The Acting Minister, Mr. Gan Kim Yong, replied: "PM announced the enhanced Marriage and Parenthood (M&P) package in his National Day Rally speech. This was further elaborated on by DPM Wong Kan Seng last week. The enhanced package seeks to foster an overall pro-family environment to support Singaporeans in getting married and having children.

The Government recognizes that working fathers play an important role in raising children. This is why as part of the enhanced M&P package, from 1 January 2009, parents with Singapore Citizen children under the age of seven years will be entitled to six days of paid childcare leave each per year, an increase from the current two days. A new unpaid infant care leave of six days per year per parent will also be introduced for those with Singapore Citizen children under the age of two years. There is therefore no need to introduce paternity leave as working fathers will benefit from these two leave entitlements."