I HAVE lived in Singapore for four years, working in a restructured hospital. I got my permanent residence (PR) only after living here for eight months. I am bonded to the hospital for six years because it sponsored my education to be a radiographer in Australia, and for this I am grateful to my employer. I got married in Australia at the end of my studies, and my husband and I moved to Singapore. Soon we started a family. My daughter is now nearly three. All three of us are PRs. My husband and daughter are Australian, and I am Malaysian.

Full Story

" We are your nurses, bank executives, IT professionals and so on. " . . . precisely why local grads find it harder to look for jobs . . .

please go home if you want all the privileges of being a citizen. It is people like this unreasonable demanding woman who reinforces the xenophobic backlash against `FTs'. She did not think that every one PR means one less job for a citizen. THe govt may open their arms wide open to them but the citizens are revulsed and repulsed by the sickening attitude as shown more and more in the ST forum letters by foreigners demanding same citizens' rights.

I wish that Ms Chan learn how to be appreciative and not complaining or comparing too much. You can have the cake and eat it. Be a citizen first then you are one of us. All s'porean privileges are there for your picking.

Chan Mei Kuen received her PR status after living here for only 8 months. It is about time the Government the requirements to become a PR, for it seem like PR is handed out too freely. In some places, you have to live for a number of years before PR application is even considered.

It is wrong for Mei Kuen to believe that the only thing that makes citizen different from PRs is the right to vote. Just as she keeps her citizenship because of her emotional ties to her home country, Singapore citizens keep certain benefits to themselves because of our emotional need to assign real value to a pink IC.

The writer has erred. She says she is not taking singapore citizenship because she has to visit her relatives in her home country. Even as a singapore citizen you can visit your home country.. what stops you? I think probably she wants to have the option of going back to her own country if singapore becomes less attractive. So she wants to sail in two boats. This is the normal behaviour of PRs.

I don't blame Ms Chan for thinking that way, but she has to understand that Singapore is small and everything about it is very competitive. There has been many PRs who take advantage of the system and left Singapore when the pasture is more green elsewhere. So the only way to be commited is by being a Singapore citizen, and renoucing her and family other citizenship.

You can't have the best of both world (or three for Ms Chan) when she can opt to run away to Aus or Malaysia when things are that good here. Only by showing your true commitment by being a Singapore citizen, only then you should get the priviliges. And after that, need to try to become a "Singaporean" to be accepted.

Cheers

Ms.Chan, I give you respect because you're working in a hospital. Its a tough environment.
But please don't go down the low street lamenting about giving PRs a break.

Every country have their laws and schemes.
The schemes set out by the Govt did not penalise you or your likes. It is when you don't get them that you feel "marginalised". Sour grapes?

Life is about choices, and if you've chosen, then live it. Or else, choose again.
You're not compelled to stay onto one choice.
Break your bond, pay it up, and move on, I say.
You asked a good question, and perhaps you should really think again why you became a PR.
Can't take the heat? Then move to the "better countries". Hmm, I wonder which is the next better option?

Are you having a better life? If you are, be thankful and grateful. Otherwise, move on.

8 month? My ancestors were building this country since 120 years ago. Singapore provide excellent conditions to PR's. Other than restrictions to buying new HDB, voting, paying a little more for school, PR's lifestyle is not unlike citizens. Have you, your husband or children served NS? Don't talk about it until you have because I know many PR's leave Singapore when it is time to serve NS. If you like the privileges of citizenship, you know what to do.

I had been living/working outside Singapore for many year. Yes, life is all about choices and commitment too. And unfortunately we need to make benchmark to see if Singapore is really fair. Which cities in developed countries allow non-citizens so much benefits as Singapore. If there is free/low medical & education, then there are very high income & other taxes. And also to purchase public housing??

Perhaps Singapore is not "all-giving" or very nice to you, but I think is more than fair as comparison to other comparable cities.