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updated 26 Jul 2014, 12:52
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Wed, 22 Jan 2014
The New Paper
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Andie Chen: We got married for the baby bonus
by Charlene Chua

Last year, Andie Chen was a bachelor who had gone to Taiwan to carve out a career.

The local actor, who had denied that he was with Singapore-based Taiwanese actress Kate Pang then made the shocking announcement two months ago that Pang was pregnant and they had got married.

Many had presumed that it was a shotgun wedding.

Chen, 28, who registered his marriage here on Nov 24 to Pang who was already two months pregnant then, revealed the real reason for his nuptials.

He told The New Paper over the phone from Taiwan: "I tried to explain this to many people, but I got tired of it because they find it hard to understand as it's not socially acceptable.

WANTED FAMILY WITHOUT MARRIAGE

"Me and Kate are not fans of marriage and our initial plan was to be together and start a family without getting married.

"Kate had gone off contraceptives six months into our relationship and we had let nature take its course.

"But when the baby came along and we took a look at the financials, we realised that without the baby bonus and Government subsidies, we wouldn't be able to buy an HDB flat and that was a huge issue.

"I also found out that Kate couldn't use my Medisave unless she's legally my spouse...

"So we got married. But Kate and I already knew early on that we were life partners and that we didn't need a piece of paper from the Registry Of Marriages (ROM) to tell us that."

As part of Singapore's Marriage and Parenthood Package 2013, the cash gift quantum for children born after Aug 26, 2012 is $6,000 each for the first and second child and $8,000 each for the third and fourth child.

Chen said that Pang went off contraceptives so soon because she was worried that, being two years older than Chen, she needed more time to fulfil their dream of having two children.

Read more here.

Related stories:
Kate Pang talks morning sickness and pregnancy cravings
Channel 8's Andie Chen, Kate Pang wed

Click on the thumbnails for more.

(Photos: Shin Min, ST, TNP, Andie Chen)

 

 

 

 

 

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Last year, Andie Chen was a bachelor who had gone to Taiwan to carve out a career. When he and Kate Pang announced that they were married and expecting a baby, many assumed it was a shotgun wedding.
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readers' comments
Nothing wrong for young mothers to wear high heels, only careful a bit
Posted by merlin12 on Wed, 22 Jan 2014 at 10:43 AM
Married mother-to-bes in their best looks with 4-inch heels are definitely targets of all those barren wives that cant even lay an egg .... especially towards the young and pretty Kate ... :D :D



Posted by Small Fly on Wed, 22 Jan 2014 at 10:39 AM
So cheapskate?? Both earning good money yet so cheapskate!!!
Posted by RalphLauren on Wed, 22 Jan 2014 at 10:27 AM
Getting pregnant before marriage is become fave among celebrities ... so is being a mother w/o the father.
Posted by MayDayMayDay on Mon, 9 Dec 2013 at 22:17 PM
Youngsters are like that one ...
Posted by mystrawberry on Mon, 9 Dec 2013 at 21:47 PM
She trying to learn balance ...
Posted by PowerPeople on Mon, 9 Dec 2013 at 21:13 PM
well, good for her. :rolleyes:
Posted by A_Commoner on Mon, 9 Dec 2013 at 18:42 PM
Dear AsiaOne Diva

After commenting on the firs in many years riots, time to chill out and comment about celebrity?

Ms Pang will do well to add: 'without causing harm to my baby, I will to look good with the 4-inch heels. Otherwise, I will never do that. I am a responsible pregnant mother-to-be you know!'

Have fun.
LU Keehong Mr.
Posted by lukeehong on Mon, 9 Dec 2013 at 17:45 PM

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