Netizens sceptical about 'marriage and parenthood reset' proposed in Parliament: 'How many times we need to reset?'
Netizens were sceptical when Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah proposed a "marriage and parenthood reset" in Parliament on Feb 26, pointing out the struggles young families face in Singapore.
Responding to concerns about the cost of raising a child in Singapore, Ms Indranee announced that a new work group will be formed to review issues surrounding marriage and parenthood.
"What we need is a marriage and parenthood reset," Ms Indranee said, calling for a reshaping of how marriage and parenthood are supported and perceived in society.
The country's preliminary resident total fertility rate (TFR) has also fallen to a new low, declining from 0.97 in 2024 to 0.87 in 2025.
Mixed reactions online
A clip of the speech garnered over 46,400 views on The Straits Times' TikTok page, drawing mixed reactions from netizens.
Many pointed to the challenges of raising multiple children in Singapore, particularly the high costs involved.
"With the current cost of living, people want to adopt pet also scared. What more want to have their own children," one commenter mused.
However, a netizen described the situation as the "childless leading the blind", while others urged Ms Indranee to "lead by example". In an episode of CNA's The Assembly aired in October 2025, Ms Indranee revealed that she was single and did not have kids.
On Reddit, several users took issue with the "task force" formed to address the issue, claiming the move was "out of touch with the common citizen."
"It's hard to have a mindset shift when your baseline reality is just trying to survive the 9-to-6 grind without having a mental breakdown in a mall toilet," another argued.
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