My speech on 28 Feb 2024 on the Committee Supply Debate (Prime Minister’s Office).
The government has clarified that it does not aim for Singapore’s population to increase to 10 million and is anticipating a population of “significantly below 6.9 million” by 2030. However, with 2030 only six years away and fast approaching, a key question arises: what are the government’s longer-term forecasts?
Population projections are a critical tool for public policy planning.
Given current birth rates and the intake of new citizens and PRs, what are the government’s projections for Singapore’s population in 2040 and 2050? These figures are pivotal, not just for immediate policy adjustments, but for securing a sustainable future for all.
The government claims that it does not seek to achieve any particular population size. I find this rather strange: if there is no population target, how does it decide how much to regulate the immigration tap or how much to invest in pronatalist policies to achieve its desired economic, social and security outcomes over the long term?
