A heated debate unfolded in Parliament on Wednesday (5 Feb) between Progress Singapore Party’s (PSP) Leong Mun Wai and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah.
The seven-hour session, triggered by a motion on supporting families and promoting parenthood, saw Leong challenge the government’s strategies for addressing Singapore’s declining fertility rate.
The motion was tabled by People’s Action Party Members of Parliament Hany Soh (PAP-Marsiling-Yew Tee) and Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (PAP-Chua Chu Kang), calling for a continued review and updating of family-related policies.
Leong, a Non-Constituency MP, proposed replacing the phrase “continued review and updating of policies” with “reimagination.”
However, the amendment was rejected, and the original motion was passed.
Government has begun reimagination efforts
Indranee opposed the amendment, stating that the government had already begun the “reimagination process” through Forward SG, a feedback-driven initiative launched in 2022 to refresh Singapore’s social compact.
She criticised Leong’s proposal, noting that it was tied to the PSP’s Affordable Homes Scheme, which she described as problematic. According to Indranee, the scheme—under which Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat buyers would defer paying land costs until the flat’s resale—would effectively result in a “raid on the reserves.”
Leong pressed on, questioning whether Singapore’s low fertility rate constituted a “national emergency” and whether Indranee agreed with this characterisation. His preambles drew a rebuke from Speaker Seah Kian Peng, who asked him to be more succinct in seeking clarifications.
When Indranee responded, she described the issue as serious but argued that treating it as an emergency could lead to ineffective, reactionary measures.
“When you have a serious national issue, you look at it calmly, coolly, you understand what the issues are, and you then take the necessary steps,” she said.
Comparisons to France and other countries
Leong further accused Indranee of sidestepping questions and pointed out that other countries, like France, maintain a total fertility rate (TFR) above 1.5, while Singapore’s TFR has dropped to 0.97.
He questioned whether this disparity indicated a failure in government policy.
In response, Indranee acknowledged that France’s fertility rate has also declined and noted that the drop is part of a global trend.
However, she said the government remains committed to fostering an environment that supports marriage and parenthood. “We can’t control global trends, but we can create conditions conducive for families,” she added.
Leong insisted that the government had failed to address “specific factors” contributing to the sharp decline in Singapore’s fertility rate.
He warned that the country could face serious consequences if policymakers take a passive stance. “You cannot just say, ‘everything is dropping, we can’t help it,’” Leong argued.
Indranee rejected the suggestion that the government was being complacent. She reiterated that ongoing efforts, such as Forward SG, aim to re-evaluate and adapt policies to better meet current challenges.
“We recognise that changes need to be made, and that’s exactly why we are taking action,” she said.
Debate over setting a fertility target
Another key point of contention was whether Singapore should set a target for its fertility rate. Leong argued that without a clear goal, policies would lack direction and measurable outcomes.
Indranee disagreed, stating that setting targets for emotional or personal decisions, such as having children, would be ineffective.
“For infrastructure or economic growth, targets make sense,” she explained. “But fertility involves deeply personal decisions that are not easily quantified.” Instead, she emphasised creating a supportive environment for families as the government’s main focus.
She added that current policies are informed by public feedback, reflecting what Singaporeans have expressed as their needs and concerns. “We hope that Singaporeans will respond to the environment we’re creating,” Indranee said.
The session ended with the original motion approved, though the exchange highlighted ongoing disagreement over how Singapore should tackle its fertility challenges.
While Leong pressed for more ambitious, targeted approaches, Indranee maintained that the government’s current trajectory reflects both adaptability and responsiveness to evolving societal needs.
However, Singapore’s demographic trends suggest deeper concerns. Since Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s leadership as Prime Minister, the country’s population grew from 4.17 million in 2004 to 6.04 million as of June 2024.
Much of this growth, however, has been driven by an increase in the non-resident population, while the resident total fertility rate (TFR) fell from 1.26 in 2004 to a historic low of 0.97 in 2023.
This stark contrast underscores the heavy reliance on a steady influx of immigrants to sustain population growth, raising questions about the effectiveness of existing family-oriented policies.
As Leong pointed out, previous measures have failed to reverse or stabilise the declining TFR. With past policies unable to yield sustained improvement, critics argue that simply building on the same foundations risks perpetuating a long-term demographic crisis.
Indranee’s defence of ongoing reviews, such as Forward SG, highlights the government’s awareness of the issue.
However, Leong’s call for reimagining policies challenges the notion that incremental adjustments will be enough.
Without bolder measures or significant policy shifts, the balance between supporting population growth through immigration and ensuring successful integration could become increasingly fragile, critics warn.
