What is life like in Singapore?

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#2859905 1-Feb-2022 13:18

Scott3:

officials can require somebody be drug tested without a warrant, meaning they can be punished for consuming drugs in another jurisdiction prior to arrival in Singapore.

Are there any examples of this happening to tourists? I mean I've flown from Amsterdam to Singapore several times and ...

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#2859920 1-Feb-2022 13:27

Scott3:

Government is Democratic, but the same party had been continuously re-elected since 1959. Control of the media may be a factor in this.

all and every serious opposition have been investigated, found guilty of something (usually defamation) and bankrupted, so there is never a potent opposition

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#2859925 1-Feb-2022 13:32

Scott3:

Took a roughly 10 day holiday in Singapore several years back. Travel agent tried to talk us out of it saying we would get bored, but we were fine. Would recommend taking a holiday to anybody considering moving (post NZ MIQ of course).

Hotel we stayed at had a food court under it, and a covered walkway so you could get to the metro station without going in the sun (or rain, but we had none during out stay).

Government is Democratic, but the same party had been continuously re-elected since 1959. Control of the media may be a factor in this.

Economically it seems they have done a great job of running the country. It is far ahead of many of it's neighbors economically.

Entire place feels very clean & safe, but also very sterile.

Accommodation was fairly expensive, but meals were very cheap.

As others have mentioned, the default position is not owing a car / motorbike in Singapore due to the very high cost of ownership & excellent public transport.

Laws & enforcement are fairly draconian. As examples:

- NZD $560 fine for eating or drinking in the metro system.

- NZD 1130 fine for littering

- Illegal to sell chewing gum.

- vaping illegal

- Spitting in a public place illegal

- Heaps of surveillance camera's - Outside our hotel there was a bracket holding 6 large surveillance camera's pointing in different directions.

- Many adult websites blocked by a nationwide internet filter.

- homosexual oral / anal sex between consenting men illegal.

- Corporal punishment (caning) still in effect.

- Death penality for stuff (like drug trafficking as mentioned by other's)

- Harsh penalties for drug possession - and officials can require somebody be drug tested without a warrant, meaning they can be punished for consuming drugs in another jurisdiction prior to arrival in Singapore.

i wouldn't worry, white foreigners are treated differently. some form of reverse racism

try asking here https://forum.singaporeexpats.com/

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#2860152 1-Feb-2022 17:03

Fingers crossed borders are open by October. I'd love to go back to Singapore for Deepavali.

Mike

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#2860335 1-Feb-2022 23:12

Scott3:

Took a roughly 10 day holiday in Singapore several years back. Travel agent tried to talk us out of it saying we would get bored, but we were fine. Would recommend taking a holiday to anybody considering moving (post NZ MIQ of course).

Hotel we stayed at had a food court under it, and a covered walkway so you could get to the metro station without going in the sun (or rain, but we had none during out stay).

Government is Democratic, but the same party had been continuously re-elected since 1959. Control of the media may be a factor in this.

Economically it seems they have done a great job of running the country. It is far ahead of many of it's neighbors economically.

Entire place feels very clean & safe, but also very sterile.

Accommodation was fairly expensive, but meals were very cheap.

As others have mentioned, the default position is not owing a car / motorbike in Singapore due to the very high cost of ownership & excellent public transport.

Laws & enforcement are fairly draconian. As examples:

- NZD $560 fine for eating or drinking in the metro system.

- NZD 1130 fine for littering

- Illegal to sell chewing gum.

- vaping illegal

- Spitting in a public place illegal

- Heaps of surveillance camera's - Outside our hotel there was a bracket holding 6 large surveillance camera's pointing in different directions.

- Many adult websites blocked by a nationwide internet filter.

- homosexual oral / anal sex between consenting men illegal.

- Corporal punishment (caning) still in effect.

- Death penality for stuff (like drug trafficking as mentioned by other's)

- Harsh penalties for drug possession - and officials can require somebody be drug tested without a warrant, meaning they can be punished for consuming drugs in another jurisdiction prior to arrival in Singapore.

I can't say I have much problem with a number of those. Who could object to a stiff fine for spitting in a public place, for example?

Jas777

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#2861174 3-Feb-2022 11:20

MikeAqua:

Scott3:

officials can require somebody be drug tested without a warrant, meaning they can be punished for consuming drugs in another jurisdiction prior to arrival in Singapore.

Are there any examples of this happening to tourists? I mean I've flown from Amsterdam to Singapore several times and ...

If you are a white guy/girl from the right 30 countries and you don't have dreadlocks or smell bad then it won't happen to you.

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Jas777

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#2861179 3-Feb-2022 11:24

If you do move to Singapore and did get a car, do all your shopping and buy petrol in Malaysia.

If you want a bit more of an adventure and potential to have a big salary and lower cost of living then go to Bangkok or Jakarta or Manila or a smaller city like Phnom Penh, Saigon.

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#2861205 3-Feb-2022 12:14

One of the things the Singapore government has to maintain security is their Internal Security Act. This provides for (amongst other things) detention without trial, for an effectively indefinite period. Some people who, in other countries would be tried for their crimes, can simply disappear from view in Singapore. In recent years this seems to have been applied mostly to radical and terrorists, but there's a suggestion that trade unionists and even opposition politicians might have fallen foul of it in the past.

Singapore has clung on to this because political and racial harmony, and their ability to trade competitively, are so vital. It's a case of trusting your government to do what's right. That can take a bit of getting your head around for a kiwi.

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#2861237 3-Feb-2022 13:02

As kiwis we rely on our (or the GG's) ability to turf a govt out, to ensure their good behaviour - or at least curtail bad behaviour. That's how I get my head around trusting govt to exercise power.

Mike

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#2861239 3-Feb-2022 13:04

Jas777:

If you do move to Singapore and did get a car, do all your shopping and buy petrol in Malaysia.

If you want a bit more of an adventure and potential to have a big salary and lower cost of living then go to Bangkok or Jakarta or Manila or a smaller city like Phnom Penh, Saigon.

Jakarta is sinking at quite a rapid rate .. better go there before disappear lol.

MikeAqua

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#2861243 3-Feb-2022 13:16

zocster:

Jakarta is sinking at quite a rapid rate .. better go there before disappear lol.

And hold your breath. The air pollution is turned up to 11.

Mike

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Jas777

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#2861289 3-Feb-2022 15:45

zocster:

Jas777:

If you do move to Singapore and did get a car, do all your shopping and buy petrol in Malaysia.

If you want a bit more of an adventure and potential to have a big salary and lower cost of living then go to Bangkok or Jakarta or Manila or a smaller city like Phnom Penh, Saigon.

Jakarta is sinking at quite a rapid rate .. better go there before disappear lol.

Yes, but not all of it as it is massive. They are moving the government part to a brand new city that they are creating.

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#2861362 3-Feb-2022 16:58

Jas777:

If you do move to Singapore and did get a car, do all your shopping and buy petrol in Malaysia.

you'd think you've got them beat haven't you, but customs require you go exit Singapore with a full tank of fuel if your car has a Singaporean number plate.

someone will peak into your car to check

Jas777

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#2861368 3-Feb-2022 17:08

Batman:
Jas777:

If you do move to Singapore and did get a car, do all your shopping and buy petrol in Malaysia.

you'd think you've got them beat haven't you, but customs require you go exit Singapore with a full tank of fuel if your car has a Singaporean number plate.

someone will peak into your car to check

Typical. What rules re groceries or electronics?

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#2861396 3-Feb-2022 18:24

none that i'm aware. you may shop till you drop in JB

the other thing that sports car/motorcycle owners in Singapore do in Malaysia is drive as fast as they dare on the 4 lane motorway in Malaysia, and if you make it to Sepang on a track day you are burning rubber on an actual Formula 1 circuit. in the forums the Singaporeans boast driving over 200kph on the PLUS motorway, I do someone believe them as I have a few Malaysian friends who boast driving over 220kph ... who knows ... though you probably don't want to get caught.

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