PM Lee encourages more births in the year of the dragon amid declining fertility rates

In his Chinese New Year message on 9 February, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged Singaporean couples to welcome new additions to their families in the auspicious Year of the Dragon.

The Prime Minister emphasized the symbolic significance of the dragon year, associated with power, strength, and good fortune, as an ideal time for couples to consider expanding their families.

"So now is as good a time as any for young couples to add a ‘little dragon’ to your family," PM Lee encouraged, highlighting the joys of parenthood and sharing his personal happiness as a grandparent.

Acknowledging the very personal nature of the decision to have children, he expressed his hope that his encouragement would prompt more Singaporean couples to pursue this fulfilling journey.

Amidst concerns over Singapore's declining fertility rates, which mirror a global trend in developed societies, the Prime Minister reiterated the government's commitment to supporting Singaporean couples in their marriage and parenthood aspirations.

With fertility rates hitting a historic low of 1.04 in 2022, and the annual number of citizen births dropping to 30,429 from 31,713 the previous year, the urgency of addressing this issue is more pronounced than ever.

The government has introduced various measures to support infant caregiving and work-life harmony, including doubling government-paid paternity leave to four weeks for fathers of Singaporean children born on or after 1 January this year.

However, PM Lee acknowledged that while such initiatives are enablers, the ultimate decision to have children rests with the couples themselves.

In Parliament, the issue of Singapore's fertility rate and its implications on future generations was highlighted by the Non-constituency Member of Parliament, Ms Hazel Poa, during the motion by Mr Leong Mun Wai, Secretary General of Progress Singapore Party, for the government to reassess its budget and reserve accumulation policies.

She criticized the government's reliance on immigration to sustain the population, noting the disconnect between the accumulation of national reserves and the diminishing citizen population due to low fertility rates.

"We keep hearing that the reserves are for the benefit of our children and grandchildren. But our total fertility rate has fallen to 1.05, which is half the replacement rate of 2.1," Ms Poa stated, questioning the sustainability of current policies and calling for a reassessment of budget and reserve accumulation strategies.

Despite the motion being rejected and facing criticism from the Prime Minister and the ruling People's Action Party, PM Lee's CNY greeting underscores Singapore's complex challenges in balancing population growth and social well-being, such as close family ties.

It is possible that PM Lee might not fully understand this, considering that he has not had a reunion dinner with his siblings since 2015, following his father's passing. It is understood that no invitation was extended to his brother's family again this year, according to Gutzy.