Commenting on the rising proportion of citizens aged 65 and above, SMU Dean of Students and Professor of Sociology (Practice) Paulin Straughan said that in the long run, this could indicate that Singapore should be less dependent on manpower, and rely more on mechanisation and digitalisation. "That may be a good thing because of our manpower constraints, greying population, and sustained low fertility rate." She added that more attention should be paid to unlocking the potential of older Singaporeans.