SINGAPORE— A mug of coffee in one hand, and a warmed milk bottle in the other to feed his newborn son as the morning news hummed on the television — this was Mr Khai Asyraf's treasured routine during his two-week paternity leave in 2021. The 37-year-old managing director recalled h
SINGAPORE— A mug of coffee in one hand, and a warmed milk bottle in the other to feed his newborn son as the morning news hummed on the television — this was Mr Khai Asyraf's treasured routine during his two-week paternity leave in 2021.
The amendment seeks to allow fathers to be more involved in caring for their children from the very beginning. "The paternity leave will enable new fathers to play a more active role in actual caregiving. It also sends a clear signal from the State that greater paternal involvement is encouraged," said Assistant Professor Cheung Hoi Shan from the Nanyang Technological University .
The relatively low take-up rate could be due to the fact that even though some workplaces are supportive of paternity leave, there still exists a stigma against fathers taking paid time off. This has been raised by several Members of Parliament over the years, for example.