Elon Musk: Singapore "going extinct"
In a recent tweet on X, billionaire Elon Musk declared that Singapore, along with other countries, is "going extinct" because of its low birth rate.
His Dec 5 tweet was part of a discussion about the Little Red Dot’s declining fertility rate, which hit a record low of 0.97 children per woman in 2023.
Musk's remark was a reply to a tweet highlighting worries about an aging population. The post stated: "More seniors, fewer workers, and a shrinking labor force," and also touched on the potential for robots to address manpower shortages.
Musk's claim quickly went viral, racking up over 41 million views and igniting a heated debate among Singaporean netizens.
Some brushed off the comment, saying the billionaire’s opinions shouldn't be taken seriously. Others, however, concurred, emphasizing that a 0.97 fertility rate is unsustainable long-term.
One user suggested immigration as a solution to Singapore’s population woes but conceded Musk's point that the “original locals” might eventually face extinction.
Another user, however, countered that most of Singapore’s so-called "original locals" are themselves descended from immigrants.
The statistics Musk cited are consistent with the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) 2024 annual report. The report showed that the labour force participation rate for residents aged 15 and over dipped slightly, from 68.6 per cent in 2023 to 68.2 per cent in 2024.
This decrease was mainly attributed to the increasing proportion of seniors, who generally have lower participation rates.
Despite this, the report noted that Singapore’s labour force participation remains higher than cities like Tokyo and Hong Kong.
It also addressed the country’s shrinking elderly support ratio, which has fallen from six working-age adults (aged 20-64) for every elderly person in 2014 to under four in 2024, a trend projected to continue.
MOM acknowledged that slower population growth and an aging population could tighten labour constraints in the medium term. Its response focuses on investing in upskilling Singaporeans and keeping the country open to migrant workers to support local job opportunities.
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