Singapore marks 50 years of independence from Malaysia this year. As it matures as a nation, it has to deal with declining birth rates, and the social repercussions of adopting a fairly liberal immigration policy. Its economy also has to grow at a higher rate to provide ample opportunities for its increasingly educated workforce. Dr Ooi Kee Beng, Deputy Director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore gives his perspective on the way forward for the tiny island.