Speaking on the issue for the second time in three days, Mr Goh said without Permanent Residents (PRs) and new citizens, Singapore will soon go the way of the dinosaurs — as the population will begin to shrink in 2020.Mr Goh said in the last 10 years, the number of people aged 65 and above has grown by about 100,000 while the number of children aged below 15 had shrunk by about 50,000.
This is an unsustainable demographic structure. Economic growth may also slow by 1 to 2 per cent.
A recent trip to his ancestral hometown in China’s Fujian province provided SM Goh a chance to reflect on the subject of immigration and identity.
"The previous 16 generations, including my father, were all born in China. I was welcomed not as a Chinese national, but as a Singaporean. It is possible for one generation, for new immigrations to become loyal to Singapore, to have Singaporean values, and to contribute to Singapore society," said SM Goh.
This is an unsustainable demographic structure. Economic growth may also slow by 1 to 2 per cent.
A recent trip to his ancestral hometown in China’s Fujian province provided SM Goh a chance to reflect on the subject of immigration and identity.
"The previous 16 generations, including my father, were all born in China. I was welcomed not as a Chinese national, but as a Singaporean. It is possible for one generation, for new immigrations to become loyal to Singapore, to have Singaporean values, and to contribute to Singapore society," said SM Goh.
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