Speaking at an appreciation dinner hosted by the Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda) and 14 other Indian community organisations on 11 January 2025, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong reiterated the importance of maintaining an open and inclusive society while addressing political sensitivities surrounding immigration and foreign talent in Singapore.
He stressed that Singapore relies heavily on immigrants and foreign workers to bolster its population base and talent pool, a strategy crucial for maintaining the city-state’s competitiveness.
“We must manage the inflow and integration of new arrivals with the utmost sensitivity and caution to ensure the flows are balanced and sustainable,” he said.
Senior Minister Lee also urged Singaporeans to reject nativism and xenophobia, calling for new arrivals to be welcomed as part of the extended national family.
The former Prime Minister, however, missed the point when he said that we should help immigrants and foreign workers integrate and guard against xenophobia.
The larger point is that Singaporeans are not replacing themselves. With a fertility rate of 0.97 children per woman, when the replacement rate is 2.1, born-and-bred Singaporeans face the risk of extinction.
It is understandable, however, why he focused on the sub-point rather than the main point: it allows him to shift the blame to the people. Additionally, new citizens almost always vote for the incumbent in their first election.
Reproduction is the supreme mission of any living thing. That Singaporeans are not doing so clearly indicates that something is fundamentally wrong with our society—a situation for which his party played a major role. Under his leadership, since taking premiership in 2004, Singapore has become one of the most expensive cities in the world, making it too costly for many to bring up a child. During this time, the total fertility rate has dropped from 1.26 to 0.97 as of 2023.
His party has also taken away the essence of human life by systematically conditioning behaviour and, worse, thoughts—an approach that dehumanises and is arguably harmful. It is no coincidence that Singapore now has the highest suicide rate in Southeast Asia.
The fact is that Singapore will always face a manpower problem if the government continues to prioritise profits over human dignity. Businesses will always demand more workers to drive down labour costs and expand operations. Ironically, the harder we chase profits, the lower the fertility rate becomes.
As the government, his party should remember that the development of Singaporeans to their fullest potential is the ultimate goal, not profits. As a developed country, Singapore should now move on to the next phase, which focuses on human potential and dignity rather than being stuck in the old rut of chasing material wants.
