# Could someone address these stereotypes of Singapore?



## Cal_Traveler

Note: I listed myself as an expat in Hong Kong as that is where I am thinking of now doing study abroad. Im still in the states. 

Im in college and have been considering study abroad in Singapore (SG). At first I thought SG was a great place for the following reasons

1. Clean, safe, efficient
2. english spoken
3. metropolitan city

However, then I read some things about Singapore that I really didn't like and now I have really been turned off by SIngapore. Could someone address the following statements? are they true, kinda true, false, kinda false, etc?

1. Singapore is a totalitarian state and no one thinks for themselves. They just accept whatever the government says
2. Everyone is surveillance constantly and foreigners are regularly arrested for minor offenses they didn't even know about as being illegal
3. No one has fun in Singapore and everyone is rude and militaristic
4. Singapore is a pseudo-matriarchal society. Basically the government allows women to do whatever they want and enslaves all the men (NS, no caning for women, Affirmative action) because women don't protests for human rights as much

Are these things true? If they are, I am definitely avoiding SG

Thank you for your time!


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## simonsays

Cal_Traveler said:


> However, then I read some things about Singapore that I really didn't like and now I have really been turned off by SIngapore. Could someone address the following statements? are they true, kinda true, false, kinda false, etc?
> 
> 1. Singapore is a totalitarian state and no one thinks for themselves. They just accept whatever the government says
> 2. Everyone is surveillance constantly and foreigners are regularly arrested for minor offenses they didn't even know about as being illegal
> 3. No one has fun in Singapore and everyone is rude and militaristic
> 4. Singapore is a pseudo-matriarchal society. Basically the government allows women to do whatever they want and enslaves all the men (NS, no caning for women, Affirmative action) because women don't protests for human rights as much
> 
> Are these things true? If they are, I am definitely avoiding SG
> 
> Thank you for your time!


You are better off not coming to Singapore, the Singapore that you have described above .... 

Or did somebody tell you Singapore is in China or Vietnam or Myanmar (no offence to any of those countries)

Me - living here for more than 10 years, am trying hard to see which part of Singapore fits your above description ..

Foreigners get punished, at the same level as natives, and no special treatment for anybody, if you mean foreigners are punished - no, they don't target foreigners .. it is just that if foreigners commit a crime and expect special treatment, they are in for a rude awakening ... And ignorance of the law is not an excuse - when in Rome, be like Romans .. for example - if you thought drugs is ok - and get caught with drugs and then cry that you didn't know drugs can lead to death penalty - sorry - you are better off being not coming here ..

Nobody is being surveilled and if Singapore is such a boring place, why are there two large casinos, enough banks and MNCs have their Asian HQ here, and a million expats are happily living here ?? and add to it, the majority of the white collar expats here hail from Europe and US ????

You should stop reading fantasy novels and get real .. Or stay away from the Singapore that you read about ...

Cheers


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## Sandrine7

Completely agree with Ecureil! 
I am French but lived in hk,singapore and now England and Singapore is my total favorite!
I keep going back there. It is safe because people respect their country and if not they r punished. What is wrong with that?
I wish every countries could do the same unfortunately it is not the case.
Love Singapore, people r friendly (definitely more than in hk) weather is the best and food is to die for!
I only wish I could still be there!
Enjoy if you do decide to go there!


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## JWilliamson

Just cause you think or have thought of something doesnt mean you are correct. What is it that you are after? Why you want to travel and what are your goals? JW


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## sebasok

singapore may not be a place for foreigners.. it only works if you were born here and used to living here all your life..


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## simonsays

mr Afghan, living in Panama ?? is that even real ?? 

Tell your comments to the 1 million plus expats who are living here and a million plus more who are in work pass/employment pass and are moving heaven and hell to become permanent resident here


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## Singapore Saint

Hi Cal-Traveler,

It seems that some of the replies above are just criticising you for passing on things that you have heard, and they seem to think that the things that you don't like are your actual thoughts... not very helpful...

Firstly, it is clean, safe, efficient, english is spoken and its a very metropolitan city. In my experience foreigners do not get treated any differently from Singaporeans, and there is one simple thing to remember - the punishments are only harsh if you break the rules. If you are a normal, law-abiding citizen, then you will have no trouble at all. However, if you like throwing your rubbish down on the streets, like scrawling graffiti on walls, and like dabbling in drugs, then you take your own chances, but don't expect any leniency at all.

For the other things that you have heard, Singapore has definitely livened up over the last few years. When I first came here 7yrs ago, I think it's reputation as being slightly sterile was correct, there wasn't much to do, however, over the last 2-3yrs a lot of effort has gone in to developing tourist attractions, bars, restaurants, and the above mentioned casinos, that the place is now unrecognisable and is a fun place to be.

It would depend on who to you speak to about some of the other issues, and you would get many different answers. My personal opinion is that Singaporeans are afraid to challenge authority rather than think for themselves and before anyone castigates me for saying this, let me explain why I think this...

The same government has been in power for the last 40yrs and they have had a very clear plan for where they want Singapore to get to and how they will get it there. I take my hat off to them, as to develop Singapore and get it to the levels of prosperity that it currently enjoys with no natural resources, and in such a short time, I think is nothing short of amazing. However, because it is so successful, no-one wants to upset the apple cart, and to be fair, why would they? There is little evidence of poverty, very low unemployment, high standards of living, very safe and very prosperous. There is no opposition party to speak of, they do not stand in enough seats to ever pose a threat to the government. The government also cracks down on people who speak out against it or its principles (see the recent case against the British author and his book on the judicial system; they also sue opposition politicians for slander), gatherings of more than a handful of people are banned, and you need a permit to speak at Speakers' Corner, which defies the very object of it. It would be very unfair to say that Singaporeans are unable to think for themselves, but I think it is fair to say that these 40yrs have bred generations of people who are reluctant to challenge authority. You see it in politics and you see it in the offices of multi-national companies.

However, please don't compare Singapore to extreme states such as N Korea, Myanmar, etc.. yes, the government is all-powerful and is never challenged, but the people are free!

Sorry for the diatribe above, but in summary, the negative statements that you have read are largely untrue or taken out of context. As Ecurelix says above, there are a huge number of expats living here, still more coming, and if it wasn't a fun and vibrant place to live, we would all clear off somewhere else!


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