I refer to the Department of Statistics’ Statistics on Marriages and Divorces 2013, released on 28 July.

The total divorces for 2013 was 7,525.

Since the median duration of marriage for divorces was 10.4 year in 2013 – I looked at the number of marriages 10 years ago, in 2003. It was 21,962.

1 in 3 divorce?

So, does it mean that the percentage who divorced is about 34.3 per cent (7,525 divorces divided by 21,962 marriages)?

Is this an all time high, that slightly more than 1 in 3 marriages ended up in divorce?

Marriages decrease?

The number of marriages decreased by 6 per cent from 27,936 in 2012 to 26,254 in 2013.

The general marriage rate for males and females dropped from 43.8 to 40.5 and 39.4 to 36.9, respectively.

Divorces increase?

The general divorce rate for males and females increased from 7.1 to 7.3 and 6.7 to 6.9, respectively.

Increasing stress in Singapore?

As I understand that the following are some of the topics that may be covered by the 30 speakers at the National Day protest:-

Foreigners taking our jobs

30% of households spending more than they earn

Most expensive public housing in the world

Lowest public healthcare spending in the world

Lowest real return among all pension funds in the world

– To what extent has the above contributed to the rising divorce rate in Singapore?

Leong Sze Hian

P.S. Come with your family and friends to the National Day protest on 9 August 12 pm to 6.00 pm at Speakers’ Corner https://www.facebook.com/events/271583499702725/