White Paper marks a slowdown in
population growth: DPM Teo
Published on Feb 04, 2013
5:01 PM
By Robin Chan
THE Population White Paper proposes a significant slowdown in population and workforce growth,
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said on Monday as he launched the debate in Parliament on the
proposed policy that has sparked debate since its annoucement last week.
He also stressed that the Government is not deciding on a population of 6.9 million by 2030. In fact, with
restructuring and productivity gains, Singaporeans living healthier and longer and therefore choosing to
remain in the workforce longer, and more women joining the workforce, the Government hopes the
population will not reach 6.9 million, he said.
"It is the ability to meet the needs of Singaporeans and provide a good quality of life that is the driver, not
the numbers per se. If we are able to achieve this with a smaller population, whether 6.5m or perhaps even
lower, there is no reason to go higher," Mr Teo said.
However, the population projection of 6.5 to 6.9 million people here by 2030 is needed so that the
Government can make long term plans to cater even to the high end of possible populations, he added.
Mr Teo said the white paper proposes a significant slowdown in the growth of the workforce and
population. Workforce growth will be cut to about half of what it has been, to between 1 and 2 per cent a
year till 2020. Beyond that, the paper proposes that rate be slowed further to 1 per cent a year.
He sought Parliament's endorsement of the white paper, "A sustainable population for a dynamic
Singapore", and a complementary land use report, "A high quality living environment".
DPM Teo: Sustainable population the most
important part of white paper
Published on Feb 04, 2013
5:13 PM
By Goh Chin Lian
An ageing and shrinking population could mean higher taxes on those working to fund subsidised
healthcare for a large number of seniors, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said on Monday.
Stressing that the problem of an ageing society needs urgent attention, he cautioned that business activity
could slow down with less investment in new sectors, and fewer job and career opportunities.
He said that the maintaining a sustainable and stable Singaporean population was thus the "first and most
important part" of the Population White Paper.
"Young Singaporeans may decide to leave for more exciting opportunities in other growing cities. This
would hollow out our population and workforce. This is a real worry for parents too who wonder whether
their children will go abroad in search of better opportunities, and they will be left alone here during their
silver years," he told Parliament when opening the debate on the Government's Population White Paper.
He noted that between now and 2030, over 900,000 Baby Boomers - or more than a quarter of the current
citizen population - will enter their silver years. By 2025, the citizen population will start to shrink if
nothing is done.
At a total fertility rate of 1.2, for every 100 Singaporeans in this generation, there will be 60 Singaporeans
in the next generation, and only 36 in the generation after that.
"This threatens the sustainability of our Singaporean core population," he said.
The ratio of working-age citizens to each citizen aged 65 and above will also fall, from 5.9 now to 2.1 by
2030.
He said: "The issue is indeed upon us, and is an issue we need to deal with now."