11 - Limited Pronatalist Policies

Summary

INTRODUCTION

While the previous chapter presents an account of the changes relating to the partial reversal of the old antinatalist policies introduced during the years 1987–2000, this chapter focuses on limited pronatalist measures implemented during the same period. Apart from recommending the loosening of some of the old antinatalist policies, the Inter-Ministerial Population Committee suggested the introduction of some pronatalist measures. But these pronatalist measures, together with those implemented later, were based on the same principle of giving incentives up to at most the fourth child.

The second major group of pronatalist measures were introduced in the new millennium following the traditional address by the Prime Minister, Goh Chok Tong, in the National Day Rally held on 20 August 2000. Among other things, he said, “We must create a total environment conducive to raising a family. Our policy is to have three children or more if you can afford it.” It is important to emphasize that the somewhat restricted pronatalist policies were quite different from those completely pronatalist policies adopted in many European countries to raise the level of their below-replacement fertility.

The limited nature of the pronatalist policies would result in some additional births, but certainly not to the maximum as in the case of those with no restrictions at all. For one thing, the pronatalist benefits were not given to parents producing the fifth and subsequent children. It would appear that there still existed the concern that too many children were being produced by certain segments of the population. It was therefore not surprising that fertility had not been given the maximum possible boost and had continued to proceed well below replacement level after 2000.

LEAVE FOR PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES

A limited pronatalist measure was related to the leave of employees in the public sector, which was easier to change since government had the authority to alter the working conditions of civil servants. Soon after the National Day Rally speech by the Prime Minister, it was announced on 28 August 2000 by the Chairman of the Working Committee on Marriage and Procreation, Eddie Teo, that a government employee would be permitted to take three days' paid marriage leave when he married for the first time.