SINGAPORE: With many Chinese language-origin households contemplating kids born within the Yr of the Dragon to be “particularly auspicious”, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday urged married Singaporean {couples} to have infants through the yr and warranted them his authorities’s assist. In his annual Chinese language New Yr message, Lee stated the dragon is a “image of energy, energy and luck”.
“So now’s nearly as good a time as any for younger {couples} so as to add a ‘little dragon’ to your loved ones,” stated the prime minister who celebrates his birthday on 10 February. Lee was born within the yr of Dragon in 1952.
“We are going to construct a ‘Singapore Made for Households’, and proceed supporting your marriage and parenthood aspirations,” The Channel Information Asia quoted the 72-year-old Lee as saying.
Assist for toddler caregiving and work-life concord has been “progressively strengthened” to see dad and mom by means of their kids’s early life, he stated, including that government-paid paternity depart was not too long ago doubled from two weeks to 4 weeks on a voluntary foundation.
Such measures will “lighten the burden on dad and mom, however they’re merely enablers”, stated the prime minister.
“In the end, {couples} will determine whether or not to have kids for their very own causes. I hope extra will determine to go forward, and I’m assured they are going to discover parenthood a deeply rewarding and fulfilling journey.”
He added that he hoped his encouragement “prompts extra {couples} to attempt for a child”, though he acknowledged that “the choice is a really private one”.
The prime minister additionally stated households needs to be celebrated as Chinese language New Yr is well known.
“Households are on the coronary heart of our society. Our households give us unwavering energy and assist, cheer for us in our triumphs and stand by us by means of adversity. They’re a giant a part of our sense of id, belonging and objective. By way of our households, we go on our aspirations and values from technology to technology,” stated Lee.
“One vital factor of household life is having and citing kids. It’s a nice pleasure for folks to deliver youngsters into this world, and to look at them be taught and develop, reaching one milestone after one other and rising up year-by-year.
“Grandparents, like me, share this pleasure too. We dote and fuss over our grandchildren, serving to the dad and mom to deliver them up and contributing our half on this journey crammed with happiness, objective and love,” he stated.
Singaporeans will have fun Chinese language New Yr this weekend, February 10-11, and can get a further vacation on Monday in lieu of the celebration falling on Sunday as it’s for all festivals.
The prime minister additionally famous that fertility charges world wide have been declining, particularly in “developed societies” similar to Singapore.
Singapore’s resident whole fertility charge hit an all-time low of 1.05 in 2022, dipping under the earlier report of 1.1 in 2020 and the 2021 determine of 1.12.
The drop “was partly because of the Tiger yr within the lunar calendar, which is mostly related to decrease births among the many Chinese language”, Minister within the Prime Minister’s Workplace (PMO) Indranee Rajah had stated in Parliament in February 2023.
With each technology having totally different aspirations, Lee noticed that many younger persons are prioritising profession growth, spending high quality time with their companions and pursuing different pursuits.
“Even {couples} who need youngsters could delay beginning households, not realising how rapidly it will get more durable with every passing yr,” he stated. “All that is fairly comprehensible. However I nonetheless hope that extra Singaporean {couples} will determine to have extra kids, and to have them earlier!”
“Coming into the Dragon yr, allow us to press ahead with optimism and dedication. I want all Singaporeans good well being, and a really glad Chinese language New Yr,” he stated.
“So now’s nearly as good a time as any for younger {couples} so as to add a ‘little dragon’ to your loved ones,” stated the prime minister who celebrates his birthday on 10 February. Lee was born within the yr of Dragon in 1952.
“We are going to construct a ‘Singapore Made for Households’, and proceed supporting your marriage and parenthood aspirations,” The Channel Information Asia quoted the 72-year-old Lee as saying.
Assist for toddler caregiving and work-life concord has been “progressively strengthened” to see dad and mom by means of their kids’s early life, he stated, including that government-paid paternity depart was not too long ago doubled from two weeks to 4 weeks on a voluntary foundation.
Such measures will “lighten the burden on dad and mom, however they’re merely enablers”, stated the prime minister.
“In the end, {couples} will determine whether or not to have kids for their very own causes. I hope extra will determine to go forward, and I’m assured they are going to discover parenthood a deeply rewarding and fulfilling journey.”
He added that he hoped his encouragement “prompts extra {couples} to attempt for a child”, though he acknowledged that “the choice is a really private one”.
The prime minister additionally stated households needs to be celebrated as Chinese language New Yr is well known.
“Households are on the coronary heart of our society. Our households give us unwavering energy and assist, cheer for us in our triumphs and stand by us by means of adversity. They’re a giant a part of our sense of id, belonging and objective. By way of our households, we go on our aspirations and values from technology to technology,” stated Lee.
“One vital factor of household life is having and citing kids. It’s a nice pleasure for folks to deliver youngsters into this world, and to look at them be taught and develop, reaching one milestone after one other and rising up year-by-year.
“Grandparents, like me, share this pleasure too. We dote and fuss over our grandchildren, serving to the dad and mom to deliver them up and contributing our half on this journey crammed with happiness, objective and love,” he stated.
Singaporeans will have fun Chinese language New Yr this weekend, February 10-11, and can get a further vacation on Monday in lieu of the celebration falling on Sunday as it’s for all festivals.
The prime minister additionally famous that fertility charges world wide have been declining, particularly in “developed societies” similar to Singapore.
Singapore’s resident whole fertility charge hit an all-time low of 1.05 in 2022, dipping under the earlier report of 1.1 in 2020 and the 2021 determine of 1.12.
The drop “was partly because of the Tiger yr within the lunar calendar, which is mostly related to decrease births among the many Chinese language”, Minister within the Prime Minister’s Workplace (PMO) Indranee Rajah had stated in Parliament in February 2023.
With each technology having totally different aspirations, Lee noticed that many younger persons are prioritising profession growth, spending high quality time with their companions and pursuing different pursuits.
“Even {couples} who need youngsters could delay beginning households, not realising how rapidly it will get more durable with every passing yr,” he stated. “All that is fairly comprehensible. However I nonetheless hope that extra Singaporean {couples} will determine to have extra kids, and to have them earlier!”
“Coming into the Dragon yr, allow us to press ahead with optimism and dedication. I want all Singaporeans good well being, and a really glad Chinese language New Yr,” he stated.
