Despite several measures in the past aimed at addressing Singapore's low fertility rate, 2010 saw the birth rate continue to decline.
Some 31,500 babies were born between January and October.
That is a drop of 3.5 per cent compared with the same period last year, when 32,630 babies were born.
The number of births to Singaporean couples saw an even steeper decline - 17,238 babies, down 5.2 per cent from the same period last year.
Faced with a rapidly ageing society, Singapore's leaders have said that the country needs foreigners to maintain economic growth.
And amid ongoing debate over how to further integrate foreigners into society, all eyes are on the new National Population and Talent Division, set up under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng to formulate such policies.
Figures released in the third quarter of this year showed that, for the first time, Singapore's total population crossed the five million mark boosted by the influx of foreign nationals in past years. However, this year saw the growth of foreign nationals slowing down sharply, partly as a direct result of government policies. But with one-third of the population foreign-born, the challenge for policy-makers is to create enough common ground to bring this diversity together.
Nowhere is that need more clearly seen than at weekly meet-the-people sessions.
At Bukit Batok East, most residents are there to seek financial help.
However, the area's Member of Parliament, Madam Halimah Yacob, says some have also brought up the issue of occasional friction between foreigners and citizens.
By and large, the two groups have learnt to live together.
But Mdm Halimah says integration is not easy.
She believes that one thing that would help is better coordination of policies across ministries.
She hopes the new agency will address this.
Mdm Halimah, who is also deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress, says one thing the Government has done right is to focus on raising the productivity of Singaporean workers and bringing in skilled immigrants who can complement the skill sets of Singaporeans.
But she feels more effort must be made to assure Singaporeans that they remain top of the national agenda.
She said: "People do feel that sense of being squeezed out, so it's important that we constantly put emphasis on the fact that these issues are important, that the Government will pay attention to it and that Singaporeans will always be priority."
In September, the Government revealed for the first time the number of applications for permanent residency received and approved.
Mr Wong had said in Parliament that about 132,000 people applied to be PRs. 115,900 applications were processed, of which only half - or about 59,500 - were successful.
Dr Leong Chan Hoong, research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, says such transparency is welcomed.
Said Dr Leong: "Singaporeans who feel they have a stake in this country, who are concerned about the impact of migration, they naturally would like to know how that has changed in the last six months or so. If they can make it on a more periodic basis, that can actually be very reassuring."
Dr Leong says this is especially important now, as foreigners appear to have become the target of public unhappiness over policies - whether it is rising housing prices or competition in schools.
He agrees with the Government's stand on sharpening the distinction between citizens and non-citizens, noting it could reassure Singaporeans while providing some incentive for PRs to become citizens.
But he cautions that there might be the unintended consequence of hardening the lines between PRs and the citizens.
Similarly, MP Amy Khor notes that even as the authorities continue their engagement efforts, "we should not become xenophobic and drive away foreigners, which will be to our detriment".
Dr Khor also chairs the Government's feedback unit, REACH (Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home) .
MPs say community integration activities have helped.
For former Chinese national, Mr Jack Wu, integration is also a matter of time. After 14 years, he says Singapore has become home.
Some 31,500 babies were born between January and October.
That is a drop of 3.5 per cent compared with the same period last year, when 32,630 babies were born.
The number of births to Singaporean couples saw an even steeper decline - 17,238 babies, down 5.2 per cent from the same period last year.
Faced with a rapidly ageing society, Singapore's leaders have said that the country needs foreigners to maintain economic growth.
And amid ongoing debate over how to further integrate foreigners into society, all eyes are on the new National Population and Talent Division, set up under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng to formulate such policies.
Figures released in the third quarter of this year showed that, for the first time, Singapore's total population crossed the five million mark boosted by the influx of foreign nationals in past years. However, this year saw the growth of foreign nationals slowing down sharply, partly as a direct result of government policies. But with one-third of the population foreign-born, the challenge for policy-makers is to create enough common ground to bring this diversity together.
Nowhere is that need more clearly seen than at weekly meet-the-people sessions.
At Bukit Batok East, most residents are there to seek financial help.
However, the area's Member of Parliament, Madam Halimah Yacob, says some have also brought up the issue of occasional friction between foreigners and citizens.
By and large, the two groups have learnt to live together.
But Mdm Halimah says integration is not easy.
She believes that one thing that would help is better coordination of policies across ministries.
She hopes the new agency will address this.
Mdm Halimah, who is also deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress, says one thing the Government has done right is to focus on raising the productivity of Singaporean workers and bringing in skilled immigrants who can complement the skill sets of Singaporeans.
But she feels more effort must be made to assure Singaporeans that they remain top of the national agenda.
She said: "People do feel that sense of being squeezed out, so it's important that we constantly put emphasis on the fact that these issues are important, that the Government will pay attention to it and that Singaporeans will always be priority."
In September, the Government revealed for the first time the number of applications for permanent residency received and approved.
Mr Wong had said in Parliament that about 132,000 people applied to be PRs. 115,900 applications were processed, of which only half - or about 59,500 - were successful.
Dr Leong Chan Hoong, research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, says such transparency is welcomed.
Said Dr Leong: "Singaporeans who feel they have a stake in this country, who are concerned about the impact of migration, they naturally would like to know how that has changed in the last six months or so. If they can make it on a more periodic basis, that can actually be very reassuring."
Dr Leong says this is especially important now, as foreigners appear to have become the target of public unhappiness over policies - whether it is rising housing prices or competition in schools.
He agrees with the Government's stand on sharpening the distinction between citizens and non-citizens, noting it could reassure Singaporeans while providing some incentive for PRs to become citizens.
But he cautions that there might be the unintended consequence of hardening the lines between PRs and the citizens.
Similarly, MP Amy Khor notes that even as the authorities continue their engagement efforts, "we should not become xenophobic and drive away foreigners, which will be to our detriment".
Dr Khor also chairs the Government's feedback unit, REACH (Reaching Everyone for Active Citizenry @ Home) .
MPs say community integration activities have helped.
For former Chinese national, Mr Jack Wu, integration is also a matter of time. After 14 years, he says Singapore has become home.
