I think the past few replies seem to be trending off topic to things like whether or not I contribute to Singapore society and the amount of my tourism spending. I guess I in part introduced some of it as part of a broader answer, but the details are getting nitpicked on.
As a visitor, there's limited ways that I'm even allowed to contribute except maybe through blowing money on things I don't want or need.
I did some volunteering at least four times in Singapore ... between distributing food the the needy and helping the elderly and disabled. Well, five if you count one for a Singaporean organization that benefitted a foreign charity. There were other places I wanted to volunteer with but couldn't commit to their schedules.
So I think contribute positively to the society beyond "tourism".
But I'm sure that's subjective and you might value that differently, and frankly nothing to do with the issue at hand. So I'll just end this debate here.
So just to summarize what I said before and generally answer most of your replies ...
1. Interviewer said GO HOME ...
BUT
2. Lady in the front who stamped my passport said Malaysia is ok for this 3 month stay away ...
So some of you have suggested not going home might be a problem and to be safe, yes I should, but I also have lots of things to think about, lots I want to do in Asia and don't want to stray too far from the older relatives at the moment
3. The interviewer did seem agitated and even yelled at me when I was trying to ask the lady who stamped my passport a question. She seemed agitated from the start of the interview, which I feel is no way to conduct an interview.
I was polite the whole time, despite her demeaning comments, quoting inaccurate details about my passport, etc.
4. Interviewer said it could have been ok if I had other stamps from other countries
BUT
5. "Malaysia is not travelling"
6. I had to think long and hard how I would have found out that "Malaysia is not travelling" which seems to be the main problem.
And I can't for the life of me find out how I'd know that without being told by an ICA agent.
Because even Googling directly that Malaysia is not a valid destination for travel doesn't turn up such responses.
Also as I thought more about it, it feels like travelling through Singapore would have been OK if I travelled to other places, but she's telling me to go home because "Malaysia is not travelling".
7. I had no intention of overstaying any kind of welcome.
Just an ICA person telling me "hey, you're close to your limit" or "you know, you should travel to places other than Malaysia" rather than simply shutting the door with an irate interviewer yelling at me to "go home" would have been nice, and I would have gladly obliged.
8. The only written rule I am aware of is the 30 day limit on my visa each stamp ... which I have not broken.
9. When you haven't seen relatives in over 20 years, and are excited to come to this side of the world to see them, and have three of them suddenly die on you, you might suddenly shift your priorities to spending time with those who are still alive too.
10. I do parts of my online work while travelling in different countries, not all in any one country. Just whenever the clients require work. And I am shifting to self published app based anyway. And will work on it as I travel through different countries. Having any kind of registered entity might require me to stay in a country and I don't want to commit to physically staying in any country at the moment.
That being said, I have learned a lot of things along the way in this discussion, and I thank all of you for your input on this matter. You all gave me lots to think about and interesting insights into this matter.
As I was hanging out with my girlfriend today, these things kept popping into mind and I couldn't concentrate on what she was saying.
I feel I should spend quality time with her and my relatives in my remaining few days here.
So I'll stop checking this thread for a while and just focus my energies on packing and my loved ones ... and looking forward to the adventure ahead definitely with less time in Singapore from now on.
Thanks for your time and input! Wish you all the best!