Singapore — In his Chinese New Year message, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hoped that Singapore’s marriage and birth rates would “come roaring back” in the auspicious Year of the Tiger.
“While Covid-19 initially caused a dip in the number of weddings, I am glad many couples have since gone ahead with their plans,” said Mr Lee.
After two years of the pandemic, he noted that marriages in Singapore have “caught up” and returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Meanwhile, he added that birth numbers have fallen slightly, but not as much as we had feared.
“Covid-19 or not, parents and grandparents still greatly look forward to welcoming new arrivals. The infants bring joy and warmth to the whole family and carry our hopes and dreams for a brighter tomorrow.”
Mr Lee’s CNY message had the central theme of Singapore’s birth rate, given that many deem the Year of the Tiger to be favourable for childbirth.
He noted that the government strongly supports Singaporeans who want to start and raise families.
The Baby Support Grant, which provides parents with a one-off financial assistance of S$3,000 for each baby born between Oct 1, 2020, to Sept 30, 2022, is one example Mr Lee highlighted.
“I hope that marriage and birth numbers will come roaring back in the Year of the Tiger,” he said.
Mr Lee also urged everyone to exercise social responsibility and take precautions amid the festive period.
He reminded everyone to adhere to safe management measures and keep up basic hygiene practices such as hand washing.
“If you feel under the weather, please stay at home, isolate yourself and get ample rest, just in case you are infected. There will be ample time to catch up on New Year visiting after you recover,” he said.
Mr Lee noted that another way of keeping families safe was to get vaccinated.
“Vaccinations are safe and effective. They reduce your chances of contracting Covid-19, and more importantly greatly lower the risk of serious complications, including for the Omicron variant.”
Mr Lee said that the essence of the Chinese New Year is family and loved ones.
Even though large gatherings are still prohibited, he said uncles and aunties have become experts at taking wefies while families organise virtual meetups.
“In the new year, let us work together to resolutely overcome the pandemic with the strength of the Tiger, and seize new opportunities to build a better Singapore with the boldness of the beast,” he said. /TISG
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