A netizen addressed Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Oct 11), writing, “Let me tell you the real reason behind why fertility rates are dropping and people are not getting married.”
During a Forward Singapore conversation for social service practitioners that took place on Oct 10, Mr Wong acknowledged the increase in the prices of resale homes as well as the long wait for HDB flats as significant concerns for young people in Singapore, adding that building new flats is now being ramped up.
DPM Wong touched on a number of different issues that affect Singapore families, including parenting and financial support schemes for parents.
”We must make Singapore the best place for families – a society where young couples feel well-supported to start and raise a family, and can give their children the best possible start in life,” CNA quotes Mr Wong as saying.
In a post on the Complaint Singapore Facebook page, a netizen Mr Desmond Ang wrote, “Want to know why people are not dating or getting married, and young couples are not having as many kids as the country would like to have?
Besides the small proportion that is by choice, let me tell you what the people on the ground are facing.”
Mr Ang first tackled the issue of HDB flats.
“HDB is ramping up supply? So what? Did you see the ratio of applicants vs available units in each launch? 5-7 people applying for each unit? Even in non mature estates? Just ask around incognito, how many people have applied for BTO for many times and cannot get it? Even if so lucky to get a good number, how’s that 4-6 years of waiting time?”
He also noted the high prices of BTO flats, writing, “$877k for a AMK BTO? $500k for A Tengah BTO? And you say you want to keep HDB affordable?”
Mr Ang went on to write that while Mr Wong talks a lot about having a good work-life balance, he believes that there is a lack of “actionable plans” to enforce this.
“How many companies are have unofficial long working hours? SG’s productivity doesn’t originate from its innovation. It comes at the expense of actual working hours, people exchanging their time to administer your GDP tools.”
He added that instead of having the time for pursuing family life, couples put in long hours at work instead.
The final topic Mr Ang addressed is one of mobility, specifically the COE, the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) that gives someone the right to vehicle ownership in Singapore for 10 years.
Mobility is “one of the factors influencing familhood,” he added, because it “affects quality of life” and “indirectly, it affects your mood, your subconscious habits.”
“Families buy 5-6 cars to park at home, while people who actually need a car for mobility needs (eg young families with children or elderly parents) are priced out of a bread and butter car.”
He argued that needing strollers or wheelchairs on public transport during peak hours, or when your work is a long distance from your home, is a disincentive for starting a family or having more children.
Mr Ang ended his post by writing, “Lawrence Wong, if you genuinely want to tackle these issues, you need to first understand the actual root causes and not just look at the data.
The data is just a reflection of the RESULT of the root cause. What’s the point of tackling the result when the underlying cause is not addressed? It’s just pasting a band aid over a festering wound. The wound will continue to rot if you don’t treat it.” /TISG
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