jottings and thoughts on the rights of the illegitimate child in singapore from a scrap of notepaper i found -- my family law isn't current (my anything law isn't current, for goodness sake) so maybe this is no longer the case, but i had apparently been pondering this in 2016.

"an illegitimate child can never have an interest in his father's estate under the intestate succession act but he (and his issue) can take in respect of his mother's intestate property as if he were born legitimate -- but onlyif the mother has no surviving legitimate children.

however, a mother of an illegitimate child who dies intestate straightaway takes in respect of the child's property, in the same manner as if the child had been legitimate and she were his only surviving parent. that dovetails with the problem i've been bothered about, the rights of illegitimate children, and even the concept of legitimacy itself and the premium on marriage.

let's say you're an illegitimate child and a minor, and your biological father refuses to maintain you. no problem. under the women's charter you can seek a court order for maintenance just as if you were legitimate. the law is very clear on this -- your biological child, your duty to maintain. it's not the child's fault it was born the wrong side of the blanket. can't have doorstep infants lumbered on taxpayers: wild oats, sowed them, that'll teach you.

but let's say this father dies, now your source of maintenance dries up. what rights do you have as an illegitimate child? if he dies without making provisions for you in his will, you cannot claim, as a legitimate minor can, under the inheritance (family provision) act. if he dies intestate, you cannot claim a share of the estate under the intestate succession act, becuase that is only for lawful (i.e. legitimate or adopted) children (stepchildren also are excluded.) notwithstanding the fact you have all the dna tests to show paternity notwithstanding the fact that while he was alive your father had been paying regular maintenance, voluntarily or under court order. the estate owes you nothing; you are not its problem. yet what is the difference? your relationship has changed not: if illegitimacy was no bar to maintance in life why ought it in his dying? what role even has the concept of legitimacy?"