has dropped but the country is still or even crowded than it should be. The reason is many of the est. 400m population are foreigners (including PRs as they are not the citizens). The recent report had stated that about 100m is foreigners( w/o PRs status) and the rest are PRs and citizens. Just look at this figure, you can simply figure out the size of citizens out of this 400m. It is very little coz there are many PRs out of this figure after the 100m foreigners. PR’s identity can be achieve easily here. Take as an example, I was shocked to learn that a foreign student graduated from Polytechnic already can apply for PRs without any year of working experience. And the application is cheap. Unlike Australia, NZ and many other developed nations. Where application for PR status is very strict.
And these foreign students who attained the PRs, get a job easy earning less or even more than a home- breed student doesnt really care much coz as long as they get a job, pay their rental and daily expenses here, they save their so-called little left over. Years gone by, their little left over becomes big and then they exchange these huge ‘little’ left over to their own countries’ currencies will be umpteen big at that time. So these group of PRs enjoy the benefits like a citizen during their stay here but eventually give up their PR status and return home later with great retirements. (although there were some changes in benefits made between a PR and citizen this year- I dont think that’s a big difference)
A fact that there are many PRs at the age of around 40 or more who have been here more than 20 years ago did not tranfer to citizenships. For instance, I have lecturers whom I have known are all like this ( they are considered foreign talents). Apparently, they treat here as a temporary home to get what they want when they are still young and fit. Even if their off-springs were born here and are Singaporeans, will they contribute to the increase of birth rate? The answer is no either coz they have seen Singapore from the first day they were born here.
Some PRs are even brilliant. They took PRs here just to gain qualifications to go over to the developed nations like U.S and eventually become the citizenship of that developed country they go.
Eventually, the strategy that the government takes to attract more foreign talents here to attain PRs first, then Citizenships to contribute to our population growth is a mistake. These foreign talents are not stupid afterall.
i think foreigners should shut up. they have no right to comment on singapore.
[...] [2] http://theonlinecitizen.com/2006/12/singapores-declining-birth-rate/ [...]
your message is exellent but today people mind is act as a machine so people want only money not a superior life
It’s really quite fascinating what Singaporeans believe the problem to be when it comes to foreigners and increasing the fertility rate. The ignorance displayed is amusing at the very least.
Firstly, PRs do NOT have it easy in this country. A lot of people come here because yes, the prospects here are better than in their home country but quite a number are people whose jobs have required them to transfer here for a long time or permanently. They work here and are required to contribute just as much to the country as every Singaporean citizen and yet they do not get the same benefits as Singaporeans. Education is still more expensive, healthcare is more expensive, they are denied many scholarships all because they are not Singaporeans. Yet they do not complain not because they are happy of just leading a better life, but because they understand that there is a price to pay to enjoy the benefits of a country when you are not a citizen of that country. Not every PR here has a rosy job or earns millions. There are a significant number who are just normal middle-class people. Not all of them here come here to just reap the benefits of the country and leave in the old age. Even if they do, it actually helps the Singaporean economy to have a greater working population but a smaller ageing population.
Secondly, Singaporeans seem to have a very stereotypical view on why foreigners or PRs are here. For heavens sakes open your eyes and think for more than a minute. For all its flaws the Singaporean gov DOES take care of its people and its people are usually the main beneficiaries of any policy they come about. If there are more foreigners or PRs taking jobs here, it simply means that the Singaporeans are not taking up those jobs. Why would any gov encourage foreigners to come and settle and work in a country if they have their own people to do the job and make the country prosper?? So obviously the case is that Singaporeans are not able to meet the market demand that the country needs to prosper and thus you need others to come in and help you do the job. If you think because of this the education and the employment prospects of being in Singapore are more difficult for a Singaporean then just think. Singapore works on a meritocratic basis. One of its major strengths is that it treats people equally regardless of what your background is. So if foreigners do well in getting jobs and in school, it just means that Singaporeans are not working hard enough. Singaporeans do NOT have the drive and passion to succeed and excel like the foreigners do. DO NOT blam the foreigners or the gov just because you cant be bothered to work hard enough to get what you want. This is not a welfare state where the gov will take care of you even if you dont help yourself. Work for it and there is no reason why you should be able to reap the benefits. I can vouch for this personally being in a university and having both foreigners and Singaporeans as my very good friends. Singaporeans just DO NOT have the drive to achieve something like the foreigners have. So stop complaining that the presence of foreigners excelling everywhere and making it difficult for Singaporeans is not your fault. Simply put, it is.
Thirdly, Singaporeans should change their perception of PRs here. They are not ignorant about Singapore, they are not indifferent towards Singapore and they are not money minded blood suckers just out here to make some money and go back. Coz like you mentioned, if they really are that good and they just cared about money they would have gone to US. The fact that they are here and working in this country for this country means that they do have some form of vested interest here. Stop having such a bad opinion about them. They are no different from your other Singaporean friends who settle in other countries.
Fourthly, its funny how an article on increasing the population of Singapore turns into a foreigner bashing session. The other major factor in the matter is that Singaporeans dont even know the true cause of the problem their country is facing the reason why the policies exist. People complain about overpopulation and lack of space in Singapore to do anything. But they dont seem to understand that if Singaporeans don’t give birth to more children, this country is going to become an immigrant country. If you dont have enough locals to sustain your economy and prosperity then obviously you WILL have to start depending on other people for that. If the fertility does not rise, the size of the Singaporean working population is going to drastically decrease while the ageing population will be large.
Singaporeans should stop blaming others and start taking responsibility for the prosperity of their country. If you dont want foreigners to be here then make sure there is NO NEED for foreigners to sustain and prosper your economy. Make sure you have enough people and passion to do it yourself.
hi.i am actually an undergraduate in a local university and to be frank, many of my peers, including myself, has already grown weary of the social institution of education tying us down and its hard to expect graduates to tie themselves to another social institution which is marriage right? well for the declining birth rate, i think the education system, the government and even we as Singaporeans have to be blamed in certain ways. The education system works but the duration is simply too long. The rising cost of living might have rose to jaw-dropping point but mindsets and attitudes will eventually hold the key decision as to when couples have babies. you cant blame youths for ’settling down’ with marriages after they are tied down by the education system for so long right? as for the government.. maybe the ’stop at 2′ policy started too late; ’start having more than 3 children if possible’ policy started out too late.
well its my little opinion.. and sorry if i have damaged anyone’s reputation i dont mean it! xD and did i mention im writing an essay on what makes Singaporeans “Singaporeans”? =)
Marrying a beotch, having seven kids, growing old and hoping thers a god.
i cant work a job, like any other slob.Punching in and punching out and sucking up to Bob.
Education to get a job, so that one could pay off his debt for living, to keep this monetary system afloat.
Our government keep the price for hdb so high… 800 unit for 3000 over application for some hdb, and need 3 years to be ready… good job for encouraging more baby…
wah. shalom. i must really agree with u.
the standard of living in sgp is really high. so what if the govt give them the baby bonus. its not alot for them to cover the whole expense for the baby. and the money the gave them, at the end of the day. the govt will take back bit by bit. taxes, gst, the expensive bus fairs and the other fines. ERP, COE… endless and countless . lots of them.
how u expect the others to give birth when they cant even have the extra money to do so