Letter from Tham Su-yin Today Online 14 Sep 11;
I REFER to the study reported in "Without migration of some magnitude, Singapore's population will decline, says IPS" (Sept 8). With a low birth rate and longer life expectancy, it is obvious Singapore's population is ageing.
This situation is faced by many developed countries, and it is easy to see that if we can raise the number of young people by migration or by birth, we will have more working people to support the elderly who are living longer due to better medical science.
I am not against immigration, as migrants have made positive contributions to Singapore. However, I am concerned that Singapore views it necessary to have ever more young people to look after the elderly.
This view is ecologically unsustainable, for the ever more young people will eventually grow old and will need yet more people to support them. This benefits only the present generation at the expense of the next.
We cannot increase our population indefinitely. Resources such as food, water and land are finite. Only non-physical things such as respect, spiritual growth, knowledge, health and quality of relationships can increase in a physically finite world.
Our census shows that Singapore's total population has grown from 2.07 million in 1970 to 5.08 million last year.
As world population hits 7 billion this year and possibly 9 billion in time, and people in Singapore already complaining of overcrowding and congestion, I hope our leaders will look at ways to manage a stable population and make ageing affordable instead.
Longer, healthier lives mean we can work longer. With more flexible job arrangements, more jobs can be done by older workers. Given training and support, the fit old can care for the infirm older.
It is unwise to think we can continue adding more people into Singapore and, of course, the world.
As former United States President John F Kennedy's environmental adviser Kenneth Boulding said 45 years ago: "Anyone who believes in indefinite growth of anything physical on a physically finite planet is either a madman or an economist."
Population growth shouldn't outpace housing stock
Straits Times Forum 19 Sep 11;
THE assessment of the housing situation, by Jones Lang LaSalle's head of research for real estate services Chua Yang Liang, worries a first-time buyer like me. ('Housing glut 'won't cause dip in prices''; last Wednesday).
He calculated that demand is likely to stay high, given the way population growth has outpaced the increase in housing stock over the past 10 years, at the average rate of 2.8 per cent population growth and 2.1 per cent increase in completed homes per year. This resulted in a housing stock shortfall of about 87,000 homes last year.
These statistics worry me especially when developers are urging the Government to lift property cooling measures which have been introduced only recently.
What it means for a first-time home buyer looking for a basic roof over my head to start a family is that prices will continue to climb.
For most young families, a home is the costliest purchase they are likely to make, and servicing heavy loans can affect their financial stability in the long-term.
The Government must ensure that population growth does not outpace housing stock as it has - and yes, please introduce more cooling measures.
Nicholas Loh
