Singaporeans view equality as crucial to marital bliss: study

SINGAPOREANS view equality as crucial to the success of marriage, according to a study released Monday.

They identified mutual respect and trust, fidelity, open and regular communication and equal responsibilty in the raising of children as among key ingredients for a successful marriage in the survey conducted by leading market information group Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS).

The "marriage survey" was conducted face-to-face with 1000 randomly selected respondents aged between 15 and 64 years of age.

"The survey helps us define family values and the attitudes with which Singaporeans enter the marriage market," said TNS Singapore's general manager Jocelyn Pantastico.

Figures on divorce rates in Singapore are not immediately available but marriage break-ups are believed to be high.

Government figures released in 1996 showed the number of divorces here were up by more than eight percent to 4456 from a year earlier.

"Traditional values of women belonging to home and hearth seem to have been superceded by day-to-day realities where Singaporeans, both men and women, are taking on equally active roles at home and at work," Pantastico said of the TNS poll conducted in July.

The study also reported that most Singaporeans seemed like-minded on more controversial issues, with 63 percent against cohabitation outside marriage and 77 percent against having children if unmarried.