Are you ready for 7 million people on tiny Singapore?

[sunflower]

WeiHan:

sunflower:

My point is, humans are able to invent such powerful computers for spying purposes, and I’m sure if we invest enough time and resources, super robots or machineries can be created to help humans do a lot of mundane stuff and boost productivity, that ultimately, we may not need THAT many people in a country’s population.

All it takes is some out-of-the-box thinking, creativity with technology expertise to produce innovations that’ll amaze the world. Just an example, 50 years ago, who would have imagined that palm-sized smart phones would be used by so many people now?

I feel that we should not possess only one-way-track thinking that increasing population is the ONLY way to achieve desired growth. With re-structuring, re-engineering, creative innovations etc, who knows, (and may Singapore be the first to be able to prove it), we may be able to overcome the problem of population dilemma after all!

Growing through innovation and increased productivity isn't a new idea. Easy way out by increasing population isn't something new and creative too.

S. Korea with one of the world lowest fertility rate and the fastest aging population did not succumb to using wanton immigration policy to\"bypass\" their problem. In their version of \"population white paper\" , immigrants will only constitute 6% of their population by 2030 compare to 2% presently. They too have business lobby pressurising their government to open the floodgate for cheaper labors but their government is sensible enough not to betray the majority by pleasing minority elites. Instead, they ambarking on a path of innovation and increase productivity with minimal augmentation from carefully selected immigrants.

http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/2013/02/s-korea-growing-economy-through.html

Precisely! As I've mentioned before several posts back, I’m really puzzled as to why are we so fixated in the notion that increasing population is the ONLY way to ensure desired GDP outcome. It’s a too “no-brainer” way and not innovative at all!

Would it be possible that we take a leaf or two from other countries on how and what they did to tackle the problem of declining population, and perhaps modify their strategies to suit our unique situation, or better still, come out with original strategies that even other countries would want to emulate!

[insider]

sunflower:

Precisely! As I've mentioned before several posts back, I’m really puzzled as to why are we so fixated in the notion that increasing population is the ONLY way to ensure desired GDP outcome. It’s a too “no-brainer” way and not innovative at all!

Let me take a shot at this.

Coz the people whom we groom, incl our leaders, were not taught to be creative and innovative.

Most of us were trained from young to obey and follow and so we are likely to have only 'no-brainer' solutions to problems...

[WeiHan]

sunflower:

WeiHan:

[quote=\"sunflower\"]

My point is, humans are able to invent such powerful computers for spying purposes, and I’m sure if we invest enough time and resources, super robots or machineries can be created to help humans do a lot of mundane stuff and boost productivity, that ultimately, we may not need THAT many people in a country’s population.

All it takes is some out-of-the-box thinking, creativity with technology expertise to produce innovations that’ll amaze the world. Just an example, 50 years ago, who would have imagined that palm-sized smart phones would be used by so many people now?

I feel that we should not possess only one-way-track thinking that increasing population is the ONLY way to achieve desired growth. With re-structuring, re-engineering, creative innovations etc, who knows, (and may Singapore be the first to be able to prove it), we may be able to overcome the problem of population dilemma after all!

Growing through innovation and increased productivity isn't a new idea. Easy way out by increasing population isn't something new and creative too.

S. Korea with one of the world lowest fertility rate and the fastest aging population did not succumb to using wanton immigration policy to\"bypass\" their problem. In their version of \"population white paper\" , immigrants will only constitute 6% of their population by 2030 compare to 2% presently. They too have business lobby pressurising their government to open the floodgate for cheaper labors but their government is sensible enough not to betray the majority by pleasing minority elites. Instead, they ambarking on a path of innovation and increase productivity with minimal augmentation from carefully selected immigrants.

http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/2013/02/s-korea-growing-economy-through.html

Precisely! As I've mentioned before several posts back, I’m really puzzled as to why are we so fixated in the notion that increasing population is the ONLY way to ensure desired GDP outcome. It’s a too “no-brainer” way and not innovative at all!

Would it be possible that we take a leaf or two from other countries on how and what they did to tackle the problem of declining population, and perhaps modify their strategies to suit our unique situation, or better still, come out with original strategies that even other countries would want to emulate![/quote]the most puzzling part is that using population increase to achieve growth has already been a strategy for the past 15 years, and so, why is there a need to a White Paper? Aren't they just continuing with an old idea?

And there was a National Conversation before announcing WP, why wasn't it made known during the conversation for a subject that will affect everybody deeply? Does the government displays any sincerity then for the national conversation?

[Just relax]

What other strategies can the Govt. implement that other countries have tried or have not even thought about to maintain the population and maintain the economy at the same time, so that quality of life does not suffer in the long term with an aging population?


1. Increasing birth rate (obvious to try)
2. Increasing immigration (obvious to try)
3. Increasing productivity of individual business and individual worker (obvious to try)
4. Getting residents to have sufficient savings for retirement (obvious to try)
5. Getting residents to stay healthy (obvious to try)
6. Creating dynamic business environment for both local and foreign investors to invest in (obvious to try)
7. Creating dynamic working environment for locals to want to stay in Singapore to work instead of migrating (obvious to try)
8. Creating dynamic, safe, cost-efficient, less stressful living environment for locals to want to stay in Singapore to live instead of migrating (obvious to try)

So if the above policies are needed (which to me appear obvious to try if SG has not already done so) then in a sense these are no-brainier policies that if implemented properly with the right long-term planning should naturally take place. For eg. Policy 1 is interconnected with policy 7 & 8.

I would be surprised if all the above policies have not already been thought of and discussed.

So what other out of the box thinking can we suggest to the SG Govt. I wonder, wonder, wonder :? :scratchhead: :idea:

[Mdm Koh]

Just relax:

What other strategies can the Govt. implement that other countries have tried or have not even thought about to maintain the population and maintain the economy at the same time, so that quality of life does not suffer in the long term with an aging population?


1. Increasing birth rate (obvious to try)
2. Increasing immigration (obvious to try)
3. Increasing productivity of individual business and individual worker (obvious to try)
4. Getting residents to have sufficient savings for retirement (obvious to try)
5. Getting residents to stay healthy (obvious to try)
6. Creating dynamic business environment for both local and foreign investors to invest in (obvious to try)
7. Creating dynamic working environment for locals to want to stay in Singapore to work instead of migrating (obvious to try)
8. Creating dynamic, safe, cost-efficient, less stressful living environment for locals to want to stay in Singapore to live instead of migrating (obvious to try)

So if the above policies are needed (which to me appear obvious to try if SG has not already done so) then in a sense these are no-brainier policies that if implemented properly with the right long-term planning should naturally take place. For eg. Policy 1 is interconnected with policy 7 & 8.

I would be surprised if all the above policies have not already been thought of and discussed.

So what other out of the box thinking can we suggest to the SG Govt. I wonder, wonder, wonder :? :scratchhead: :idea:

I think it's not so much that our government lacks the ability to think of solutions, but it lacks the will to implement them, especially when it is being \"threatened\" by businesses.

[pirate]

Mdm Koh:

I think it's not so much that our government lacks the ability to think of solutions, but it lacks the will to implement them, especially when it is being \"threatened\" by businesses.

Strange... I have the impression that our govt lacks the will to implement the solutions because it is being \"threatened\" by white-collar PMETs.

[pirate]

WeiHan:

the most puzzling part is that using population increase to achieve growth has already been a strategy for the past 15 years, and so, why is there a need to a White Paper? Aren't they just continuing with an old idea?

Because they are shifting to a strategy to slow down the population increase, which is likely to result in lower growth in the future. This is a new idea, so they don't want Singaporeans to kpkb if they do as you guys want and the slower growth results in fewer good jobs for those aspiring to be PMETs - which is what 'slower growth' usually means.

[Sun_2010]

WeiHan:

sunflower:

I feel that we should not possess only one-way-track thinking that increasing population is the ONLY way to achieve desired growth. With re-structuring, re-engineering, creative innovations etc, who knows, (and may Singapore be the first to be able to prove it), we may be able to overcome the problem of population dilemma after all!

Definitely.
There must be a different way. It probably needs a totally different minset to think of it. The Govt more than others must be desparate to find solutions too. Till then what? We dont plan, we dont have a road map? We dont prepare ?

Growing through innovation and increased productivity isn't a new idea. Easy way out by increasing population isn't something new and creative too.

S. Korea with one of the world lowest fertility rate and the fastest aging population did not succumb to using wanton immigration policy to\"bypass\" their problem. In their version of \"population white paper\" , immigrants will only constitute 6% of their population by 2030 compare to 2% presently.

Wow! that is a 3 fold increase from the current immigration population !
And that doesnt strike you ?

They too have business lobby pressurising their government to open the floodgate for cheaper labors but their government is sensible enough not to betray the majority by pleasing minority elites. Instead, they ambarking on a path of innovation and increase productivity with minimal augmentation from carefully selected immigrants.

http://singaporemind.blogspot.sg/2013/02/s-korea-growing-economy-through.html

[limlim]

WeiHan:

Mdm Koh:

Brunei has oil, though. Singapore doesn't have any natural resources.

I agree. Brunei has oil and that makes it an attractive and extremely lucrative target. Singapore has nothing except skyscrapers and if the aggressor shell bomb all skyscrapers down, they will have nothing but a big ruin to clear.

Some neighbors have been contemplating different ways to skin a cat......

[concern2]

WeiHan:

sleepy:

Just realized today's turn up at hong lim is fewer than pink dot event

http://pinkdot.sg/more-than-15000-singaporeans-at-pink-dot-2012/

Pink dot is probably 15,000.

Yah lor hor, I bet Singaporeans are more interested in movements in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) than they are about future crowding in our own country!