Feb 29 occurs once every 4 years on the 365-day Gregorian calendar. As it takes 365.24 days for the Earth to completely orbit the Sun, a day is added to a leap year to catch up with the solar year.
For “leaplings”, as those who are born on Feb 29 are called, having fewer birthdays might just be one of the unusual and sometimes annoying situations they find themselves in. But it’s not all bad.
One of Singapore’s leap year baby born on Monday in Mount Alvernia Hospital received S$30,000 scholarship from MDIS to pursue his tertiary education.
His father Mr Goo Kim Liong, 39 said: “The boy was supposed to be due in March, but he chose to come out on Feb 29 – and exactly at midnight, so it’s so much more special.
“But being born on Feb 29 does not have to mean fewer birthday parties. He said: “I guess we can still celebrate his birthday every year according to the Chinese calendar, so that’s fine. Maybe every four years, we will have a grand celebration.”
The baby has also won $600 in vouchers from MDIS, which it gave away to the first 10 leap year babies born this year to mark its 60th anniversary.
The scholarship will cover the child’s course fees for any bachelor’s degree programme jointly offered by MDIS and its university partners, including those from Australia, France, Britain and the United States.
He must meet entry requirements for the selected programme and must use the scholarship before he is 30 years old.
Watch the short clip featuring Mr Goo’s family below:
LEAP YEAR BABY: This bundle of joy arrived at the stroke of midnight Feb 29 at Mount Alvernia Hospital, and has already earned himself a S$30,000 scholarship from MDIS to pursue his tertiary education. The baby boy weighs 3.3kg, and is the second child of proud parents Goo Kim Liong and Shoo Chui Ngoo.(Video: Koh Mui Fong/TODAY)
Posted by TODAY on Sunday, February 28, 2016
The world welcomes 2016 ‘leaplings’
On the special day, a total of 17 babies were born at Mount Alvernia hospital, 10 at National University Hospital, 3 at Singapore General Hospital, and 17 at Parkway Pantai hospitals – (4 from Mount Elizabeth Hospital, 4 from Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, 5 from Gleneagles Hospital and 4 from Parkway East Hospital).
A Singaporean couple we spoke to– Sutayasa and Grace Than – also welcomed their baby boy on Feb 29. The little one weighed 4.17kg and 54cm at birth. When asked about the birth date, the happy new daddy shared:
“We actually planned to avoid the date. Who knows God planned it differently. I guess we’ll celebrate on 1st of March (as it was the original due date) but we’ll just light a quarter candle every year to celebrate our leap year baby’s birthday.”
He continued: “Some of my friends even planned to give our boy 4 more presents if we were to celebrate his birthday once every four years!”
Just next door, The Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor welcomed a total of 22 leap year babies, comprising 14 girls and eight boys.
Nor Azyana Hazwani Abdul Aziz, 28, and her husband Muhammad Saiful Safwan Abd Hamid were beaming with delight when they saw their newborn son.
The baby who is yet to be named, is the couple’s third child and delivered via normal birth at 8.40am. “This is such a special day. He is born on Feb 29, and my husband and I will celebrate our son’s birthday by holding prayers,” said Nor Azyana.