Singapore must strengthen its integration efforts if it is to sustain higher levels of immigration, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said on Monday (Jan 26), warning that demographic realities leave the city-state with few alternatives.
Speaking at the Institute of Policy Studies’ Singapore Perspectives 2026 conference, Mr Siow described Singapore’s total fertility rate of 0.97 as “abysmal” and far below the replacement level needed to maintain population stability.
“The truth that we have to confront is that immigration is crucial to retain the dynamism of Singaporean society and economy,” he said. “But immigration can only go as far as integration allows.”
Mr Siow emphasised that Singapore’s openness to newcomers depends on how well they are integrated into society. “We need to do more with integration so that we can do more immigration,” he said, repeating the point for emphasis.
Integration, he added, is a two-way process. Newcomers must feel Singaporean, while citizens must also see them as part of the national community. While Singapore is often described as a young immigrant nation, Mr Siow acknowledged that forging a shared identity has become more complex.
“Maybe it’s because we don’t feel secure enough about what it means to be Singaporean,” he said, noting that such concerns are natural, especially as newcomers today come from more diverse backgrounds than in the past.
Trust and understanding, he added, are harder to build under these circumstances, requiring “an extra effort” from all sides. New arrivals must want to integrate, contribute to the community, respect local norms and understand Singapore’s social fabric. At the same time, Singaporeans must remain open-minded and accept that national identity evolves over time.
“It takes time for newcomers to adapt to our local customs and practices,” Mr Siow said.
Quoting former Deputy Prime Minister S Rajaratnam, he stressed that Singaporean identity is not rooted in ancestry or birthplace. “It’s about choice, conviction and contribution,” he said.
According to the latest Population in Brief report by the National Population and Talent Division, Singapore had 3.66 million citizens as of June 2025. In 2024, 22,766 people were granted citizenship. Over the past five years, the annual average was 21,300 new citizens, slightly higher than the preceding five-year period.
With each new generation, Singapore’s national identity has strengthened, Mr Siow said, but cautioned that this progress should not be taken for granted. Immigration and rising international marriages have led to what he described as “alternative affiliations”, reflecting Singapore’s long-standing openness to the world.
Singapore encourages people to preserve these diverse affiliations, he said, pointing to the country’s varied food culture as an example of how differences can also unite people. However, maintaining this balance is challenging, especially in a small and highly connected country that is sensitive to regional and global developments.
“Preserving social cohesion is an unending task,” Mr Siow said, warning that new fault lines and divisive forces will continue to emerge.
The government plays a key role in safeguarding harmony, he noted, citing initiatives such as Racial Harmony Day and the Ethnic Integration Policy, which enforces racial quotas in public housing to prevent ethnic enclaves.
Common spaces — including schools, parks and community facilities — also encourage interaction across communities. But Mr Siow stressed that physical proximity must be complemented by dialogue.
“When you have deliberate mixing, there will be differences in perspectives. That’s why common spaces must come together with common conversations,” he said.
Grassroots leaders are critical in this effort, he added, highlighting initiatives such as Harmony Circles that bring together religious and community leaders to build trust during peacetime. These networks have enabled swift community responses during sensitive incidents, reinforcing Singapore’s approach to managing diversity through preparedness, dialogue and cooperation.
