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I can't open the link, but from the title here are my reelections on Singapore. I lived there for 10 years, and in that time I saw SG degrade from being a grea

by Daub 2y ago

I can't open the link, but from the title here are my reelections on Singapore. I lived there for 10 years, and in that time I saw SG degrade from being a great place to live to being a place where living was practically impossible. This wasn't just my experience: I saw the same in highly paid academics, middle income taxi drivers, Indian laborers etc etc. - Though it was introduced in good faith, the 'change shift' system of taxi management meant that it was almost impossible to get a cab at certain hours unless your destination was close to where the driver was going. For this reason I was routinely refused service, despite it being illegal to do so. This is one of the factors influencing the rise of Grab and suchlike. This was a real pity as taxi driving is a protected profession that only native SGs are allowed to do. Many late middle aged SGs become taxi drivers after having lost their jobs as engineers, craftsman and suchlike in SG's relentless drive towards an exclusive white color economy. - For years, car ownership was kept expensive, to ensure that the roads did not become crowded. After the last recession, the barriers were lifted, leading to a notable decline of use of public transport and increase of mad traffic jams. This was done to 'boost the economy', but was clearly a massive failure. - It is impossible to buy alcohol after 9pm. This was a knee jerk reaction to the so-called riots in Little India a few years ago. SG is terrified of racial tensions, having had a dodgy racial history in its early days. However, this was a complete over-reaction. For similarly fatuous reasons, they also banned Hookah (hubbly-bubblies). - Rent is now at insane levels. It is also impossible to get a lease longer than one year. The largest part of one's income is now swallowed up by rent, and even the so-called highly paid academics are now struggling to get by. - SG has a reputation of having very low corruption, however the corruption is still there. The former Dean of Research of a local university had one of the largest citation counts in S E Asia. This is mostly down to the fact they insisted that they be counted as an author on all papers coming out of his program. I could fill a book with such examples of quality suffering at the hands of avarice. - With little in the way of wage control, the controlling class are encouraged to bring in low-paid workers from China and fire their experienced staff. I saw many of my favorite food stalls go under as a result of this insane drive for profit. The outcome is a place where people are struggling to get by, where the quality of life seems always under attack from well-meaning but short-sighted bureaucrats. On the plus side, their trains (MRT) are well-designed, well-maintained, popular and effective. The people are cool and honest.

jesterson 2y ago
> It is also impossible to get a lease longer than one year. Not sure where you got this. Actually it is quite difficult to get a lease less than 2 years, and 2 years is standard term. > SG has a reputation of having very low corruption SG justifiably has reputation of having low corruption at low level. Middle/high level corruption is rampant, and getting worse and worse over course of last years. > It is impossible to buy alcohol after 9pm. This is also not true. Bars will happily pour you booze after 9PM > After the last recession, the barriers were lifted, leading to a notable decline of use of public transport Not sure which last recession you are referring to, but having basic car ownership at 6 digits which depreciates at least by 10k annually is not lifting barriers in my books. COE levels are all time highs. Public transport usage is crazy, MRT and buses are bloody crowded at rush hours as government trying to squeeze more slaves into tiny space. > I was routinely refused service, despite it being illegal to do so Which years it was? I have never experienced that over course of last 15 years
- ValentineC 2y ago
  >> I was routinely refused service, despite it being illegal to do so > Which years it was? I have never experienced that over course of last 15 years Not the parent, but I've seen this a lot. Taxi drivers "changing shifts" at Clarke Quay, Orchard, and other popular nightlife places, picking and choosing where they want to drive to since they provided all the demand pre-Grab/Uber.
  - jesterson 2y ago
    > Taxi drivers "changing shifts" at Clarke Quay, Orchard, and other popular nightlife places, picking and choosing where they want to drive Well, that's inconclusive as they may have been actually changing shifts (no doubts they would use it to their own gain though)
- Daub 2y ago
  Gotta make something super clear. I love Singapore... I even considered getter permanent residence. I return there regularly and have many Singaporean friends. I was motivated to make my comment in response to a noticeable decline in the quality of life I saw at many levels of society. I have married friends without children who both hold down decent jobs, yet who are compelled to take in lodgers just to make ends meets. I saw grandfathers taking delivery jobs just to help out their adult children. I have seen it become almost impossible to get an affordable apartment, and rent security is non-existent. Booze: Yes, after 9pm you can buy booze in a bar, with all the mark-up that implies. But most Indian workers do not drink in bars. Frankly, I feel infantilized if I am forbidden to buy a bottle of wine after 9pm. Corruption: Yes SG is not per-say corrupt. A few weeks travelling through S E Asia will certainly demonstrate that. But, as I stated, in the publicly funded institutions I worked with, I saw multiple low-levels instances of self-interest placed before the common good. So many I could write a book on it. Cars ownership: I stand by my comment. Car ownership skyrocketed around 2008-ish (Im bad with dates). I know for a fact that this has been discussed as a problem at the highest levels of government. Ease of travel is one of the key quality of life factors. Refused service by taxis at change shift period: this happened to me routinely. I am amazed that it has not happened to you.

by Daub 2y ago

jesterson 2y ago

> It is also impossible to get a lease longer than one year. Not sure where you got this. Actually it is quite difficult to get a lease less than 2 years, and 2 years is standard term. > SG has a reputation of having very low corruption SG justifiably has reputation of having low corruption at low level. Middle/high level corruption is rampant, and getting worse and worse over course of last years. > It is impossible to buy alcohol after 9pm. This is also not true. Bars will happily pour you booze after 9PM > After the last recession, the barriers were lifted, leading to a notable decline of use of public transport Not sure which last recession you are referring to, but having basic car ownership at 6 digits which depreciates at least by 10k annually is not lifting barriers in my books. COE levels are all time highs. Public transport usage is crazy, MRT and buses are bloody crowded at rush hours as government trying to squeeze more slaves into tiny space. > I was routinely refused service, despite it being illegal to do so Which years it was? I have never experienced that over course of last 15 years

ValentineC 2y ago
>> I was routinely refused service, despite it being illegal to do so > Which years it was? I have never experienced that over course of last 15 years Not the parent, but I've seen this a lot. Taxi drivers "changing shifts" at Clarke Quay, Orchard, and other popular nightlife places, picking and choosing where they want to drive to since they provided all the demand pre-Grab/Uber.
- jesterson 2y ago
  > Taxi drivers "changing shifts" at Clarke Quay, Orchard, and other popular nightlife places, picking and choosing where they want to drive Well, that's inconclusive as they may have been actually changing shifts (no doubts they would use it to their own gain though)
Daub 2y ago
Gotta make something super clear. I love Singapore... I even considered getter permanent residence. I return there regularly and have many Singaporean friends. I was motivated to make my comment in response to a noticeable decline in the quality of life I saw at many levels of society. I have married friends without children who both hold down decent jobs, yet who are compelled to take in lodgers just to make ends meets. I saw grandfathers taking delivery jobs just to help out their adult children. I have seen it become almost impossible to get an affordable apartment, and rent security is non-existent. Booze: Yes, after 9pm you can buy booze in a bar, with all the mark-up that implies. But most Indian workers do not drink in bars. Frankly, I feel infantilized if I am forbidden to buy a bottle of wine after 9pm. Corruption: Yes SG is not per-say corrupt. A few weeks travelling through S E Asia will certainly demonstrate that. But, as I stated, in the publicly funded institutions I worked with, I saw multiple low-levels instances of self-interest placed before the common good. So many I could write a book on it. Cars ownership: I stand by my comment. Car ownership skyrocketed around 2008-ish (Im bad with dates). I know for a fact that this has been discussed as a problem at the highest levels of government. Ease of travel is one of the key quality of life factors. Refused service by taxis at change shift period: this happened to me routinely. I am amazed that it has not happened to you.