A reader came across this post by a foreigner, who complained about his PR rejection on Facebook, and decided to share the news with us.
What do you think?
"Dear friends in Singapore,
It is with great regret that I announce that my Singapore PR application has been rejected, despite all the effort I have made to ensure its success.
Let's start from the beginning, when I first arrived in Singapore to work as a manager at an MNC in the IT industry. It took me just 2 days to master local English, with its strange "lahs", "lohs" and exaggerated facial expressions. It was comical at first, but ultimately endearing as it was so devoid of the usual drony quality characteristic of Hindi speech back home.
I also made quick friends with my fellow managers, most of whom were expatriates who have been living in Singapore for quite some time. I came to understand Singapore and Singaporeans through their eyes. Our role in Singapore was unique, part foreigner, part observer, part participant in a society that is at times brutally selfish and self-entitled (just think about the many times they have complained about foreigners taking away their jobs on social media) while at the same time selfless to the point of being naive (their generousity in giving cash to charitable causes, whether misguided or not, is admirable).
I soon came to realize that pain of working under their government too, with its many restrictions on speech and its clever taxation schemes. Who would have thought that you could charge over 200% of tax on a car in a developed country and get away with it! More surprisingly, instead of protesting the oppression, Singaporeans have not only continuously voted in the same government over and over, they have even given it a higher approval rating in its most recent election! This is so much different from Indian constituents back home, who would have flip flopped between politicians who could not deliver on promises.
Last and not least, I should talk about the food. The choice here is limitless, a far cry from the selection back home. Even the usual peasant fare at the hawkers, which costs a fraction of the amount of a decent meal in a food court (and even then you hear some Singaporeans complaining about rising costs! Come on!), is unbelievably good. If there was but one complaint, it would be about the whole show and dance that we have to go through when I look for seats at these overcrowded, sometimes rodent infested areas. On numerous occasions, I would spot a seat, only to have someone (rudely) point out that the seat was reserved with a packet of tissue or some personal accessory. This has been the start of some of my more unpleasant encounters with the low-born Singaporeans here but I can't expect anything less from the less civilized and educated sector of the population.a tr
It is a pity that I will have to leave this island, its material comforts and its convenience because I am unable to secure my wealth here. It would have been so much easier for me to invest my wealth and take advantage of the cost savings afforded to me by a PR status. I thought that the Singapore government wanted to attract investors, but to me this rejection seems like the government is in two minds about its policies.
Perhaps it is for the best that I leave here for now, but I will miss you my friends and the modern luxuries of a prosperous city in full flight.
Amran"
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