Baby making plea in Singapore as fertility rate flatlines
SINGAPORE: Married couples were urged by Singapore's parliament on Friday to go on love holidays to set a romantic mood for making babies.
Singles were exhorted to get married early.
Member of parliament Ang Mong Seng came up with the amorous tips to encourage Singaporeans to have more babies amid an alarming decline in birthrates.
Although the government introduced a baby bonus scheme in 2001 and a package of incentives in 2004, the impact has remained dismal.
The total fertility rate continues to hover near its record low of 1.24 in 2004 with only 38,232 births last year.
When couples get home late, "they are so exhausted they have no energy to make babies," The Straits Times quoted Ang as saying.
Romantic holidays are also important, he said.
Ang referred to a survey showing that 45 percent of couples got to know their partners in school.
"I'm not encouraging small children to fall in love," he said. He called for more social activities in secondary schools and universities.
Finally, Ang said the government should pay a bonus to couples who have children within their first year of marriage.
The city-state has embarked on a drive to boost immigration in addition to encouraging births.
The Guardian
(China Daily 03/06/2007 page19)
