Shortage of babies in Singapore this year despite government incentives
December 26th, 2009 | 
Author: Written by Our Correspondent
Despite government incentives to boost Singapore’s flagging birth rates, Singaporeans are still not producing enough babies this year.
According to figures from the Registry of Births and Deaths, 32,630 babies were born in Singapore in the first 10 months of this year, far short of the 50,000 needed to replace the population each year.
39,826 babies were born in Singapore in 2008.
Sociologist Dr Chang Yau Hoon from the School of Social Sciences at the Singapore Management University felt that the state of the economy is a key reason deterring couples from having more babies.
When interviewed by CNA, he said:
“A lot of family planning decision is being made based on the economy, like whether a person can keep their job, maintain their job. Their salary over the couple of years would be a main determinant. Inflation….whether there would be an expected rise and the cost of living. They would want to ensure they can provide for the family and provide a good education (for their children).”
The CNA article defends “the need for Singapore to bring in new citizens to make up for the low birth numbers.” However, immigration is only a stop-gap measure which does not address the root cause of the problem and may create another one in the process.
A key reason for the low birth rates is the high cost of public housing in Singapore. While the prices of HDB flats has more than tripled in the last decade or so, the median wages of ordinary Singaporeans have not kept pace with it.
Young Singapore couples are finding it harder to afford a home of their own, let alone start a family. The price of resale flats hit a record high in June this year.
Despite evidence showing otherwise, HDB continues to insist that public housing is affordable in Singapore. Government ministers even claim that rising asset value helps to create wealth for Singaporeans.
The situation is exacerbated by the relentless influx of foreigners into Singapore which contributes to inflation, especially that of properties.
According to the Home Affairs Ministry, there were over 20,000 new citizens and 90,000 PRs in 2008. Foreigners now make up 36 per cent of the population, up from 14 per cent in 1990.
In a recent interview with the National Geographic magazine, MM Lee Kuan Yew said he did not care less if Singaporeans are unable to compete with the newcomers:
“Over time, Singaporeans have become less hard-driving and hard-striving. This is why it is a good thing that the nation has welcomed so many Chinese immigrants. If native Singaporeans are falling behind because the spurs are not stuck into the hide, that is their problem,” he quipped.
With such a mindset in the officialdom, it is little wonder that Singaporeans are not keen to have more children. After all, who will want to bring up their children in a country which offers no security or benefits to them.
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37 Responses to “Shortage of babies in Singapore this year despite government incentives”
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more new citizens on your way! coming to your nearest neighborhood!
Foreigners JACK-UP flat prices till I cannot afford. No flat how to get married???
Foreigners steal my job. No job how to get married?? How to have $ to pay for milk and diapers???
The PAP just wants to end the Singapore race with a slow but SURE GENOCIDE!
Shortest of babies is the darndest excuse that PAP can offer.The real reason is the PAP mismanagement of our economy.Years ago PAP touted increased productivity by increased salary.By which it hoped to achieve quality workforce by artificially increasing the salary scale to get out of the nuts and bolts economy for MNC.It failed.Than it made a 360% U Turn.PAP wants the cost of doing business here lowered to match that of China or India.But since the local labor force are locked into high salary to keep with the high cost of living it chose to flood SG with cheap sweat labor.That is the goddammed truth.
Nothing to do with babies born each year.
Now shortage of labor force is not a new dilemma on the horizon.Most oil producing countries faces it; even Malaysia do.But what PAP does is a management by crisis.Like creating a potentially bigger problem to cover up existing problem.
Even if you bring in the most fertile people in the world into our environment, we will still have low birthrate. Though incentives are given to successful people to have more babies it is not working. The underlying issues are not properly addressed, that’s all.
With the highest paid politicians we are unable to solve such a basic challenge like low birthrate, what a shame. The solution is not difficult but those in power would opt for an easier solution by foreign import. There is a price to pay if the authority continue to take the latter option as seen by recent public reaction.
If any other person given such high remuneration to administer Singapore, the issue of low birthrate will be a thing of the past. With more opposition in parliament then more people will speak up on this issue as they do not trust the existing government to listen to them or give them credit for coming up with a better solution, creating the right environment for better child bearing.
The incentive given by government is not enough to offset the escalated cost created by government through high public housing, public transport, public utilities, medical cost, etc. The incentive was just a wayang show to show that government has tried their best to increase the population but the actual intention is to use this as an excuse to import more immigrants.
The failure of younger singaporeans not giving birth is a direct result of failed PAP policies . Don’t blame it on the younger generations . Instead of trying to remedy the failed policies quickly , the million dollar papaya ppl starts to blame everyone . The time has come for a change ( no joke ) and he knows it . He have probably already started his family migration plan .
The government has made Singapore a costly place for business, especially in the last few years after LHL became PM. In order to attract/keep business, they have resorted to import large influx of foreigners to depress the salary. Our public transport, public housing and public utilities have increased the price of their services despite the economics downturn and lower oil price. Now Singaporean have to survive on stagnant or decreasing income while the cost of living keeps going up. How can government expect the citizen to marry/ have more babies while they keep creating problems for them ????
The report is just another propaganda help to justify the “FT” policy.
The issue is not about declincing population. It is about wining election.
There is every REAL reason behind every policy.
I think when it comes to having a baby, couples would first consider getting a flat. There is always a perennial demand for flats, hence this may be a reason why couples are delaying having babies.
Howevr, dun delay too far cos fertility waits for no one.
Couples must manage their financial planning wisely to prepare for the stork.
if life is so good for most Singaporeans, you would see people reproducing to pass on the good fortune.
People are not procreating because they have no confidence in the country and life is not good for most of us.
The only ones having a good life is the pigs @ parliament.
Even the opposition MPs with the same pay is not having a good life. They have to watch their back all the time in case, LHL fix them or to avoid his fixes.
Look at Chiam CT, he has been working so hard.
It is as simple as that.
PAP will have to capture women in Singapore and force IVF on them.
Animals kept in high stress cages are not likely to breed.
Human in high stress environment will not likely want to have babies also.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/01/singapore/jacobson-text/3
To lead a society, the MM says in his precise Victorian English, “one must understand human nature. I have always thought that humanity was animal-like. The Confucian theory was man could be improved, but I’m not sure he can be. He can be trained, he can be disciplined.”
We already have four sons and my husband want me to have one more. We are thankful for all the perks for having children. My hospital also generous to mothers. My husband feel i should be housewife and have another one and look after house. He love to have a big family.
He dont earn much as forklift driver and we need my income as a receptionist.
Will the goverment consider giving more benefits to families if it want Singaporeans to have more babies. Now the incentives stop at four. Maybe the goverment can be more generous to large familes with small income.
We can complained, feedback, email, type our grievances here, feel dissatisfied, get angry with the situations but it is not going to help.
Right in our hearts, we know where the root problems comes from, we have to do something moral for family and pure singaporeans or situations will likely become worst than we can imagine.
Think about, share the idea with as many people as possible caused they too are facing similar problems and situation.
Ultimately make the Right Choice when there is a opportunity.
@siti – aiyoh Maci, is your husband a Chinese or Malay? Is there a difference, ask the PAP? My kepala sakit.
Our living condition is no longer suitable for having a family, let alone having more babies. The cost of living is too high as the result of government policy. Instead of solving problem, the government is aggravating the problems by importing large number of immigrants which caused the cost of living to go even higher. The government can import more immigrants but will never solve the problem as many of these immigrants are rooted in their hometown and Singapore is merely a place where they make more money. Many new citizens has their spouse remains as PR so that they can buy house back in their hometown for retirement. In additon, if their children is a boy, most likely that they were born outside as they have no intention of letting their kid to serve National Service.
So, we base on the Registry data ?
Is the Registry a statboard?
If babies are so important to LKY, why don’t he nationalise baby production?? There are lots of horny local men and cheap china ladies willing to do the job. The babies will be kept in national breeding centres and educated based on their potential, which is measured when they are still children. They shall henceforth be labelled from A to E and forever seperated into these social classes.
Welcome to a brave new world.
@chiies – I know of a Chinese tuition teacher whose husband already a new citizen but she is still a Chinese citizen. Obviously she has got ulterior plan. In order to entice her to stay the government has given her a teaching job hence depriving a Singaporean of the job. She is still a Chinese citizen with her roots firmly in China. What the heck is our government doing?
Singapore can’t go on having continuous outsourcing employment or having employment on contract nature.
Where is the security as an employee? No security, no certainty, how to do a future family planning?
angry_one on Sat, 26th Dec 2009 5:12 pm
Brave thought although not without logic. Bravo for thinking out of the box.
SIngapore is made out of immigrants to begin with. By that logic, your forefathers stole jobs from native Singaporeans. But it is also true that foreigners are able to work longer hours and accept lower pay because their families are based in foreign countries that have a lower cost of living. ANd because their families are not in Singapore, they do not need to spend time with their families at night. Besides, housing prices in Singapore are not unreasonable for a city. Hong Kong, NYC, Tokyo, Shanghai, London and LA have similar or higher housing cost.
Even if we can achieve 100% fertility rate, also no point if our future generations are going to grow up and “quit” Singapore because of certain gov’t policies.
As a Eurasian, I can tell you of my own family members, relatives…basically what used to be a large chunk of the community in the katong/siglap/east coast area have packed up and left en masse for Australia.
We are all replaceable. sigh
Hong Kong, NYC, Tokyo, Shanghai, London and LA are not countries.
but someone said that we weren’t one either.
how sad is that
@born and bred Singaporean – (quote)Singapore is made out of immigrants to begin with. By that logic, your forefathers stole jobs from native Singaporeans.(end quote)
When Singapore was under foreign occupation, our forefather shed blood for Singapore? Did not some paid the high price with their life?
For that blood has brought us this country call Singapore when our forefather fought for our independence. We their children is now the rightful owner of this independence state. Our past and present generation have worked to build this country. Are you trying to dispute it? We cannot accept your logic as it is not applicable since the day Singapore became an independent republic.
Are you saying that this country does not belong to us and any Tom, Dick or Harry can come to disrupt our lives?
Jobs created within Singapore remain the property of our citizens and no one has the right to come and steal it under our nose. Job is very important to every citizens because it provide us our livelihood and we need it to support our high cost of Singapore living. Singapore jobs are for Singaporean. It is our birth right and not negotiable. Not even our government has the right to remove that from us. Without job we all will die. It is just like a person life, nobody has the right to remove it. Anyone tried to do so must face the gallows. Intentionally deprive Singaporean of his job in favor of others not only kills him alone but also his dependents. A man has the rights to fight for his survival.
Only surplus jobs and jobs not taken up by Singaporean can be offered to foreigners on a time limited basis. Between a local and a foreigner, jobs must first be offered to a local and not to a foreigner. Merits can only be between Singaporeans and not foreigners and Singaporeans.
I happened to watch Suria this Sunday morning at 12.30 pm. Programme entitled Cakap Sini Habis Sini (Talk Here, Finish Here).
The programme follows the routine of the hero with “fighting spirit”. Mat Courier (”Mat” Malay lingo for Malay guy). This walk-cycle delivery guy for a firm in Singapore is only 31 years old and is already a proud father of 10 children!
No joke. Not adopted. One year one & all manufactured by he and his young wife.
We shd all learn something from our Malay brethen setting aside loneliness during old age and also as part of old age investment ($50 x 10 kids = $500).
Yet the government wants CHEAPER, BETTER and FASTER. I noted that they said “CHEAPER” first.
Our very own Creative tech went that route for mp3 players. Just look at them now, even Singaporeans would rather buy a more expensive IPOD.
Even if we produce 32,000 or so babies a year and they are so precious, why don’t we do all we can to nurture them and raise them in an environment that develops their talents and potential to the fullest. Give them and their parents all the extra support and benefits. Why do we keep moaning and groaning about the missing 18,000 babies every year? Why don’t the leaders and the YPAP show a good example and make up the missing babies? What is the average number of children of those in the PAP. Quality is more important than mere quantity. But what does the PAP do? Instead of helping the parents of these 32,000 babies, they drive them out of a job by bringing in foreigners, increase the price of setting up a home, raise the prices of goods and services and generally make it expensive and impossible to create a nurturing and pleasant home environment. The glass is three quarters full. Make do with what we have. We are paying you big money to solve problems not make excuses. And stop blaming us, calling us complacent and not hard driving. It is the pot calling the kettle black. What are all the ex-ministers, ex-civil servants and ex-bootlickers doing? They have great titles and continue to draw millions of dollars in chairmanships and directorships of GLCs. Draw up the list and let us know.
The world has never seen or will ever see a bigger bunch of self serving hypocrites and gutless group of clowns masquerading as leaders. For goodness sake, do something rather than repeat the same excuses for screwing up Singapore and Singaporeans. Otherwise when change occurs it will be bloody traumatic.
when folks were trying to make babies,some gahmen elites
stopped them forcefully cos they were supposedly afraid that
singapore was too small for more than ‘replacement’ population
growth ratio.
now that we are seemingly “overcrowded”, the same smart gahmen folks chided us fiercely and unreasonably and even rushed to
attract long-term “foreign” stayers by handing them our jobs and livelihood?
like that CLINT EASTWOOD SHOW of the same title,the locals seem
to be in “every which way but lose…”?
why are we chided for a big mistake made by the gahmen people
who have the cheeks to confront us and even disgrace us,not just publicly,but internationally?!!!
small wonder even the new PRC workers look down on our elderly
cleaners(?) at hawker centres…aren’t the gahmen ashamed?
but whatever it is,even if the gahmen thinks it can retain these newfound FT love,i have my sincere doubts that such
mercanaries are here to stay for “better or for worse”!
mercenary FTs,like all mercenary kind, are not concerned about
other people or society or nation,they merely “kill for the money”,plain and simple.
if guys don’t believe that such kind will leave as swiftly as they landed here-similar to migratory birds-they will be disappointed when there is a change of “economic” seasons and such mercenaries make a hasty exit.
the meritocratic education policy is also not going to help
selfishly developed young adults to produce more children as they now prefer more freedom,financial and otherwise.
policies like abortion will add additional problem to population growth problem as it encourages self-centredness too.
work life balance so much harping and very little or no action is a neccessary consideration for boosting the population not some imagined FT policy for these foreigners too will ultimately prefer to have fewer children due to cost of living and work committments.
so much therefore for this FT-CUM-POPULATION boosting policy.
//#fair and square
HK also have a rat race system and they don’t have as severe a baby problem as us.
How come?
The only difference between them and us is PAP.
Take away PAP and you will find people reproducing better.
LKYandLHLtalks shit:
I’m not sure it’s true they don’t have as severe a baby problem as us.
It seems like they’re doing worse in fact. Ranked 194 vs Singapore’s 186 in terms of fertility rate by the UN.
Unless I’m missing something here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_territories_by_fertility_rate
don’t just sit there and complain of not having enough babies. Do something and start with the government. Allow all ministers and MPs to have as many wives as they want to. Hire all the surogate monthers from India so that they can reproduce with no down time.
As many would know, starting a family is a huge and lifelong responsibility… The little financial enticements offered by the government is really nothing, nothing at all, compared to the costs of bring up the child.
If I start a family, and somewhere down the line, my wife and I become jobless, I always wonder, what would happen to my family? What would happen to my children? Would we end up begging in the streets? Would my children be denied of a proper education because I cannot afford one for him?
The government should really review the social safety net, or the lack of it, in greater details if it is really keen to make Singaporeans start a family…
Since we have 32,630 babies this year, i would expect to see 32,630 less foreigners wouldn I? Since foreigners is supposedly the replacements? Why am i seeing hundred of thousands of them? Even if we hit 50,000 babies, will the govt stop the number of foreigners?
I had a chat with china colleague recently.
The solution to afford raising children is very expensive city like shanghai is to avoid having sons.
(yes, despite conservative chinese thinking, they rather have daugthers!)
Logic is, daugthers are cheaper to raise in comparision to sons.
Daugthers no need to pay for their housing when they grow up (since they are married off anyway).
Will this phenomena help SG?
Just a thought.