Populations policies of Singapore PIangfuan Naksukpaiboon RCNUWC TH’ 07-09

TFR of South East Asia Countries Total Fertility Rate (per woman) Brunei Darussalam 2.7 Cambodia 4.9 Indonesia 2.5 Lao PDR 5.6 Malaysia 3.1 Myanmar 2.7 Philippines 3.5 Singapore 1.7 (The lowest in SEA) Thailand 2.0 Viet Nam 2.5 SOUTH-EAST ASIA 2.7 Source: ESCAP, 2002

Fertility policies development in Singapore “1819 Singapore was an official ‘founding’ as the British colony” “After WWII Japan ruled Singapore for four years and that’s the period of post-war baby boom and the demographic expansion”. “ population increases of 84.7 %” “After 1970s Singapore's population expansion become mute with increases only 18.3% % caused by the anti-natalist phrase in ” “Total Population of Singapore : 4,017,733 with 3,263,209 Number of citizens & Permanent Residents (PRs) (81.2 %)”

Anti-natalist phase, “Caused by Singapore was beset with an urban housing shortage, large-scale unemployment, and a net population increase as death rates fell and birth rates remained high”. The main aim of these programmes was to improve standards of living. “the Singapore Family Planning and Population Board (SFPPB) was instituted in 1966; its role was to reduce Singapore’s birth rate and net reproduction rate, with zero population growth as its eventual goal.” Examples of the campaigns are “Take your time to say yes” and “Girls or boys two is enough”.

Examples of anti-natalist campaign Sources: Singapore Family Planning and Promotion Board (1986); Family Planning/Sterilization Information Service (1978)

Eugenics phase ( ) “After the anti-natalist period Singapore, there was dramatic drop of the fertility rate and in addition singapore was in the socioeconomic development period, so singapore was in the transition of being a anti-natalist phase to pro-natalist phase.” At that time there was an establishment of the government body called Social development unit, in order to promote marriage among university graduates Sterilization encouraged foR lower-educated, lower-income parents

Pro-natalist Phase Present Caused projections of Singapore’s elderly comprising 25% of the population by 2025, almost matching the working age population which is predicted to stand at 30% (Navaneetham, 2002:15). Female graduates usually preferred to be more single Singapore changed from eugenics phase to official pro- natalist phase in 1987….. The campaigns are used in medias and advertisements such as ‘Family Togetherness is the Key to Happiness’, and ‘Abortion is not a method of family planning’, Money were paid as a S$20,000; Baby Bonus Scheme Special Tax Rebate: Tax rebate up to a maximum of S$20,000 per couple for parents of a new third child;

Examples of pro-natalist campaign

Sources of information UNESCAP Singapore Family Planning and Promotion Board (1986); Family Planning/Sterilization Information Service (1978) Asian MetaCentre Research Paper Series (Fertility and the Family: An Overview of Pro-natalist Population Policies in Singapore) (Theresa Wong, Brenda S.A. Yeoh)