Father of five would like to see more support for childcare

SINGAPORE — When Baby Bonus enhancements that were announced at the recent National Day Rally extended the cash gift to a couple’s fifth child and beyond, Mr Damanhuri Abas’ wife turned to him and joked that they could consider adding another child to their brood of five.

The couple’s first child, now 17, was born before the Baby Bonus was introduced, but his second to fourth children received benefits, he said.

But more should be done to encourage Singaporeans to have more children, said Mr Damanhuri, who said that he and his wife, a teacher, had a domestic helper. The cost of living has “sky-rocketed” and current policies make the decision whether to have children “very difficult”, he said.

Maternity leave could be stretched to six months from the current four months, he said, adding that the Government could finance the extension. Mothers contribute to the development of a country by nurturing their children from an early age, he added.

Asked if paternity leave should be extended beyond the two weeks announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally, Mr Damanhuri said this can be studied. “We hope we can give ideas, if we’re in Parliament, on how to improve child-caring (policies),” he said.

He also hopes to end policies that he felt discriminated against Malay-Muslims. Asked about Mr Lee’s announcement at the rally that the Government would work with the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore to strengthen teaching of secular subjects in madrasahs, Mr Damanhuri said he welcomed the move, but “that should be given to us in the first place”. Some of his children are attending madrasahs.

Aside from voicing the concerns of the Malay community, Mr Damanhuri said he would also be able to speak for the Singaporean community at large.