TODAY
1 S’pore wife + 1 foreign wife = more babies
Letter from Ong Kean Hin

“It’s nice to see Singaporeans come up with innovative ideas on how to improve the national birth rate. Some ideas may not work in the form they are presented but can be refined and made more suitable.We cannot deny that the high cost of living is a real stumbling block in a larger family. So many couples struggle to make ends meet, even with a dual income. And so many families have to engage a maid to maintain their home front.So, we should come up with a ‘1+1′ policy - let all men be entitled to have on Singaporean wife + one foreign wife. This way, more resources can be shared in the family and the foreign wife can reduce reliance on maids, even teach the kids a third language.It will keep the men happy and solve the baby shortage. The only problem is, how to convince the women that this is a win-win proposal”

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The responses to paper and online forums came fast and furious, all lambasting Mr Ong for his “sexist and short sightedness” etc etc.

As for me, when I was done reading the above, I was incredulous. Either the man really meant what he said, and that would be incredulous stupidity… or it could be satire not unlike the Jonathan Swift Proposal. In which case, my incredulity would be even greater as Singaporeans do not get satire.

They don’t even get it when it’s presented in black and white, what more satire, a foreign and elusive thing?

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Anyway, it was later revealed that it was indeed satire.

Thank God for making one less stupid person in the world..