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- Jul 11, 2008
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I REFER to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's suggestion in last Thursday's report that Singapore emulate Sweden's strategy in improving birth rates ('Taking a leaf from Sweden's book to boost birth rate').
I am a Singaporean married to a Swede. However, within a year, we will leave Singapore to live in Sweden. My husband has persuaded me that Singapore is not the place to live and have a quality life, including having our first child. I am convinced even though I have good work opportunities here. The higher cost of living and stressful environment have taken a toll on us.
The Government fails to help couples like us in many ways. First, as middle-class people, we have not been helped in any way to buy our first home, even though we are as good if not better taxpayers than younger couples. Couples like us cannot buy an HDB flat because our income exceeds the cap at our age. My husband is above 35 and I am well into my 30s. We are penalised for getting married in our 30s and cannot enjoy the grants given to young couples buying HDB flats. Resale flats are well beyond our means, with high valuation which means a bigger debt should we buy our first home in Singapore. Young couples can buy a five-room flat for $250,000, including grants, while we have to pay at least $400,000, without any grant.
With such a debt, it is discouraging to have children as that will add a further burden, with childcare costs here topping $1,000 a month. We do not believe in hiring a maid to look after children. As a result, we now live in a rented apartment and will not have children until we move to Sweden.
On top of that, my husband would like to spend time looking after our baby, but he is not entitled to paternity leave here. His employer, a Singapore company, does not promote it. With longer hours in this rat-race society, how can couples enjoy bedtime intimacy?
In Sweden, the scenario is different. Employers are understanding and allow employees to take time off to collect their children from childcare. Flexi work hours are common and the government gives grants to encourage new families to procreate. Higher tax rates are offset by returns from the goverment, such as child allowances and free childcare.
We have decided our first baby will have a Swedish passport, and not a Singapore one.
Heng Siew Cheng (Ms)
Do you agree with her? Is she asking for too much or our garment dun gib a shit bout anything xcept collecting moni and more moni to finance their 30-40% "talent retention" annual increment.
I am a Singaporean married to a Swede. However, within a year, we will leave Singapore to live in Sweden. My husband has persuaded me that Singapore is not the place to live and have a quality life, including having our first child. I am convinced even though I have good work opportunities here. The higher cost of living and stressful environment have taken a toll on us.
The Government fails to help couples like us in many ways. First, as middle-class people, we have not been helped in any way to buy our first home, even though we are as good if not better taxpayers than younger couples. Couples like us cannot buy an HDB flat because our income exceeds the cap at our age. My husband is above 35 and I am well into my 30s. We are penalised for getting married in our 30s and cannot enjoy the grants given to young couples buying HDB flats. Resale flats are well beyond our means, with high valuation which means a bigger debt should we buy our first home in Singapore. Young couples can buy a five-room flat for $250,000, including grants, while we have to pay at least $400,000, without any grant.
With such a debt, it is discouraging to have children as that will add a further burden, with childcare costs here topping $1,000 a month. We do not believe in hiring a maid to look after children. As a result, we now live in a rented apartment and will not have children until we move to Sweden.
On top of that, my husband would like to spend time looking after our baby, but he is not entitled to paternity leave here. His employer, a Singapore company, does not promote it. With longer hours in this rat-race society, how can couples enjoy bedtime intimacy?
In Sweden, the scenario is different. Employers are understanding and allow employees to take time off to collect their children from childcare. Flexi work hours are common and the government gives grants to encourage new families to procreate. Higher tax rates are offset by returns from the goverment, such as child allowances and free childcare.
We have decided our first baby will have a Swedish passport, and not a Singapore one.
Heng Siew Cheng (Ms)
Do you agree with her? Is she asking for too much or our garment dun gib a shit bout anything xcept collecting moni and more moni to finance their 30-40% "talent retention" annual increment.
