SINGAPORE: An expat who has lived in Singapore for three years took to social media to ask locals if they actually want foreigners like him to “leave the country.”
In a post on the r/SingaporeCitizens forum, he explained that although he hopes to settle in Singapore permanently, he has been having doubts after reading anonymous comments and posts online, which make him feel that he and other foreigners “may not be as welcome” as he initially thought.
He also pointed out that the government’s policies have made it extremely challenging, if not nearly impossible, for him to secure permanent residency.
“I truly love the country and how easy it’s been to fit in and learn about the country and culture, and I personally have never been mistreated anywhere in Singapore in the slightest. That does not mean that it’s the true sentiment,” he wrote. “I guess I’m looking for truthful answers even if they are negative. What are your views?”
“In general, Singaporeans are welcoming and friendly.”
In the discussion thread, one commenter shared that while he personally dislikes Singapore’s “open approach to foreigner influx”, his frustration is not directed at foreigners themselves but at national policies that fail to adequately protect local citizens.
He went on to highlight the disadvantages locals face compared to foreigners, pointing out that Singaporean men, in particular, start their careers later due to mandatory national service and often become redundant more quickly because of rising competition from younger graduates.
He added that the combination of a lean corporate hierarchy and the steady inflow of foreign workers has left many locals feeling left behind.
“A huge chunk of citizens are being left out,” he wrote. “The wage disparity plus housing prices are also huge, and future population issues like ageing homelessness might start to creep up if we continue to allow singles to buy homes only after age 35. What I’m saying is, foreigner negativity is a symptom, not the root cause.”
Another Redditor suggested that instead of believing what he reads online, he “should just ask his local friends” for their honest opinion. “That matters more than random comments on Reddit,” they wrote.
A third added, “Like everywhere else, there are nativists here. In general, Singaporeans are welcoming and friendly. I think that says a lot, especially if you consider that 40% of our working population is foreigners. If you’re here legally, no one has the right to tell you otherwise.”
In other news, a woman in her late 20s took to social media to confess that she’s beginning to feel “unsure” about her relationship after her boyfriend started asking her to cover his monthly debt repayments of S$1,500, along with providing him money for his daily expenses.
“I’ve been covering his monthly debt payments and giving him money for daily expenses, but it’s starting to affect me mentally because I’ve had to cut back on my own spending just to help him. I’ve only been spending around S$500 [per month],” she said.
