REACH (Telegram) 124 - What are your views on the announcement of the historic low fertility rate and what more do you think can be done to encourage more Singaporeans to get married and have children?
(SK)
27 Feb 2026 (10am - 7pm)
REACH (Telegram)
REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 9:45 am]
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REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 10:02 am]
📢 Topic 📢
Singapore’s total fertility rate dropped significantly to a new low of 0.87 in 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said in parliament on Thursday (Feb 26). The country's fertility rate fell below 1.0 for the first time in 2023 to 0.97, and the figure remained the same in 2024.
💬 What are your views on the announcement of the historic low fertility rate and what more do you think can be done to encourage more Singaporeans to get married and have children?
📌 Singapore’s total fertility rate
Noting the significant drop in total fertility rate from 1.24 a decade ago, Mr Gan said low birth rates and an ageing population will “profoundly reshape” Singapore, as well as its society and economy in the coming years. Singapore saw about 27,500 resident births in 2025, the lowest number in its recorded history, he added.
“The overall trend is also of grave concern. Marriage rates have come down, and those who are married have fewer children or no children,” he added. Singapore’s population is also ageing faster than ever, he said, noting that this is an existential challenge.
Singapore’s citizen population grew 0.7 per cent in 2025, said Mr Gan. Even with immigration, the growth of the country’s citizen population has slowed over the past 10 years – falling from an average of 0.9 per cent per year between 2015 and 2020, to 0.8 per cent per year over 2020 to 2025.
“If no new measures are taken, our citizen population will start to shrink by the early part of the 2040s,” said Mr Gan.
📌 Parenthood Reset
To change the trajectory of the total fertility rate, the issue cannot be addressed by policy measures alone, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, noting the need for a marriage and parenthood reset.
Singapore must reset three areas – how marriage and parenthood are viewed and supported, how workplaces can evolve to better align work and family, and how everyone can play their part, she said.
The government will form a new workgroup with the relevant agencies to look into these issues holistically and engage widely with members of the public, businesses and the people sector, she added.
It will build on current efforts to enhance government support for marriage and parenthood, cultivate positive mindsets about this, and work with employers to foster family-friendly workplace cultures and practices.
📌 Immigration and the economy
At the macro level, a declining population means less vitality in Singapore and its economy, said Mr Gan. With fewer citizens, it will also become increasingly difficult to meet Singapore’s national security and defence needs, said Mr Gan.
Even as the government redoubles its efforts to support Singaporeans in starting families and having more children, the country will still need “carefully managed” immigration flow to augment its low birth rate, said the deputy prime minister.
Depending on demographic trends, the government expects to take in between 25,000 and 30,000 new citizens each year over the next five years. The country also expects to take in about 40,000 PRs each year in the next five years, more than the 35,000 granted in 2025, he said.
The government will ensure Singapore does not bring immigrants in faster than it can accommodate, be selective about who is brought in, and step up integration efforts, he added.
With these adjustments, Singapore hopes to maintain a citizen population with modest growth, he said, adding that this growth is likely to slow further to “about half a per cent”.
🔗 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/spores-total-fertility-rate-sinks-to-new-low-of-0-87?ref=top-stories
🔗 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/total-fertility-rate-tfr-2025-record-low-citizen-population-5954306
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LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 10:17 am]
Reactivate:-
1. SDU
2. SDS
Or organise activities for young men and women to meet.
Be it by Government agencies or do it with commercial agencies (good ones not those scam ones).
Plus Dating Apps approve by Government (will not be scammed).
Can work with commercial dating agencies.
This will encourage more dating, foster more marriage.
Must let more young men and young women interact more - then got more sparks,
- one see love grow (一见钟情),
- 再见催情 (See again, urge to marriage sprout)，
- 不见不行 (desire to be a couple to see one another day and night endure),
- 踏入婚堂，势在必行 (step into wedding hall, nothing can stop).
So must let young couples opportunities to meet, fan love, courtship will grow, stepping into the wedding hall is a natural progress.
365, [27/2/2026 10:21 am]
I think the government should step back and think why is low TFR an issue? We've been building on the assumption of infinite growth, that's not realistic in the long term. We are just reaping the consequences of the choices we have made earlier, even back 30 or 40 years ago.
The promise of infinite growth is starting to fall apart. In an ecosystem, if you introduce an unnatural increase in population of one species, its population would start decreasing as there's not enough resources to go about, the same could be for humans. The resource in our case not being food, but space and opportunities.
Low TFR feels like a reset back to a more acceptable population level. Whether that population still compromises of the same people is another matter altogether.
I think it's more beneficial to work towards reducing the negative impact of a decreasing population, rather than trying to reverse it.
I have previously brought up requiring Singapore citizen children for PRs to convert to citizens, this in theory increases TFR, since there won't be any new citizens without a replacement added to the statistic. We get the labour to assist us with the short term as well, and structurally the population decreases from the older population instead of the younger replacements, thus being able to gradually reset our population to a lower level while reducing its impact.
365, [27/2/2026 10:28 am]
Don't really agree with this, marriage is not a resolution anymore, with more couples opting for the DINK lifestyle. Lifestyle changes, and opportunities play a bigger role. What they can get and what they have to sacrifice.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 10:29 am]
That's why got to create opportunities to let nature take its course.
干材烈火，一点就着。
Dry splint meet spark, once ignite love grow and become unstoppable.
This is a raw instinct of any human beings.
365, [27/2/2026 10:31 am]
Opportunities not in the sense of 2 person meeting, but other opportunities that can help them lead what is perceived as a better life, such as a decent paying career and still having work-life balance.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 10:33 am]
This is also another condition to foster marriage.
Then once basic instinct is ignited.
Step 2, is to address what make the current youth Gen Z hesitate to tie the knot.
Then address them head-on.
365, [27/2/2026 10:35 am]
This is important even after the marriage, I know many peers who are married or already have partners they intend to marry, but still not want kids. Thus, I don't believe marriage and meetups are the primary limiting factor.
Daniel, [27/2/2026 10:38 am]
Yes, and I think that's a valid choice. I think the only people we can influence are people who either don't marry because they haven't met anyone yet, people who want kids but decide not to have them because of those factors mentioned and people who have kids but don't want to have more because of those same factors.
Not much point harping on people who make the conscious choice to remain childless not due to any constraints.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 10:42 am]
Only after, successful marriage, then address why don't want kids.
Eg.
1. Scared kids no career future because of AI, because of tech disruption?
2. Scared parents got to struggle to earn a living, don't want kids to suffer as well? Because afraid career not secure? Etc etc
Tackle one step at a time by identifying root cause, then use scientific method, psychological approach, coaching, counselling if necessary, create conditions like MediaCorp collaborate to film more marriage and birth etc.
Human can be sway to do the right things - ie. Married, give birth, to ensure continuation of human civilization.
It is every human responsibility.
Must bring back and inculcate Confucian values - before our civilization will not experience existential threat.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 10:44 am]
Love is a basic instinct of any human beings.
Be it man or woman.
It is how to ignite Love ❤️.
Because human desire for Love - can never be suppressed.
Daniel, [27/2/2026 10:46 am]
I still feel government support is too limited to the first few years. They'll give baby bonus and maternity/paternity leave. But in my personal experience what really kept us from having more than the current 2 children is that it's really though to care for kids. School closures and sickness eat away all the personal leave days making it even harder to recover from the day to day stress of working and parenting. Childcare leave also does not get more if more than one kid, even though different school levels will have different closure days and sickness is rarely perfectly synchronised. For us it was a choice of stopping at 2 or outsource upbringing our kids, which doesn't make much sense to us.
So financial support and baby bonus is not addressing all the core issues at least for a portion of parents.
365, [27/2/2026 10:46 am]
One core issue is that many (annectodal) also feel that the population in Singapore is stretching its limit already. Personally I believe we should look to maintain, or even slightly reduce the population rather than increasing it.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 10:48 am]
Once love between a man and woman ignited, 打都打不脱。
(How you pull them apart is near impossible).
Marriage become a natural progress.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 10:58 am]
I interacted with the youth and young people.
Their passion for love, mutual attraction between boys and girls are the same as their parent's generation.
As long as they are human, basic instinct don't change.
Except the conditions to let them interact and get together are few and far in between.
Hence after indentifying the root cause, we must prescribe the medicine.
Let them have more chance to interact and get together, to ignite the love 💕.
This is the first step that must do.
REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 11:00 am]
[ Poll : 1. I am concerned about the declining fertility rate in Singapore. ]
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 11:01 am]
[ Poll : 2. I agree that immigration is necessary to help Singapore maintain our population numbers.
]
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 11:01 am]
[ Poll : 3. I agree that the Government is putting in sufficient measures to encourage Singaporeans to get married and have children. ]
- Strongly Agree
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Strongly Disagree
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 11:05 am]
Else if :-
1. Youth don't get into courtship.
2. Don't want to marry.
3. Married don't want to have kids.
Then our civilization will go into extinction.
Then no choice, let the youth knows, we got to let in more immigrants - else Singapore cannot survive and thrive.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 11:37 am]
Next, don't make the marriage process too onerous for the young couple.
Eg
1. How much dowry lah
2. Must stage wedding at 5 star hotel lah
3. Headache to get bto flat lah
4. Invite relatives, friends - many also don't know one another lah.
Spend big money for wedding lah, go through all the hassle lah...
Most important ask what the young couples want, not what the parents want (for face only).
If young couples want to save more money for future and dispense with very expensive wedding and can 白头到老, simple wedding ceremony is ok.
Eg.
1. Just go ROM to register then both family members go for a lunch or dinner good enough.
No need invites relatives that never even meet or know each other just to want to have "face".
As long as the couple happily marriage and live happily ever after until old age, good enough for parents.
What is the point of holding 世纪大婚宴 (century wedding) and then break up later just to show off, but cannot live happily after?
(变成实际大笑话）- century embarrassment.
It just induce more stress on the young couples - and put them off on marriage.
2. Go honeymoon and just register for marriage Jadi.
3. Or ROM, organise a simple wedding lunch at cafe or simple restaurant good enough.
365, [27/2/2026 11:39 am]
This "process" not government mandated leh, a good number of couples do this now. It's elder expectations
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 11:40 am]
Yes.
That's why also must educate elderly and parents.
Don't exert unnecessary pressure onto the children.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 11:47 am]
My close friend comments:-
I cannot even convince my own children to have children, what solutions can I offer? 🤷🏻♂️
. they worked too hard since they were very young. I only started to get serious at around sec 3, 2 years before taking O levels.
- in my generation, only about 20% moved on to University, the rest started work much earlier.
Majority of us were likely to "settle down" at an earlier age. And for those of us who pursued university degrees, we would quietly and actively looking out for potential partners so as not to "lose out".
For my children's generation, they are more likely to burn out by the time they graduate. Many hoping to take a "gap" year somewhere along the way.
For most of them, getting married, and having children would be daunting
- I highly suspect they didn't have a very happy childhood, most have both parents working and if they grew up lonely with domestic helpers, they become adamant - why have children and unable to give quality time?
This was despite the better quality life style which they enjoy compared to my generation
- when asked about settling down and forming families, high costs is an easy reply. I really believe, "high costs" is only the tip of the ice berg since I offered support and financial help.
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 12:34 pm]
It's a fundamental change in lifestyle where people are more attach in phones and lack of social interaction
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 12:35 pm]
Must reverse this trend.
Else Singapore human civilization will extinct.
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 12:36 pm]
Somehow my sense is that the government hasn't been engaging widely enough on getting married and having kids. Current policies don't seem to do much to encourage getting married young and having kids young. The biological clock keeps ticking forward and doesn't reverse for each individual, so policies should be encouraging marriage and kids at a younger age.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 12:37 pm]
Yes realise suddenly the urgency to get the young engage no longer on the radar.
It surprise me.
Disbanding SDU and SDS and not organising or de-emphasizing social activities for young men and women to interact is the first that surprise me.
G, [27/2/2026 12:38 pm]
Of all people available, why is an aging spinster the chairperson to try to raise TFR?
She never experienced marriage, never experienced being a parent
G, [27/2/2026 12:44 pm]
Here's an unpopular but effective suggestion: disincentivise like they did for stop at 2
For every Singaporean adult that has 1 or less child, tax them a "not contributing to TFR tax". Tax them heavy heavy to support those who have 2 or more kids.
And give bigger tax breaks to those with 3 or more kids
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 12:45 pm]
Then it will discourage more young couples to get married because many will probably want one or two kids
It will further backfire on marriage.
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 12:49 pm]
And future prospect is bad no body dare to take risk
G, [27/2/2026 12:49 pm]
Nope. Read properly.
1 or less kid = tax extra
2 kids = status quo taxes
3 or more kids = tax breaks
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 12:51 pm]
But do the 1st step first.
Interact, get to know one another.
If got interest, become boyfriend and girlfriend.
Then see how to move on.
1st must ignite the spark, then fire will come.
To hitch, is another hurdle to cross.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 12:51 pm]
This will backfire.
I am very sure.
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 12:52 pm]
It's add up
1.) cost of living. I barely can support myself how can I support a family
2.) in the past there's 养儿防老 now the idea don't relate
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 12:53 pm]
Why not provide incentives for ladies to have kids young such as "if you have two or more kids before 30 years old, your tax incentive is doubled / tripled." It increases the success rate of them having kids. Provide incentives for the guys too. Helicopter view is to encourage marriages and having kids at a younger age.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 12:54 pm]
1. Do the 1st step first, get a job with relatively good income.
2. But look out for a girlfriend, to be friend first.
3. Next when job secure and income grow, develop into courtship and then progress from there.
Take one step at a time.
When love grow, you will get motivated.
Motivation will overcome all hurdles.
Daniel, [27/2/2026 12:54 pm]
This kind of is already the case. If you look the tax relief schemes, those scale with the number of kids. And it's substantial as well, especially for working mothers.
Daniel, [27/2/2026 12:56 pm]
So maybe can increase that, but I feel that financial incentives might not be enough.
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 12:57 pm]
Current incentives don't look at the age of the parents, policy makers are missing a very important data point.
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 1:07 pm]
Another reason is that younger workers are putting off having kids due to workplace and economic disincentives. However as they age, the probability of success of having kids decreases. So we need incentives to overcome these disincentives.
G, [27/2/2026 2:05 pm]
How so? It worked very well with the stop at 2 policy. Just tax people more to make them stop at 2.
So now just tax the people more until they reach min 2 kids. When got 3rd kid and beyond, lagi impose less tax
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 2:06 pm]
Let the majority feel it works or not.
My assessment it will backfire.
G, [27/2/2026 2:08 pm]
Yes. Make it so financially painful for young single women to stay single.
And super incentivise those who want to start a family of 4 when young.
How long more will young women want to stay single and continue to financially support their peers who become parents via heavy taxes?
G, [27/2/2026 2:08 pm]
Explain your assessment
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 2:08 pm]
Nevermind.
Let the outcome speak for itself.
G, [27/2/2026 2:09 pm]
This is textbook opposing for the sake of opposing
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 2:10 pm]
I don't oppose for the sake of opposing if things work.
I look at issue not at the person.
G, [27/2/2026 2:16 pm]
Missed out on the part where Gan say Singapore citizens will remain the majority of the population?
What is a Singapore citizen? Nowadays that status is very cheap considering this PAP govt just open flood gate for foreigners to get citizenship so easily.
So what will happen when Singapore citizens become the minority or gets close to becoming the minority?
To make sure Gan's statement remains true, this PAP govt will just offer more citizenship to foreigners.
So much easier to meet that target by offering citizenship to foreigners than working to raise TFR for those born-in-singapore Singaporeans
REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 2:16 pm]
📢 Topic 📢
G, [27/2/2026 2:18 pm]
The top political leadership hasn't led by example for TFR. No kids.
The chairman of whatever new workgroup to raise TFR also hasn't led by example.
여자친구, 첫사랑 🏆, [27/2/2026 2:28 pm]
Birth rate can't be solved by throwing money. The government has to accept that it's a complex problem. Other than money, you need a radical shift in culture and mindsets. Like work being less of a priority, reduce the stress of people many things have to done. People don't wanna have children just solely because you give them money to.
Daniel, [27/2/2026 2:29 pm]
Why only women?
G, [27/2/2026 2:30 pm]
Work less means earn less.
So difficult to live in this high cost of living environment
여자친구, 첫사랑 🏆, [27/2/2026 2:30 pm]
It's the culture here. If it doesn't change don't expect more people to have babies.
여자친구, 첫사랑 🏆, [27/2/2026 2:31 pm]
Not necessarily.
G, [27/2/2026 2:31 pm]
Can include men also
But then need to extend that same working mothers tax relief to men too. Introduce a working fathers tax relief
G, [27/2/2026 2:32 pm]
Yes. There are minority exceptions. But by and large, work less = earn less
Daniel, [27/2/2026 2:33 pm]
The other schemes do apply to men: QCR and PTR.
G, [27/2/2026 2:34 pm]
Create an environment that financially makes more sense to have more kids than have less kids
After the age of 21-25(?) heavily tax those who are not married or don't have 2 kids or more.
Use those taxes to support those with 3 kids or more.
Make the singles financially support the big families thru taxes
G, [27/2/2026 2:35 pm]
Then like that people will be incentivised to start families when they are young, and disincentivised to delay starting families
G, [27/2/2026 2:36 pm]
And make those who delay indefinitely to perpetually support those who don't. And these new few-kids-taxes won't end till they die
G, [27/2/2026 2:37 pm]
And as a default, make all foreigners pay these not-enough-kids-taxes
G, [27/2/2026 2:39 pm]
What's wrong with adding on a working fathers tax relief in addition to QCR and PTR?
Can claw back those taxes lost from those who choose not to be parents
G, [27/2/2026 2:41 pm]
PTR is also only a one time one off thing. But raising a child incurs recurring expenses
G, [27/2/2026 2:43 pm]
QCR can be shared between spouses in any agreed proportion, but the total claim per child cannot exceed $4,000
But only the mother gets a working mother child relief that's recurring
Daniel, [27/2/2026 2:43 pm]
Yes, that is true.
Adam, [27/2/2026 2:43 pm]
About what it means to be a singaporean, our pm say we cannot increase our budget for spending to 'safeguard generational equity'
However what is the future generation of singaporeans? Are we gonna be ok if our tax money will be squirreled away to help children of new citizen?
New citizen is like marrying into a rich family to access the generational wealth.
G, [27/2/2026 2:44 pm]
In other words: gold diggers 😏
Adam, [27/2/2026 2:50 pm]
Men have to serve ns. For a very very long time, there is the implication that women 'serve' by birth so dun need to go for ns. Maybe not politically correct.
So what does it mean when half of people born here have to contribute by force and a significant chunk of the other half have yet to contribute, or are past the prime age to contribute?
G, [27/2/2026 2:51 pm]
By introducing a working fathers child relief similar to working mothers child relief, it will create an environment where the fathers too will be able to take home a higher take home pay, making the environment more financially conducive for the whole family
G, [27/2/2026 2:52 pm]
So if women don't give birth to enough kids for TFR, does that mean that the social compact is broken?
Adam, [27/2/2026 2:53 pm]
Men sacrifice for the nation. Parenthood and motherhood especially are large sacrifices. We barely have recognition for nsmen can give up hope for recognition and compensation for mothers
Adam, [27/2/2026 2:54 pm]
I know. We can give nsf allowance for mothers to take time away from job. First pregnancy is corporal allowance. Then 2nd is sergant
Daniel, [27/2/2026 2:54 pm]
I think the reason it's a working mother child relief is based on the fact that statically there are more mothers staying at home after giving birth, so it's an incentive to get them back to work. Seems like not much incentive needed for most fathers as based on statistics from last year a lot of them don't even use up all their paternity leave (this is just some observation, does not reflect my opinion whether this is good or not)
Adam, [27/2/2026 2:55 pm]
Actually, now stay at home, boss will still call. Wfh is normalised
Daniel, [27/2/2026 2:56 pm]
Yeah, that is an issue. We need to normalise healthy work boundaries in our work culture.
Adam, [27/2/2026 2:58 pm]
People also call me after work at 8pm sometimes. Last month i holiday in japan i have to exit the train to answer a call
G, [27/2/2026 2:59 pm]
That's the past. Need to create for the future
RY, [27/2/2026 2:59 pm]
In my opinion, Australia/Europe countries, their govt has quite gd and successful policy to support family with children
Most western people believe in work-life balance, and their companies dont encourage people to work OT, as they kind of force people to leave office after office hours
I read b4 in some western countries HR policy, the boss/mgr/supervisor is not supposed to msg workers with rdgs to work after office hours
Most parents may spend family time together during weekends, as western mindset is enjoying life and not just earning for a living ~ work-life balance
Singaporeans is one of most hardworking from the past surveys, in terms of OT/sleeping less and etc
We are bring up in an environment that we must study/work hard, and hope to have some achievement later in life
That may explain why we always complaint stressful in SG
In stressful in life, we know it maybe difficult to produce babies..
In aussie/europe countries, their govt has quite gd policy to support marriage/family eg longer maternity/childcare leave, many attractive incentives for parents and etc
And SG as a developed country, it is expected fertility to drop, since it is a common issue facing most developed countries and not only SG
It is a norm that the more educated the parents, the less children they may wish to have, as nowsaday, parents may have to save for their retirement later, since we know it is not cheap to bring up children due to increasing cost of living (recent GST hike/Cdc debate in parliament)
My generation parents able to produce more than 2, bec they dont have to save for retirement mindset later, since they expect children may take care of them when the aged
SG govt also too successful in '2 is enough" policy in the earlier years, and already "implant" this mindset in the people
It may take decades to change people mindset/culture/practice due to environment
Daniel, [27/2/2026 2:59 pm]
That is part of the issue as well. It's hard to have kids if work keeps on encroaching our private lives.
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:02 pm]
This mindset is too idealistic. Reality will cause policies such that Our children must suffer because we suffered too.
Once i get hdb i will vote for gov to make it more expensive.
Once i get old i will vote for gov to get the working population to subsidize my healthcare.
Why must the gov make the unpopular decision?
Dont worry, there will be a time where we are old and dominate the voting block and our children cant do anything about it, just like us now
G, [27/2/2026 3:03 pm]
One more potentially unpopular suggestion:
Heavily tax lifestyles that are not conducive to raising TFR
e.g. heavily tax pawrents.
If young childless couples are choosing raising animals over having kids, that means they have significant disposable income. Tax them more heavily. Tax pet purchase, heavily increase taxes for pet apparel, pet food, all pet related stuff, including vets
Use these pet tax money to offset those who are raising families
G, [27/2/2026 3:06 pm]
So in future, if you are a young single pawrent, be prepared to pay:
1. Pawrent tax and other pet related taxes
2. Not-enough-children taxes
So that others who want can have a more conducive financial environment to raise families. In this way, even pawrents can claim that they are doing their part for the nation in terms of efforts to raise TFR
RY, [27/2/2026 3:08 pm]
Yesterday, there was a documentary by Mediacorp talking how different countries managing aging population with longer lifespan (medical advancement), and decreasing fertility rate
Japan - Toyama Community Care
Denmark - Co-sharing community living
Maybe SG govt may also study and learn fm other country govt, how they manage this nationalwide issues
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:08 pm]
Well i think a simple super tax on all kidless subsidized houses will cover it. Dinks can be pawrents or just that.
If you claim you are getting house for starting a family and get subsidized spots or preferential slots, then the nation expects from you
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:10 pm]
But i think pawrents should be taxed for different reason. Owning a pet is a big luxury. Taxing them is an indirect wealth tax just like coe for car
Ethan, [27/2/2026 3:11 pm]
Can we tie one cabinet minister’s salary directly to the TFR result? And only one metric: TFR.
Base salary 100k per annum (which is a decent middle class income)
Any uptrend of TFR, this minister will then be rewarded via bonuses etc, allowing his/her salary to catch up on par with minister level pay.
The minister’s sole responsibility is to draft policies shape community perspectives, initiate programs to drive TFR up. Take full ownership of the problem. Be active on social media, be active on grassroots level, and let this become a Singapore movement.
Singaporeans can then relate to this minister knowing he/she draws a “commoner” pay, stand behind his/her initiative and be genuinely helpful to what the minister is trying to do. And to some extend ppl will hope that he/she can be better compensated and play their part in boosting TFR.
Drives goodwill to the PAP, and make this a bipartisan focus.
365, [27/2/2026 3:13 pm]
Many of their TFR is also dipping and going below the replacement rate. They are currently higher than us still, but the fact that it's trending downwards don't support the idea that it is working or a core solution.
G, [27/2/2026 3:13 pm]
Why not tie all the ministers' salaries instead of just one? Make TFR an KPI to their bonuses, not just GDP
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:16 pm]
Can tie so much metrics like mrt reliability too. Sound nice but i dunno how to get all singaporeans to give grade for performance review
Ethan, [27/2/2026 3:16 pm]
Come to think of it, a shrinking population isn’t as bad.
Labour shortages can be fulfilled by automation and robotics.
Aggressively adopt automation and robotics to drive abundance in Singapore.
With abundance in food, and other necessity we can then allocate that excesses(meaningful excess, like total value of 6figures and above) to Singaporeans who reproduces more.
To be honest the help, baby bonus, childcare leave that Gov is offering, while it’s appreciated and helpful. It doesn’t move the needle.
Once we achieve abundance using AI, automation, robotics, we can then afford to allocate meaningful budget(6 figures per child) that actually moves the needle to Singaporeans that reproduces
G, [27/2/2026 3:17 pm]
Well, since TFR is existential crisis, then better walk the talk, cannot just talk only. Otherwise very soon before long, this PAP govt will open flood gates again for mass migration and blame singaporeans for low TFR for opening the flood gates
Vicious cycle, won't stop.
Ethan, [27/2/2026 3:17 pm]
We need one person to take full ownership and to really champion for things that matters. Too many chefs spoils the soup
G, [27/2/2026 3:18 pm]
Fair. Can start with indranee since she's the chairman for that workgroup 😏
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:19 pm]
Tbh im not really bothered by mass migration as long as im getting more out of it. But it looks like gov is letting it enrich the richest while the poor and middle class fight in squid games
Ethan, [27/2/2026 3:19 pm]
Fully support, if she genuinely believes in parenthood, have big families.
It needs to be someone social media savvy, high EQ, can be on the grassroots, and be seen as amongst the commoners.
G, [27/2/2026 3:21 pm]
This series of exchanges is great 👍 Way better than AI generated monologues
Ethan, [27/2/2026 3:23 pm]
And to be specific, the salary is only tied to one metric and only one. TFR.
To be honest the current minister salary metrics of GDP, unemployment etc, which on paper seem as impt points.
But realistically, if 20% weightage of each component, and how much in reality can one minister impact all four factors?
At most maybe 1-2 factors, and if that makes up 30-50% of their salary performance weightage, how impactful is that as a motivation factor. 🤷♂️
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:28 pm]
I think its not fair to tie all ministers salary to the same thing
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:29 pm]
Some ministers are sleeping or we dont see them do much
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:29 pm]
If the party succeed or fail, are they gonna get carried and get all the rewards
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:30 pm]
By default they are already gonna be paid a lot even if tfr is 0. Hitting 2.1 will just be a bonus
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:31 pm]
We need to be meritocratic. Ministers that help with effective policies gets the bonus
Ethan, [27/2/2026 3:31 pm]
intention is to have someone at ministerial level with sufficient influence, power, and clarity to drive initiative that actually matters. to be the champion of this matter and make it a national movement. to mobilize resources or departments to do things that actually matters in reversing TFR. his/her compensation is directly tied to the outcome of TFR.
No so much of getting all ministers to be tied to it, may even back fire as well.
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:32 pm]
It looks like at a high enough level only a few ministers can take real action. It looks like most of them dont want to rock the boat
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:33 pm]
Lawrence wong job very tough. Responsible for mrt, housing, tfr everything
Ethan, [27/2/2026 3:33 pm]
if thats true then all the rah rah speech they make during GE that they are honored to be called upon to serve is talk only?
G, [27/2/2026 3:34 pm]
Yes, 2.1 should be baseline since anything below that would result in "existential crisis". Why should they be rewarded extra for producing baseline outcomes?
Instead, should be disincentivised for below baseline outcomes and incentivised for above baseline outcomes, like the rest of the world
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:35 pm]
Lol im pretty sure my boss will rage at me if i do baseline work hours
Ethan, [27/2/2026 3:36 pm]
to be fair, 0.87 to 2.1 is a very large gap, incentives needs to be tied to pragmaticism as well.
a move back to 1 within the next 5 years in my opnioin is a B performance already, anything above 1 within 5 years in my opnion is an A performance
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:37 pm]
Yeah. If suddenly jump to 2.1, preschool until jc will struggle with the glut of students
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:37 pm]
Hospitals too
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:38 pm]
Imagine being a teacher with genz parents calling
G, [27/2/2026 3:38 pm]
Can lor.. can start today's baseline at 0.9, then go up by 0.2 for every year until it reaches 2.1.. then make that baseline shift according to whatever new populations white paper that's tabled and passed.
e.g. PAP govt want to increase population from 6.1 mil to 9 mil? Too bad, TFR baseline needs to shift upwards as well
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:39 pm]
Another thing about tfr that is less talked about. If malays breed until tfr 2.1, what happens?
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:40 pm]
Are we gonna import chinese and indians for cmio?
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:40 pm]
Should we scrap eip and cmio ratios instead?
G, [27/2/2026 3:40 pm]
Probably just pre school.. MOE schools would have at least 7 years to plan for the extra students
G, [27/2/2026 3:40 pm]
Scrap
G, [27/2/2026 3:41 pm]
And further dilute national identity? No thanks
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:41 pm]
Tbf our nation is built on immigrants
G, [27/2/2026 3:42 pm]
Nope. Most of those were immigrants to a british colony, not to an independent singapore
G, [27/2/2026 3:43 pm]
Nation building, and national identity building really only begun post WW2, not before that, and definitely not in the 19th century
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:49 pm]
This tfr issue is deeply intertwined with everything people have issues with in singapore. Immigration. Housing. Race and culture.
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:49 pm]
The gov really need all hands on deck to fix it
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:49 pm]
Cannot have tfr increase without house
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:49 pm]
Cannot have it increase and not enough teacher
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:50 pm]
Then jobs for the new pop?
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:51 pm]
The mrt reliability issue makes me really wonder if the gov agencies talk to each other
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:52 pm]
Does lta know our citizen and pr and foreigner pop will overload the system?
Daniel, [27/2/2026 3:52 pm]
Seems like that one at least not an issue for long. There are fewer and fewer kids every year and they have been closing schools as well. (At least where I stay).
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:53 pm]
I heard class sizes are still big though
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:53 pm]
At least per teacher. They are overloaded
Daniel, [27/2/2026 3:53 pm]
Yeah. Those never change.
Daniel, [27/2/2026 3:54 pm]
I doubt less kids will mean less kids per class. There will just be fewer classes. Seems like decreasing the number of students per class is not something that the government wants to consider.
Daniel, [27/2/2026 3:55 pm]
In that sense the government is not even being a good example in allowing more worklife balance for its own employees.
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:59 pm]
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/little-professors-learning-centre-parents-hong-wen-school-after-school-care-5950356
Adam, [27/2/2026 3:59 pm]
If anything happens just bring parents in i guess
REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 4:00 pm]
📢 Topic 📢
G, [27/2/2026 4:02 pm]
"Step up integration efforts" means what?
Foreigner make the effort to change to suit Singapore and Singaporeans? Or Singapore and Singaporeans need to put in more and more and more effort to change to suit the foreigner?
G, [27/2/2026 4:28 pm]
Marriage & Parenthood has been on indranee's portfolio since July 2020.
Under her leadership, TFR dropped from 1.10 to 0.87 over 5 years.
"The deepest irony lies in the standards of accountability Ms. Indranee demanded just months ago. During the censure of Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition, she was the primary voice arguing that:
"In Singapore's Parliamentary democracy, honesty and integrity are not abstract ideals... they are the foundation of public trust."
If public trust is based on performance, how can the public trust a Minister who oversees a six-year freefall in her core KPI? She further argued that leadership is about "not skirting around conduct with euphemisms but naming it squarely."
Let us name it squarely: Her performance has been abysmal. Yet, unlike the targets of her parliamentary motions, she faces no repercussions. There has been no pay cut, no offer to step down, and no personal admission that her policies have failed.
Instead, she has happily assumed the chairmanship of the new task force.
She told the House: "It is precisely at such moments where leaders are tested, and where leadership matters."
By her own metric, she has been tested and found wanting. If she truly believed in the "solemn duty" of leaders to step aside when they can no longer maintain public confidence in their portfolio's success, she would have declined the chairmanship"
https://theonlinecitizen.com/2026/02/27/the-accountability-deficit-why-is-minister-indranee-rajah-still-the-face-of-our-fertility-policy
Ethan, [27/2/2026 4:47 pm]
wow didnt know Indranee is leading this since 2020, should be fired in that case!! or all the more if she takes the chairmanship to show conviction and have skin in the game. take a normal base salary(100k) and leave all the remaining bonus upside to be tied to performance.
G, [27/2/2026 4:59 pm]
"Ms Rajah is the Leader of the House for the 15th Parliament and Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris-Changi GRC. In the Prime Minister’s Office, Ms Rajah assists Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong in the National Population and Talent Division and oversees the Marriage & Parenthood portfolio."
https://www.pmo.gov.sg/about-us/the-cabinet/ms-indranee-thurai-rajah/
RY, [27/2/2026 5:08 pm]
Both Ms Indranee/Mr Pritam are both lawyer by profession ....
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 5:18 pm]
My close friend comments:-
Incentivising marriage and having children without moral responsibility can be dire. Imagine they receive incentives and divorce ☹️
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 5:37 pm]
Because women's fertility drops drastically after 30 years of age, not so for men. https://www.britishfertilitysociety.org.uk/fei/at-what-age-does-fertility-begin-to-decrease/
G, [27/2/2026 5:44 pm]
Playing whataboutism
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 5:48 pm]
Baby bonus scheme - tweak it so it is higher for first child where the mother is below 30 years old. My observation is that the mother will naturally want a second child after so that first child won't be lonely. And since she is below 30 years old, generally still fertile to have second child by 35.
Ethan, [27/2/2026 5:51 pm]
On the topic of TFR, trip.com pays their employees 50k RMB to have kids. Interesting perspective
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/chinas-biggest-online-travel-agency-to-pay-employees-186m-to-have-kids
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 5:53 pm]
Wow, that's great, first time hearing of this.
REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 6:00 pm]
📢 Topic 📢
RY, [27/2/2026 6:00 pm]
Divorce rate in SG quite high around 1 in 5 couples, eventhough Divorce in SG is lengthy process - 2yr separation first b4 signing Divorce Paper in most divorce cases
Heard in China, both marriage and divorce process can be settled in one day
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 6:05 pm]
Hopefully young couples treat marriage seriously especially when they have children.
Hopefully, marriage couples will see their partners to the end of lives, see their children grow up purposefully and live a fulfilling lives.
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 6:06 pm]
My view is that it is time for new / enhanced policies to be rolled out, the current policies are clearly ineffective. This has been an issue since LKY was alive, I recall watching a video of him telling the woman studying for PhD that she's better off having kids than studying for PhD, and my thought is that he's right.
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 6:08 pm]
One thing we don't have that many Western countries do is a public holiday for Valentine's Day. Perhaps it's time to give everyone a public holiday to celebrate love and to encourage singles to give roses to each other. The decors on Valentine's day are usually very lavish in those countries that celebrate it, worth emulating.
RY, [27/2/2026 6:09 pm]
Unsure how true are the news of organ trafficking/harvesting (lucrative biz) and missing children in china schools
Because of dropping of fertility rate - China also too successful in their "one child policy"
Recent years, china govt is actively incentising people to get marry, so as to increase the birth rate ....
Daniel, [27/2/2026 6:09 pm]
I think this is a rather outdated opinion. I think the weight of this issue cannot solely lie on women. This has to be a shared responsibility, otherwise more women will decide not to get married. (On top of it being a fairness issue).
Daniel, [27/2/2026 6:10 pm]
We shouldn't expect women to give up their work ambitions or careers for family, that is unfair and will certainly backfire.
RY, [27/2/2026 6:10 pm]
Our parents generation, their divorce rate is much lower
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 6:11 pm]
Yes.
Confucian values very important.
Honestly, I still trying to understand the current youth Gen Z mindset and their values on marriage, having babies, setting up families.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 6:17 pm]
Because in our parents generations and our generation, marriage and having children for continuation of human civilization is a responsibility as well as to carry our ancestors lineage.
No need to persuade, no need to coax.
Automatically it is within our mindsets - Confucian values.
Gen Z is a very different generation. Our children generation.
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:17 pm]
https://www.nyc.gov.sg/research-engagement/youth-studies/national-youth-survey/#a1c8683d738052166696b44cc9c3c0e7
RY, [27/2/2026 6:17 pm]
Thank you for speaking up for women, as they are playing many roles in family/society also
And both genders are contributing to the country, and there shd be equality for men/women
Women have education not just to play wife/mother/daughter roles in family
Women also should have their achievements in life too
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 6:17 pm]
Agree with you to a certain extent. It's not about giving up, it's about prioritizing having kids. A lot of young women prioritize career, alas to realize at an older age that it's not that easy to have kids in the 30s.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 6:18 pm]
Thanks for the link.
I will slowly go through it.
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:18 pm]
We shouldnt expect men to give up their careers and work ambitions to protect the nation. Thats unfair and will backfire
RY, [27/2/2026 6:19 pm]
That is why govt shd not discourage dialects-speaking in earlier days
As dialects are also part of chinese culture, so is Confucian values
Daniel, [27/2/2026 6:19 pm]
But there are some measures for that in place. Like public service got higher starting pay for NS men.
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 6:20 pm]
I hope government can revisit Confucian values and see how to impart them to our Gen Z youths.
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:21 pm]
Yeah gov put good measures. Like maternity leave. But still not enough. And also private sector is different
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 6:22 pm]
Source :- Google AI
Confucian values about marriage and cold bearing for ancestors lineage
In Confucian tradition, marriage is not merely a union between two individuals but a critical social institution designed to continue the paternal line, ensure the continuation of ancestor worship, and maintain familial and social harmony
. The primary purpose of marriage is to produce heirs—ideally sons—to carry on the ancestral lineage and honor the spirits of ancestors.
MDPI +2
Marriage as a Filial Duty
Foundation of Society: Marriage is viewed as the basis of all social organization, essential for cultivating virtue and maintaining order.
Ancestor Veneration: A crucial aim of marriage is to secure the "sacrificial service in the ancestral temple" ensuring that descendants remain to honor ancestors.
Patrilineal Continuity: Marriage connects two families of different surnames and is focused on perpetuating the paternal clan.
Arranged Marriage: Traditionally, marriages were arranged to bring together families and ensure the continuity of the lineage, rather than for romantic love.
MDPI +4
Childbearing and Ancestral Lineage
Importance of a Male Heir: The birth of a son is considered of utmost importance to carry on the family name and perform necessary ancestor rituals.
Consequences of Being Childless: Not having a son was traditionally considered a severe failure of filial piety, as it meant the ancestral line would break.
Adoption and Continuity: If a couple lacked a son, an heir was often adopted from within the patrilineal descent group (such as a brother's son) to maintain the continuity of the line.
Ancestor Worship Rituals: Ancestors are believed to be watching over their descendants; in return, the living must provide offerings and maintain the household shrine, a duty typically performed by the eldest son.
Facts and Details +5
The Role of Women
Subordination and Service: Women were expected to serve their husbands and parents-in-law and to bear sons to continue the male line.
Integration into the Lineage: Through marriage, a woman leaves her natal family and becomes part of her husband's family, with her primary responsibility being to her new family’s ancestors.
Three-Year Mourning: Participation in the three-year mourning ritual for parents-in-law was a significant duty that cemented a wife's position in the household.
MDPI +3
In summary, Confucian values place immense pressure on marriage and childbearing, treating them as acts of filial piety (serving parents and honoring ancestors) that are vital for the spiritual and physical survival of the family lineage.
EBSCO
Six Rites of Allied Harmony: Changes in Ancient Chinese ...
11 Dec 2023 — The “bride meeting her in-laws” ceremony affirms the new bride's identity and emphasizes her respect and obedience to her parents-in-law, in accordance with Con...
MDPI
Ancestor worship and veneration in China - Chinasage
After-life. Ancestor veneration is based on a long held belief that the ancestral spirits are watching over the lives of their living descendents from the after...
Chinasage
Traditional Chinese marriage - Wikipedia
Ruyi (wish granting scepter) used in Empress Xiaoding's wedding. Main article: Confucian view of marriage. In Confucian thought, marriage is of grave significan...
Wikipedia
Gender in Confucian Philosophy
27 Feb 2023 — In the Confucian textual tradition, marriage is consummated, however, not through the physical intimacy between the husband and wife, but through the ritual com...
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
ANCESTOR WORSHIP IN CHINA: ITS HISTORY AND RITES ...
15 Sept 2021 — The ceremony not only serves to keep family solidarity alive; it also enhances the authority of the family head. In the case of a daughter, the reciprocity is p...
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:22 pm]
I and many males will gladly sacrifice our paternity leave entitlement if we can avoid reservist and ns obligations
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:22 pm]
Catch is is dont have children so paternity leave is nothing
RY, [27/2/2026 6:22 pm]
I read last year, MOE is bringing back learning dialects to those pre-school kids
And they have class together with those grand-parents
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 6:23 pm]
Hmm...
Probably a good initiatives
LCL (Danny 心), [27/2/2026 6:23 pm]
Of course arrange marriage instead of love marriage need not emulate.
不孝有三，无后为大。
There are 3 types of unfilial piety, without children is the biggest unfilial piety.
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:24 pm]
Interesting to bring back dialects. Will it be carried over forward to pri-jc level or only preschool?
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:25 pm]
I know a bunch of non chinese children are learning mandarin too. Hard for them to do three languages
G, [27/2/2026 6:26 pm]
Actually, it's great that women stay at home and raise kids.
Better they take up their responsibility and raise their kids than let some stranger (usually FDW) do it on their behalf.
What for women stress themselves so much to juggle work and home? Why not focus just to be at home and be damn good at it? Why is a woman working outside glamourised to what it is today?
In the end what's the majority outcome? Mothers outsourcing their motherly duties, kids go wayward, brought up by iPads and FDWs. The gahmen stood to gain by taking women out of the house: 1 more income to tax per household.
I'm so glad to have grown up in a single income household and had the opportunity to spend so much time with my mother.
RY, [27/2/2026 6:29 pm]
Many of my cousins (those born 80s onwards), they unable to speaks dialects, but can understand/listen only
If they themselves dont even speaks dialect, how they bring the dialects to their next generation ?
Glad that MOE finally see the point and try to do some remedy for those generation Z now
Values/Mindset/Cultures n etc may take decades to bring to the next generation
Hope govt may do more to preserve chinese values eg Confucian study
RY, [27/2/2026 6:34 pm]
Dialects are not a language except cantonese
I rem MOE started conversational malay/chinese in schools years ago, that is chinese learning to speak malay, and vice versa malay/indians learning to speak mandarin
Seems this trial didnt materialise later in primary/secndary, bec I didnt see my niece (born after 2000) learning in school ....
Daniel, [27/2/2026 6:36 pm]
Yes, but this should be a choice not a societal expectation. There is also the option where husband and wife sharing childminding duties without a helper (that's how we do it). That way the kids get time with both their parents and both parents get their fair shot at a work life as well. We shouldn't prescribe people what their role should be by default.
RY, [27/2/2026 6:40 pm]
Ideal to certain extend, but unless the husband/father salary is able to financially support whole family
Cost of living is going up over the years, and many people are struggling in life to support family
Hence, two-income family is common in SG nowsaday, to maintain quality of life sametime
Esp my generation, we still require to support our parents, bec they didnt save for their retirement
Nicholas, [27/2/2026 6:40 pm]
Another angle perhaps is for MOE to incorporate some suitable courses at secondary or tertiary level to encourage youth to have kids when they grow up. Plant the seeds for a higher TFR in the future.
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:41 pm]
Is there really a need to get marriage on the personal level? Erm I mean after marriage you need to care for somebody manage other people goals. Which spends money. And also need to spend effort to work the other party
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:41 pm]
And 养儿不一定防老
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:42 pm]
Which means the amount of resources I earn I need to give a huge percentage out
RY, [27/2/2026 6:42 pm]
That is why confucian values come in
365, [27/2/2026 6:42 pm]
Seems like the government do like to prescribe people whose role should the defender be
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:43 pm]
Risk bigger than benefits
365, [27/2/2026 6:43 pm]
Government is inherently sexist, outside of ns, there's female only tax relief and lighter punishment for the same crime
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:44 pm]
Unless you tell me I got enough resources to feed a family which gen z don't have
Daniel, [27/2/2026 6:44 pm]
Yet there is still a gender pay gap, so seems like this is justified to a certain extent.
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:45 pm]
With such a high population and house getting smaller and a war might be coming up why shall we give birth?
REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 6:45 pm]
Dear Contributors,
⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our Telegram chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan 😊
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:45 pm]
I see it starting to become 3 or 4 income household now. Both parent working and child living with parents also working to support the whole house
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:45 pm]
My earnings not even able to support me why should I find a partner
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:46 pm]
Instead of individual voucher for big household, big family get same cdc voucher to split as dinks
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:47 pm]
Confucius teaching comes in but who to teach the kids. Parents are so busy with job and no time to entertain themselves
G, [27/2/2026 6:48 pm]
There's no real "default"
"Default" is usually what makes sense to suit the environment people are in.
When cost of living is excessively high, the default becomes dual income household because majority of households cannot survive on just 1 income. First priority for dual income is necessity, not choice.
E.g. HDB like to use household incomes to gauge their "affordability"
In the 70s/80s, household income meant single income households.
But today, it's dual income households.. people nowadays get priced out of a roof over their heads if they are not dual income households
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:48 pm]
Parents need to work from 10-11 while kids go to preschool at 8am -5pm
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:48 pm]
Is there time to be with kids?
RY, [27/2/2026 6:49 pm]
If I am not wrong, there is a law in SG that states children have to support their parents
But looking around, my family siblings, some are not supporting parents, using marriage (must support her own family) as a gd "excuse"
And parents usually will not go to the extend of taking legal action against own children, even the children chosen not to support/look after aging parents
Confucian values comes in again in this scenario
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:50 pm]
Yes but you need to teach the kids this values
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:50 pm]
Who got the time to teach
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:50 pm]
These teaching must be taught by parents
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:50 pm]
If not smartphone will take over the teaching
RY, [27/2/2026 6:51 pm]
Work-Life Balance values come in
G, [27/2/2026 6:51 pm]
And govt is in the business to shape environments, be it physical, economical etc..
So since TFR is low, it's because this govt shaped the environment that strongly encouraged low TFR outcomes. They cannot then turn around and blame Singaporeans for not having enough babies or being not motivated enough etc etc etc.
The govt and the govt alone has to take the blame and put in place measures to change the environment to make it very conducive to raise TFR.
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:51 pm]
Some kids are orphans. Some kids have one one parent. We as a society must have a way to teach them too right. If parent cannot teach must have an alternative
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:52 pm]
My parents are self employed. No such thing called work life balance
RY, [27/2/2026 6:53 pm]
I would suggest SG govt to study why in some european countries, their people still willing to have more children
365, [27/2/2026 6:53 pm]
Can you provide a source? Many research that I've seen do not account for hours worked and type of profession
Caleb, [27/2/2026 6:53 pm]
+1
Daniel, [27/2/2026 6:54 pm]
Google pay gap, first result shows an adjusted gap of 6% when taking these into account.
Daniel, [27/2/2026 6:54 pm]
Report: Singapore's Adjusted Gender Pay Gap https://stats.mom.gov.sg/Pages/Singapores-Adjusted-Gender-Pay-Gap.aspx
G, [27/2/2026 6:55 pm]
😂 they will come up with all sorts of excuses why cannot implement in SG one leh
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:55 pm]
There is so much variables that goes into pay gap. Women generally go for lower paid vocations
365, [27/2/2026 6:55 pm]
6% not really worth for 2 years of ns, and also, lighter punishment for crime has nothing to do with pay gap as well
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:55 pm]
Singapore is a high stress city
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:56 pm]
If you look at age 20-25 i think women earn more than men because ns push them back
365, [27/2/2026 6:56 pm]
Divorce also mostly favor female custody
Adam, [27/2/2026 6:56 pm]
If pay gap was real, if i was an employer i would hire women only. Get same productivity for 6% less cost
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:56 pm]
Yes men still in university
Daniel, [27/2/2026 6:56 pm]
Compound 6% over 40 years of working
G, [27/2/2026 6:57 pm]
End of the day, it's political will and political pride.
This PAP govt is too proud to acknowledge they made grave mistakes with their population policies
Jun Ming, [27/2/2026 6:57 pm]
Woman already in working
RY, [27/2/2026 6:57 pm]
I went europe F&E tour in 2024 and get to have a better understanding abt their western values/cultures/mindset n etc
Some of the europe govt policy are very gd and incentising couples to have more children
365, [27/2/2026 6:58 pm]
You forgot the 2 years headstart of work experience
365, [27/2/2026 6:59 pm]
So are they adjusting for experience +2 years?
365, [27/2/2026 6:59 pm]
Also haven't answered on the difference in punishment for same crime, completely unjustified
365, [27/2/2026 7:00 pm]
Yet the trend is still going downwards for the last 10 years. This is common across many countries
REACH Singapore, [27/2/2026 7:00 pm]
Dear Contributors
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our Telegram chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan 😊
Adam, [27/2/2026 7:00 pm]
I know i lost a promotion because ns. Boss say i just below cutoff and last year got 3 weeks reservist during important period
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