S'pore On Verge Of Losing Majority To Migrants If Declining Birth Rates Continue

SINGAPORE, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Singaporeans are reminded on the importance of getting married and having children to ensure there is sufficient original citizens to form the majority in the country. Expressing concern over the republic's low fertility rate, former minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew Lee pointed out that there would be an adverse impact on Singapore if the country’s declining birth rates continue. "If we go on like that, this place will fold up, because there’ll be no original citizens left to form the majority, and we cannot have new citizens, new PRs to settle our social ethos, our social spirit, our social norms. "So my message is a simple one. The answer is very difficult but the problems, if we don't find the answers, are enormous," Lee said in his address at a National Day dinner at Tanjong Pagar GRC and Tiong Bahru, here, on Saturday. Lee, who is Singapore's former prime minister, said the Chinese reproduction rate was at 1.08, Indians at 1.09 and Malays at 1.64. Lee, however, acknowledged that work permit holders had played a crucial role towards building the country's infrastructure. Not forgeting the contribution of permanent residents, Lee said without the PRs, the republic’s population would be older, smaller and would lose vitality. Saying that their choice was simple, Lee pointed that (it was) either to accept migrants at the rate at which "we can assimilate them and make them conform to our values" or have others on temporary work permit to help build up Singapore and improve. However, for the longer term, Lee said what was important was to have a change in mindset. "Our educated men and women must decide whether to replace themselves in the next generation. At the moment, 31 per cent of women and 44 per cent of men are opting out, not leaving a next generation. "So, just ponder over it and you will know the solution is not simple. But we've got to persuade people to understand that getting married and having children is important. "Do we want to replace ourselves or do we want to shrink and get older and be replaced by migrants and work permit holders? That's the simple question," he said. -- BERNAMA