Singapore tries hard to counter demographic challenges (Feature)

By Kai Portmann Jun 22, 2009, 4:40 GMT

   Singapore - At first, all mourners feel embarrassed. 'I am not going to sing praises for my late husband,' a widow said at a funeral. 'Instead, I want to talk about some things that will make some of you feel a bit uncomfortable.'

   Vividly she described the bodily functions of her late husband, his snoring and farting in bed.

   'And what I wouldn't give just to hear these sounds again before I sleep,' the widow continued.

   'In the end it is these small things that you remember, the little imperfections that make them perfect for you,' she said completing her eulogy, thus changing the audience's mood from embarrassment to sympathy.

   In its efforts to counter the demographic challenges of low fertility and an ageing population, Singapore's government leaves no stone unturned, even using death to sell marriage.

   The unconventional and taboo-breaking ad set at a funeral, shot by Malaysian director Yasmin Ahmad and titled 'Beautifully imperfect,' is part of a campaign to make more Singaporeans tie the knot and have children.

   Figures just released by the National Population Secretariat showed that Singapore's birth rate dipped slightly to 1.28 children per woman in 2008, down from 1.29 a year earlier and far below the replacement level of 2.1.

   With a total population of 4.84 million, the proportion of residents aged 65 and above continued to increase from 6.8 per cent in 1998 to 8.7 per cent in 2008.

   The number of marriages went up to 21,042 in 2008, compared to 20,775 a year ago.

   'But the trend of Singaporeans not marrying or marrying later continues to persist,' the secretariat said.

   In 2008, general marriage rates were 44 married males per 1,000 unmarried male residents and 42 married females per 1,000 unmarried female residents, down from 49.7 and 49.4, respectively, a decade ago.

   The peak age group for men marrying went up from 25-29 years in 1990 and 2000 to 30-34 years in 2008.

   As couples also have fewer children, Singapore leaders fear that the tiny island-state might shrink into oblivion.

   'Without new citizens and permanent residents, we are going to be the last of the Mohicans. We will disappear,' said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, warning against a dependence on foreigners for raising the fertility rate.

   'We've got to make this breakthrough internally. If we don't make the 2.1 [population replacement ratio], we will always be dependent,' the founding father of modern Singapore said.

   His son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, uses every opportunity to stress the significance of starting a family, even more so now as Singapore is facing its worst recession in three decades amid the global economic downturn.

   'The family is our most important life-raft in times of crisis,' Lee said in his New Year's message. 'Even in hard times, we should not neglect the need to bring up a new generation.'

   The government already started some incentives to provide a more pro-family environment for its citizens.

   In August 2008, it enhanced a marriage and parenthood package bringing the total amount it spends to promote starting a family to 1.6 billion Singapore dollars (1.1 billion US dollars) a year.

   The measures include longer maternity leave, more tax incentives for having children, increased subsidies for childcare, and even subsidies for assisted reproduction techniques.

   In addition, government agencies provide internet platforms like www.lovebyte.org.sg which offer dating services and other help for singles in order 'to create awareness amongst you on the importance of marriage and family, and the need to start early.'

   The latest government-run campaign, which was backed by Yasmin Ahmad's three-minute TV ad, rewarded 10 young dating couples with 400 Singapore dollars each for being 'beautifully imperfect' pairs.

   The Ministry of Community Development started the contest on the internet social network Facebook and attracted more than 350 couples who uploaded their photos and described their relationship, thus trying to pull in votes.

   The campaign's main message was: Marry early, don't wait for Mr or Miss Right!

   'The person who is not perfect as defined by the world around us may turn out to be the perfect husband or wife,' the ministry said.