http://sg.news.yahoo.com/in-parliament--dpm-teo-formally-endorses-white-paper-100210878.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Amid widespread fury from Singaporeans after the release of the government's population white paper, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean stood up again Monday to publicly endorse it in Parliament.
Speaking to Members of the House on Monday, Teo said that he understood the concerns Singaporeans had over an increase in the migrant population and fears of "Singaporeans feeling like strangers" in their own country.
He went on to emphasise the importance of integration.
Speaking specifically on the issue of an increase in the number of foreigners with work passes, the deputy prime minister said that these migrant workers would be here to support, rather than join the population.
The jobs these work pass holders would be doing, he said were "jobs and services Singaporeans need but do not want to do ourselves."
WP opposes Population White Paper: Sylvia Lim
The Workers' Party opposes the Government's Population White Paper, said party chairman Sylvia Lim in Parliament today.
It believes that the Government, in expanding the population to reach its economic growth targets, has gotten its priorities the wrong way around, she said.
It proposes an alternative population projection of about 5.9 million by 2030, and a greater tradeoff between economic growth and population expansion.
Singapore should work towards a more modest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 2.5 to 3 per cent to 2020, and 1.5 per cent to 2 per cent from 2020 to 2030.
This is about half a percentage point lower than the White Paper's projections.
Ms Lim also said that senior citizens "are not as much of a burden" as the Government is making them out to be.
Ms Lim also took aim at the Government's "half-hearted" attempts to boost the total fertility rate (TFR), which stems from the fact that immigration remains its key approach to augment the population. The Government seems "resigned" that the TFR will not improve greatly, and has not invested as much resources or tackled the issue as thoroughly as other counties like South Korea have done, she said.
In a parting shot, Ms Lim charged that the Population White Paper's title - "A Sustainable Population for a Dynamic Singapore" - illustrated the Government's muddled priorities. Rather, it should be titled "A Dynamic Population for a Sustainable Singapore," she said.
MPs call for ways to avoid 6.9m-strong population
Some 60 Members of Parliament (MPs) have indicated their interest to take part in the debate on the White Paper on Population.
Suggestions included improving work-life balance and providing more incentives for Singaporeans to have children.
Seah Kian Peng, MP for Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency said: "We do need to do more to have more citizens, not just by getting new citizens in but also by getting our people to get married... At the same time, we need to continually review and continually enhance the privileges of being a Singapore citizen..."
Foo Mee Har, MP for West Coast GRC suggested: "I would like to call for urgent action... so that we don't arrive at 6.9 million - Take bolder steps to improve total fertility rate, tap our own talent pool..."
"... The heart of our nation is represented by our Singaporean core. I would like to say that for a strong Singapore and a cohesive society, we need a strong heart and better yet, a big heart," said Arthur Fong, MP for West Coast GRC.
There were also concerns that augmenting the Singapore population with new citizens and permanent residents would dilute the Singaporean identity.
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