~by: Jewel Philemon~

the following is an email interview with a 46 year-old new citizen Raj (an actual but shortened name):


TOC: Where are you from?

Raj: I am from Chennai the capital of Tamil Nadu, India.

TOC: When did you become the citizen of Singapore?

Raj: I have been a PR (permanent resident) since 1999 and became a citizen in 2007.

TOC: What brought you here?

Raj: I first came to work in Singapore in 1998 as a IT professional in a MNC. Then in 2008, I set-up my own IT solutions company.

TOC: Is your family here? If so, how many of them are here?

Raj: Yes, my family is here. My wife, daughter and son are here. My parents visit us at least 2 times a year as well.

TOC: Is everybody in your family a citizen of Singapore as well?

Raj: No, I am the only Singapore citizen. My wife and daughter are PR and my son is on a student visa. My parents have long-term social visit visa.

TOC: Why have not your immediate family become citizens?

Raj: We have properties in India and so my wife cannot take up Singapore citizenship because Singapore does not allow dual citizenship.  My daughter is 17 and my son is 13. They can decide for themselves if they want to take up Singapore citizenship when they turn 21.

TOC: Why is your son on a student visa and not a PR?

Raj: If he is a PR he will have to serve national service. Like I said, I will let him decide if he want to put his roots down in Singapore or go back to India when he turns 21.

TOC: Where do you live?

Raj: I live in a condominium in the east part of Singapore.

TOC: Is your wife working? And where do your children study?

Raj: My wife is a housewife and my kids study in GIIS (Global Indian International School).

TOC: Tell us a little bit about your friends here in Singapore.

Raj: We have friends who are from India as well as Singapore.  My kids must grow up knowing their roots and our Indian culture, so we purposely go out of the way to stay connected with our friends from India, especially those from our own hometown. But we also want them to know Singapore’s way of thinking, so we also have some Singapore friends.

TOC: What are your hobbies?

Raj: I am very occupied with my business so no hobbies as such. But we never miss going to temple and we also participate actively in Bhajans.

TOC: What are some of the difficulties you have encountered in Singapore?

Raj: Many difficulties to name. Like when we first came we stayed in a HDB flat and my wife did not know how to hang out the washed clothes from the bamboo pole.  Living and adjusting to so many different races of people is a very big challenge.

TOC: Is there anything else you want to say?

Yes. One of the reason I took up Singapore citizenship is because I want to contribute to this country. It has an efficient government and because of that, the country has prospered.  We are accepted and treated well by most people in Singapore, but some also see us suspiciously.  But I hope they will realise that I migrated here with my family just like most of their parents or grandparents did many years ago.

 

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

援助配套申请条件太高 众多自雇人士并未从中受惠

在冠状病毒疫情笼罩下,国家实施防疫措施的同时,也提供了数项自雇人士援助措施,但是却让人有点“看得到吃不到”的感觉。 新加坡前进党于昨日(4月29日)在社交媒体上分享的《天声人语 第三集:见到吃不到》中,就有提到这个课题。 同样地,主持人黄志伟和该党助理秘书梁文辉以广东话谈到现今最为令人关注的课题,就是“钱”。 他们提到,政府自采取防疫措施至今,已经批示了第二次辅助预算,约480亿元作为8万8000名自雇人士等的资金援助,但是他们将私召车、德士司机等人士加起来,都觉得人数有点少。 梁文辉也表示,很多人都抱怨有关辅助资金的申请资格太高,包括名下产业租赁价值不可超过1万3000元、营业额年收入不能超过10万元等。“新加坡的地产大多数都超过那个价钱了,所以很多人不能享受这个自雇人士的配套。” 他们认为这是政府首次照顾到自雇人士,看似很好,但是条件过高,导致很多自雇人士无法从中受惠,反而惹来埋怨不断。因此觉得政府似乎推出了“有的看没得吃”的配套。 只是政府后来在追加预算案,把产业租赁年值从1万元调高到2万1000元。 梁文辉分析道,政府推出的480亿元援助配套,其中200亿是作为贷款担保,只有280亿元是直接发放给受影响的公司和人士。然而280亿元中,还有一大部分是让业主用于减税,所以只有约200亿元是作为辅助金的。 至于政府让业主税务扣除的金额必须回馈给租户,他们认为这能够确实帮助到小租户们,减轻他们的经济负担。 他们也赞扬政府在第三次援助配套中,提供55亿元来协助人民和企业面对疫情后的修复工作,然而针对目前的经济状况,55亿元或许还是不足够的。 对于每名成年国人都能获得600元辅助金一事,他们也认为是非常不够的,因为扣除水电费等,所剩无几。

Tay Kheng Soon feels the government is supressing people’s freedom to be critical and creative

On 2 January (Wednesday), Adjunct Professor at the Department of Architect at…

没上过大专 回顾“海南鸡饭”创始人如何鼎立传奇

环境及水源部高级政务部长许连碹周一(11日)宣布,环境局、精深技能发展局与淡马锡理工学院合作,为理工学院和工艺教育学院的毕业生,推出为期12个月的“小贩攻读专业文凭深造课程”,着手学习经营摊贩。 该计划获得热烈响应,为此当局将在两年内把培训名额从现有100名增至300名,而加入培育新手小贩摊位也增至80名。 而该计划也会征求有经验的小贩成为“师傅”,手把手教导学生经营摊贩,而“师傅们”每月可获得500元至1千元的培训津贴。 此外,当局也会预算安排摊位和15个月的补贴租金,为有抱负的新手小贩提供支持。不仅如此,许连碹也表示小贩也会获得数码化方面的支持。 许连碹表示,随着逐步认同小贩文化和价值,设立小贩也被视为是进入餐饮业的大门,也能吸引有意在餐饮领域创业者投身小贩事业。 “海南鸡饭”的创业经历 值得关注的是,我国大部分小贩在经营小贩生意前,未有参加过任何结构性专业课程。事实上,一些年长小贩教育水平也不高,甚至有些不曾上学。那他们又如何在没有上过大专、课程下,一步步走向成功的? 提到新加坡想到的食物,一定是闻名四海的海南鸡饭。根据国家图书管理局资料显示,海南鸡饭最早是由王义元开始在新加坡售卖,再由我国“瑞记”餐厅老板,同时亦是其徒弟莫履瑞在50至60年代发扬光大。 之所以会称之为海南鸡饭,还要源自中国海南“文昌鸡”,而身为海南琼海市的王义元,为了学煮海南鸡饭,曾前往文昌县文成镇的“毓葵鸡饭店”请教养鸡及烫鸡技术。 1936年,王义元从海南远赴南洋,来到新加坡后,他发现新加坡境内有许多海南人,且大部分都来自文昌县,也许是为了解决思想之情,于是决定开始在当地买起鸡饭。 每天早上,他会提前先把饭煮好,弄成鸡饭团,并将白斩鸡煮了切片,方便客人街上吃,再手提两个竹箩在街上沿街叫卖。 随着生意逐渐叫好,王义元也开始在海南二街开始租咖啡店,把生意做大。然而,由于屋主换人,他被迫搬到了海南一街继续营业,并持续到退休,并在50年代在陈笃生医院逝世。…

PAP Minister’s tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew draws flak online

In a Facebook post, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo…