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Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

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Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#181

Post by shell0x »

red-iron-pine wrote: post #178
shell0x wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was in my twenties, I didn’t really buy stuff and apartments in Asia are mostly fully furnished. All my stuff fitted in a 32kg luggage until 2022 or so.

where in asia is fully furnished? in Japan and China the apartments I was in didn't even come with washing machines, dishwashers, and in one case, AC

Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan was all fully furnished. Most property sites have an option to filter for that.

Also there are a lot of service apartments available too!

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#182

Post by shell0x »

ifwinterco wrote: post #140
unmole wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Singapore has also somehow maintained a supermajority Chinese population It’s not really a secret that Singapore uses ethnicity based quotas when granting PR and citizenship to maintain their demographic composition.

I saw a post once from a white guy with a wife and two kids (I think also white) who was confused why he was having so much trouble getting Singaporean PR despite contributing so much to the economy. Like bro... you are the wrong race, it's that simple, shouldn't be too hard to understand. I'm not making a moral judgement on whether that's correct or not but it's just how it works

A filipino friend of mine moved to Australia after being denied PR in SG, mainly due his race.

As a white person, I’d probably never get PR too but I think it’s good that they maintain the current percentages, otherwise the country would turn unrecognizable like Germany or France.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#183

Post by diggyhole »

GeoAtreides wrote: post #171
shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

As a german, are you ok with the human rights violations happening in Singapore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Singapore https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025/country-chapters/singa... As a german, are you ok with the death penalty (for as little as 14 grams of drugs)? Are you with violent and cruel corporal punishment (for as little as vandalism)?

Yes

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#184

Post by shell0x »

kdheiwns wrote: post #102
ifwinterco wrote: post #4

I think Singapore's immigration policy is still interesting and relevant to western countries, but it's true it's also kind of similar to the UAE. Essentially it's (relatively) easy to get work visas for areas where there's a genuine shortage but difficult to get permanent residency and almost impossible to get citizenship. That's still a very different policy to what most western countries have right now. The UAE ha…

This. My mental image of Singapore was always boring guys in suits working for soulless banks. At least Wall Street bankers go wild on drugs and know how to party. Singapore bankers are men who, when feeling adventurous, have a sip of wine here and there and women who push dogs in strollers. Having been to Singapore many times, I've realized my mental image was pretty accurate. There's no real art scene and even ment…

You do not seem to like a rules based society. I’d have no problem renouncing my German citizenship and become Singaporean. I just want stability, safety, good food, good bars, excellent transit, low taxes and excellent internet.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#185

Post by seanmcdirmid »

shell0x wrote: post #179
rayiner wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete… Why do you think New York or Chicago isn’t like this? What could western countries change?

I think it’s a mix of valuing education more, a strict enforcement of the law with severe punishment, a small area to maintain, electing educated politicians and demographics. Asians tend to commit less violent crimes. Markham in Canada for example has a much lower violent crime rate than most of the Canada and is predominantly Chinese.

> Asians tend to commit less violent crimes.

Wealthy Asians tend to commit less violent crimes. If you go to a country with less law and order (like PNG), you’ll see more violence.

America and other countries had a spike of Vietnamese, Hmong, and Chinese gangs in the 80s/90s due to a refugee influx from Vietnam. Turns out a forcibly relocated, non-wealthy population who has to readjust to live in a new country is going to have issues, even if they are Asian.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#186

Post by shell0x »

destory-everyth wrote: post #147
huhkerrf wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's strange that you mention the religious part of UAE making you uneasy, and not the modern day slavery.

To be fair, Since they have lived in quite a few locations you can easily become desensitized to the conditions of these so called "slaves". The conditions of them in the UAE are not verry different from Singapore. The law allows for transportation on the back of open trucks, mass casualty traffic incidents involving the poorest workers are common. For a maid if they want to change employees they need permission from…

Having a maid is actually a huge benefit for most expats/locals in SG, Hong Kong and Dubai. They’re basically part of the family but you need a helper if you work until 8pm.

If you hire a maid and fire her, you have to pay her repatriation back to her country of origin.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#187

Post by sharmajai »

shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

They have a very opaque and subjective permanent residency program. So while they get all the benefits out of you as an immigrant, they may provide none in return.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#188

Post by shell0x »

rayiner wrote: post #161
huhkerrf wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's strange that you mention the religious part of UAE making you uneasy, and not the modern day slavery.

A country where 10% of people are citizens, there’s a few expats, and nearly everyone else is a Bangladeshi or Nepali slave laborer doing all the work. With no rights, no prospect of citizenship, etc. The Davos view of where societies are headed.

The no prospect of citizenship is not an issue. Everyone just goes to the UAE for the lack of taxes and the money, not to become a citizen.

The benefit of not granting citizenship is that it makes it much easier to kick out people again and maintaining benefits for citizens.

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#189

Post by shell0x »

snowpid wrote: post #5
ifwinterco wrote: post #4

I think Singapore's immigration policy is still interesting and relevant to western countries, but it's true it's also kind of similar to the UAE. Essentially it's (relatively) easy to get work visas for areas where there's a genuine shortage but difficult to get permanent residency and almost impossible to get citizenship. That's still a very different policy to what most western countries have right now. The UAE ha…

The UAE still murders gay men just for beeing gay. Besides the lack of morality this affects 7 % of all men worldwide. Im not sure if UAE really be an exciting place and thus would someone migrate to it if you care about culture and stuff.

If you are gay don’t go there. As an expat who is not affected, my main concern is that i just don’t want to pay taxes

Re: Why is Singapore no longer "cool"?

#190

Post by currymj »

shell0x wrote: post #141

As a German expat who lived in Singapore for 3 years, it’s still the best country I ever lived in and I’ve also worked in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan HK, and Germany. Everything works, it’s very efficient, public transit and internet is good and it’s extremely safe. It also has great food and has low taxes. Most Western countries just can’t compete and while the UAE is pretty well run in some aspect, there…

Switzerland is like this and is also a real democracy. Although the food is not as good.
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