Speech by President Halimah Yacob, at the Exemplary Father Award 2023

President, of Ain Society, Mr Md Fadzrun Adnan

Chief Executive Officer, of Ain Society, Mr Md Yusof Bin Ismail

Exemplary Father Award Jury Panel

Distinguished Guests,

Good afternoon

Ten years have passed since the Ain Society introduced the Exemplary Father Award. Over the years, we have seen stories of exemplary fathers who overcame challenges, endured many struggles, and sacrificed to keep their families together and raise children who are contributing members of our society. I commend Ain Society’s efforts for the past decade in creating this platform to celebrate exemplary fathers.

Stories of exemplary fathers shared on this platform are inspirational. There are those from the post-independence generation who had to take care of big families and work more than one job to put their children through school. Some have overcome adversities including caring for a child or family member with a disability or suffering from illness. Among those highlighted are also young fathers who might feel they lack experience, but their virtues of exemplary fathers do not make them any less deserving.

These fathers have displayed qualities of a good role model, and through their love, sacrifices, and perseverance, imparted meaningful values to their children and the next generations.

Families form the bedrock of a strong society, and both fathers and mothers play an equal role in building a strong and resilient family. More men see a father’s role as no longer limited to only providing financially for the family and leaving the responsibility of child-rearing to their wives. Empirical studies back the impact of fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives and call for fathers to be more involved with their children’s development and share caregiving responsibilities with their wives.

Studies on fathers’ experiences have shown that they go through challenges navigating the fatherhood journey and require support to be involved in caregiving. In an Asian society where patriarchy is prevalent, factors hindering fathers from being involved in caregiving for their children include stigma, gender role stereotypes, work commitments, and lack of employer support.

To encourage fathers to spend more time with their children and achieve a better work-family balance, the Government announced in February this year that the paid paternity leave will be doubled from two to four weeks for fathers with children born from 2024. This is part of a broader effort to make Singapore society more family-friendly and signals the Government’s commitment towards this cause.

A study by the National University of Singapore in October 2022 found associations in fathers who use paternity leave for up to two weeks with positive family dynamics, lower family conflicts, higher marital satisfaction, a closer father-child relationship, and lower behavioural problems in children.

According to the Singapore Fatherhood Public Perception Survey in 2009, fathers desire to be more involved and wish they could spend more time with their children. While there have been various initiatives to support fathers over the years, more can be done to encourage fathers to be more involved parents for the benefit of their children.

We can create a more enabling environment for fathers to take on a more active role by supporting them and allowing them the opportunity to be more involved in the caregiving of their children. To the fathers, the fatherhood journey can be full of ups and downs. Cherish every moment because your impact matters more than you think in your children’s lives.

Building a Singapore that is truly “Made for Families” requires the efforts not just of the families themselves but also of organisations and partners from all sectors of society. Employers have an important role in offering flexible work arrangements so employees can have a work-family balance. Earlier this month, over 120 partners participated in the National Family Week organised by the Families for Life movement, with activities islandwide to promote family bonding and strengthen family relationships. I am heartened to see so many partners, including Ain Society, championing the significance of families. 

Today, as we recognise the efforts and sacrifices of the finalists, we celebrate the true spirit of being exemplary fathers. These finalists have shown incredible dedication, strength, and unwavering love for their families. The fatherhood journey is a unique and profound experience; these finalists have embraced it wholeheartedly. They have demonstrated their commitment to their families by going above and beyond, consistently putting their loved one's needs before their own. Whether working long hours to support their family, or being a pillar of strength during difficult times, they have exemplified what it means to put their families first. Through their actions, they have shown what it means to be a responsible, caring, and supportive father. I hope their heart-warming stories will inspire other fathers to be the best they can be for their families.

I congratulate the efforts made for the Exemplary Award for the past 10 years. May we continue to be a society that upholds strong family values which must be passed down to future generations.

Happy Father’s Day to all fathers. Thank you.