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我一看到鱼尾狮就想起了我5岁时吐了。

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可以多写吗？

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新加坡，生日快乐！！！！！

郭骏哲

林伟俊

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谢老师，是，我们是这样的

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谢老师，是，我们是这样的

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我们真的有怕输吗？

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俊豪

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祝愿新加坡有个美好的前途，永远是个花园城市！

云诗惠

马睿

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我们为新加坡很骄傲，一定会尽全力保持环境的卫生！

郑颖嘉和李俊锐

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junhao

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吴璨宇，许睿彦

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My animation project of SG50 for my "Moving Visual Design" module. Music: Lee Rosevere - Memories (Music For Malls)

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我们祝新加坡生日快乐！

江政纬

孙翰纬

黎其轩

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吴璨宇，许睿彦

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我希望新加坡能继续做一个花园城市!

恺恩上

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万岁新加坡！ 俊锐

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我们希望能够看到一个更美好的新加坡！

王逸群和李佳琦

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祝您生日快乐！:)

许瑞琦, 黄惠诗

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祝您生日快乐：）：3

（贤训，轶凡，俊佑）

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我们都希望新加坡会有美好的前途

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我们都希望新加坡会有美好的前途

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祝您生日快乐！；）

李瑞萱，李鸿圣和吴可天。

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我们觉得非常骄傲作为新加坡的人民！新加坡，生日快乐！

沂桓，恺敏，柔敏。

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祝您生日快乐！我们希望你“花园城市”的名誉能永远传承下去，人新加坡的人民感到骄傲。我们一定会尽力保持环境的干净与整洁！

俊康 和 嘉欣

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我们希望新加坡会变成一个更美丽的城市！祝您生日快乐！

郑颖嘉和李俊锐

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2015 is not the dragon year, but could we witness a possible jump in Singapore's birth rate?

As part of SG50 celebrations, Singaporean babies born in 2015 will receive a special gift pack from the government.

The public was consulted and the special medallion topped a list of possible gift items with 61 percent of the votes.

It was also announced recently that these lucky babies will get commemorative birth certificates which will come with a special SG50 marking.

The designer of this certificate, Ms. Wang Shijia, was said to have been inspired herself to have a baby next year!

Amidst all the hype, it's easy to forget why the government wants to make a big fuss over this.

Make Love, Not War

Singapore's total fertility rate (TFR) slipped to 1.19 last year. It was 1.29 in 2012 and a record low of 1.16 in 2010. A TFR of 2.1 is needed for the population to replace itself.

Many different monetary incentives have been tried. The Marriage and Parenthood package has been revised many times over the years. The 2013 enhancements added shared parental leave and paternity leave to existing child care subsidies, baby bonus cash and tax savings.

Are Singaporeans biting? Yes and no. While there hasn't been a rise in the number of Singaporean babies born, there has been a rise in the number of first-time parents. Analysts say the schemes help provide the added push to those already planning on having a baby.

The SG50 Jubilee Baby Gift initiative is headed by our National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) - an organisation tasked to tackle Singapore's population challenges. They certainly will not be spending the time, effort or taxpayers' money on this if they didn't think it could help in their mission.

So if you've been busy making babies because you got excited by all the goodies your child will stand to get, GG to you! Thanks for playing. You fell for it.

The Feel Good Factor

2015 also happens to be exactly a year before the next General Election is due to be held.

The Jubilee celebrations provide the perfect backdrop and excuse to bump up the mood among Singaporeans.

Those getting married next year will get a special SG50 marriage certificate holder. Those born next year will get special SG50 birth certificates. Goodness knows what else is planned. Special SG50 PSLE, O and A level certificates? SG50 COEs? Special SG50 doors for HDB flats ready next year?

Adding to the festive spirit will be the 28th SEA Games 2015 to be held in Singapore, perfectly timed to coincide with SG50.

You can bet you will not do anything in Singapore next year without being reminded of the fact that Singapore turns 50.

It is indeed a momentous occasion, especially considering how no one expected tiny Singapore to survive after it broke away from Malaya.

One just can't help feeling like there are political motivations behind all the rah-rah. For if you remember and liked the past 50 years, you will want the same people to give you 50 more. And therefore you know who to vote for!

With reference to The New Paper
Images via SG50 Jubilee Baby Gift microsite, Straits Times, ABC TV, Google / World Bank, Pingram #finding8
Featured image viaSingaporeans of Victoria

Comments

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You Won't Stop Hearing About SG50-Here Are Some Reasons Why - Must Share News

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2015 is not the dragon year, but could we witness a possible jump in Singapore's birth rate? As part of SG50 celebrations, Singaporean babies born in 2015 will receive a special gift pack from the government. The public was consulted and the special medallion topped a list of possible gift items with 61 percent of the votes.

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今年您五十岁，我们为您感到骄傲！再次感谢您，新加坡！！

吴璨宇，许睿彦

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我们希望新加坡会继续保持它的清洁。

慧心，

昭夽

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The Flag of Singapore was adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It remained the national flag upon the country’s independence from Malaysia on 9 August 1965. The design is a horizontal bicolour of red above white, overlaid in the canton (upper-left quad…