Migration/population/marriage
TODAY, 27 September 2008
4 IN 10 SINGAPOREANS MARRIED TO FOREIGNERS
--------------------------------------------
Population also grew atthe fastest rate since 1980
TEN years ago, performance poet Chris Mooney, 44, came to Singapore to
explore opportunities in the emerging art scene.
He found work — and a wife — in Ms Savindar Kaur, whom he met at a poetry
slam. The couple could have re-settled Down Under, but Mr Mooney, who
converted to Sikhism and feels both Asian and Australian now, prefers to
stay here: "More of us are seeing ourselves as global citizens."
Couples like the Mooneys, where one spouse is Singaporean and the other is
a non-citizen, are growing in number.
Nearly 40 per cent of Singaporeans married either a permanent resident or
a foreigner last year — or 8,086 of the 20,775 marriages involving at
least one citizen, of which 75 per cent were to non-residents.
In 2000, there were 6,627 of these marriages. Past population data did not
include the number of marriages involving at least one Singaporean, but
there were more marriages a decade ago.
Marriage and other population figures were released yesterday by the
National Population Secretariat (NPS) at the Government's first-ever media
briefing on the state of the population.
For the first time, a breakdown of the number of citizens and permanent
residents was given. These used to be categorised together as the resident
population.
The move to reveal more, said NPS director Roy Quek, was prompted by
"greater interest in population-related information among the public". He
said: "The Government seeks to provide the public with a more coherent and
comprehensive picture of the state of the population."
Overall, Singapore's population grew 5.5 per cent to 4.84 million in June
from 4.59 million one year ago — the fastest growth rate since data was
compiled annually from 1980.
Non-citizens accounted mainly for the increase: The number of Permanent
Residents (PRs) rose by 6.5 per cent to 478,000, while the number of
non-residents jumped by 19 per cent to 1.2 million. There were 287,500 PRs
and 754,500 foreigners in 2000.
While citizens made up 65 per cent of the total population, the local
growth rate was only 1 per cent — rising from 3.13 million to 3.16
million.
In July, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said Singapore needed at least 65
per cent of her population to be "born and bred" here to ensure new
immigrants are rooted.
Based on the current trend and fertility rate, Mr Quek expects the number
of Singaporeans and PRs to increase to 4.8 million by 2030, which would be
about 74 per cent of the Government's planning parameter of 6.5 million
people. The proportion is currently 78 per cent.
With immigration growing, some Singaporeans are not surprised that more
are marrying foreigners.
Said Ms Ronda Ng, 29, director of a public relations firm and married to a
Briton: "Singaporeans are well-travelled these days, so we're more
open-minded about marrying people of other nationalities."
Indeed, last year, Singapore men found 6,005 brides from Asia, while
Singapore women married 1,232 men from Asia, 300 from Europe, 118 from
Oceania and 112 from the United States and Canada.
One implication of the trend of trans-national marriages: Singapore's
"classification of four races will become less meaningful", said Asia
Research Institute's Professor Gavin Jones. "Forty per cent of
Singaporeans marrying a foreigner is a big rise from a few years ago.
"Singapore is becoming increasingly cosmopolitan. We'll be seeing more
kids from mixed cultural backgrounds," said the population expert.
It is a global trend. The numbers are increasing "in Japan, Korea and
Taiwan, in particular," he added.
4 IN 10 SINGAPOREANS MARRIED TO FOREIGNERS
--------------------------------------------
Population also grew atthe fastest rate since 1980
TEN years ago, performance poet Chris Mooney, 44, came to Singapore to
explore opportunities in the emerging art scene.
He found work — and a wife — in Ms Savindar Kaur, whom he met at a poetry
slam. The couple could have re-settled Down Under, but Mr Mooney, who
converted to Sikhism and feels both Asian and Australian now, prefers to
stay here: "More of us are seeing ourselves as global citizens."
Couples like the Mooneys, where one spouse is Singaporean and the other is
a non-citizen, are growing in number.
Nearly 40 per cent of Singaporeans married either a permanent resident or
a foreigner last year — or 8,086 of the 20,775 marriages involving at
least one citizen, of which 75 per cent were to non-residents.
In 2000, there were 6,627 of these marriages. Past population data did not
include the number of marriages involving at least one Singaporean, but
there were more marriages a decade ago.
Marriage and other population figures were released yesterday by the
National Population Secretariat (NPS) at the Government's first-ever media
briefing on the state of the population.
For the first time, a breakdown of the number of citizens and permanent
residents was given. These used to be categorised together as the resident
population.
The move to reveal more, said NPS director Roy Quek, was prompted by
"greater interest in population-related information among the public". He
said: "The Government seeks to provide the public with a more coherent and
comprehensive picture of the state of the population."
Overall, Singapore's population grew 5.5 per cent to 4.84 million in June
from 4.59 million one year ago — the fastest growth rate since data was
compiled annually from 1980.
Non-citizens accounted mainly for the increase: The number of Permanent
Residents (PRs) rose by 6.5 per cent to 478,000, while the number of
non-residents jumped by 19 per cent to 1.2 million. There were 287,500 PRs
and 754,500 foreigners in 2000.
While citizens made up 65 per cent of the total population, the local
growth rate was only 1 per cent — rising from 3.13 million to 3.16
million.
In July, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said Singapore needed at least 65
per cent of her population to be "born and bred" here to ensure new
immigrants are rooted.
Based on the current trend and fertility rate, Mr Quek expects the number
of Singaporeans and PRs to increase to 4.8 million by 2030, which would be
about 74 per cent of the Government's planning parameter of 6.5 million
people. The proportion is currently 78 per cent.
With immigration growing, some Singaporeans are not surprised that more
are marrying foreigners.
Said Ms Ronda Ng, 29, director of a public relations firm and married to a
Briton: "Singaporeans are well-travelled these days, so we're more
open-minded about marrying people of other nationalities."
Indeed, last year, Singapore men found 6,005 brides from Asia, while
Singapore women married 1,232 men from Asia, 300 from Europe, 118 from
Oceania and 112 from the United States and Canada.
One implication of the trend of trans-national marriages: Singapore's
"classification of four races will become less meaningful", said Asia
Research Institute's Professor Gavin Jones. "Forty per cent of
Singaporeans marrying a foreigner is a big rise from a few years ago.
"Singapore is becoming increasingly cosmopolitan. We'll be seeing more
kids from mixed cultural backgrounds," said the population expert.
It is a global trend. The numbers are increasing "in Japan, Korea and
Taiwan, in particular," he added.
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