MP Low Thia Khiang questions White Paper on Population

SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party chief Low Thia Khiang said the government’s road map on population is wrong.

He said in parliament the White Paper still proposes incentives in the Marriage and Parenthood package to have more babies, when previous incentives had not worked.

Mr Low said: "Without a total fertility rate recovery plan with clear targets, our birth rates are not going to go up. So when 2030 arrives what solution are we going to turn to? Immigration again? Another White Paper to project a population size of 10 million for 2050 as a road map?

"If we travel down this road map, Singaporeans will become a minority in their own country. The problem with the government is not that it lacks 20—20 foresight in infrastructure development, but it fails to recognise that the problem is its immigration policy in the first place."

Mr Low pointed out that the problems of low birth rate and ageing population lie in the social and physical environment, which he said is not conducive for family life.

He said: "Therefore the solution must be sought by focussing the promotion of the quality of life for Singapore families. By focussing on immigration, the government is using the cause of the problem today as a solution for tomorrow. What the government is doing is kicking the can down the road."

— CNA/xq