Want to move to Singapore

[e2rd2006]

Hi All, Actually I am not living in Singapore and not Singapore expats. I am living in Indonesia but thinking of moving to singapore with all my family. My wife become a victim of a crime by three young man. Her face was hit so damagely that she needs plastic surgeon now in Mount E - Singapore. It really shocks me and my family especially my wife. Fortunately my 1.5 years old baby is allright. She is now very traumatic with stranger. I am very dissapointed and planning to move to other country that may be safer than where I am living now.. Could anyone especially from Indonesia who now living in singapore sharing their experience of living and finding a job in Singapore ?

Fyi, I am 36 years old, now doing second hand notebook business at home, but before that I have 9 years experience in multinational leasing company. I have bachelor degree in Marketing. My wife is private teacher for about 5 years. I am very grateful if anyone could give me information of how to live and finding a job or business in Singapore

Regards

EDWARD

[Bremen]

If you go to the homesite of this forum (www.singaporeexpats.com) you'll find lots of links for jobhunting in singapore. good luck.

[earthfriendly]

I was referred to the following website regarding the 1998 atrocities targeting ethnic Chinese living in Indonesia. The site has many pages and is time-consuming to navigate. I found the information on the following two links very disturbing.

You can see photos of crime against humanity on the left column (numbered 1 thru 14) on the first linky. Please be warned it is extremely graphics and not for the weak-hearted.

http://www.huaren.com/lawless/Index.html

http://www.huaren.com/una-usa/Indospch.html

[Global Citizen]

Hello Edward,

First of all, I'd like to express how very sorry I am to hear about the situation that has befallen your family. I sincerely hope your wife and child recover from their trauma.

As your personal safety and that of your family is a major concern,
I was thinking that you may be eligible to apply for refugee status on compassionate and humane grounds. You may try countries like Canada, Australia and the US as you have proof via the attack on your wife that your lives may be at stake should you remain in Indonesia. Was the attack racially motivated and did you report the attack to the police?

Alternatively as Bremen suggested, try the job section here although I must add that you will need a skill that local employers cannot find locally before you're considered for a job.

I wish you and your family well and hope God shows you a way. Be strong.

[melin]

Hi, I also feel sorry of the tragic incident that happened on your wife. I do hope that your wife can cope with the traumatic incident and get over it soon.

I and my husband lived in singapore for almost five years. And last year we moved back to Jkt Indonesia to run our own food biz, however it didn't run well. So we are planning to go back to Singapore since we are still holding Singapore PR. Currently, my husband is still looking for a job there.

Living in Singapore was good. I love the people, the friendly enviroment, the safety and so on. Only once when you'll get a bit bored since Singapore is small so there are not so many places to explore like in Indonesia.

Ok, wish you luck in your job hunting.

[Quasimodo]

Global Citizen - Indonesia is not on the list of countries that are deemed to persecute people, hence one cannot apply for assylum or refugee status.
If crime were a reason, then 90% the world's countries would be on that list, most western ones included.

As sad as it is, and earthfriendly's post graphically illustrates this, Indonesia will roll out the anti-Chinese pogroms every now and then to cover up their governmental, religious and economic inadequacy.

Boggles the mind why so many Chinese still want to stay there.

Legal migration is the best and only way.

Keep looking at job ads and even place the bar lower just to get out.

[earthfriendly]

Was the attack racially motivated and did you report the attack to the police?

I do not know how much it would help to report it to the Indonesian police. Indonesian govt. has gone to the extent of denying the 1998 riots until the lid was opened. The discrimination is sponsored by the govt (if you read the 2nd link on my post above). It is writen onto their constitution. Ethnic Chinese not allowed to practice their religion, cultural believes or hold certain jobs.


http://www.huaren.com/Discrimination/Ag ... inese.html

[Plavt]

Was the attack racially motivated and did you report the attack to the police?

I do not know how much it would help to report it to the Indonesian police. Indonesian govt. has gone to the extent of denying the 1998 riots until the lid was opened. The discrimination is sponsored by the govt (if you read the 2nd link on my post above). It is writen onto their constitution. Ethnic Chinese not allowed to practice their religion, cultural believes or hold certain jobs.


http://www.huaren.com/Discrimination/Ag ... inese.html

Probably a waste of time reporting it to the police. I have never been to Indonesia but from the limited information from newspaper reports corruption is rife. On my last visit to Singapore I met an English expat who was living in Sumatra. His story was; if somebody threatened to burn your house down unless you paid them not, you could go to the police who would not act unless you paid them! A personal experience I agree but I believe it given what I have read or know of other underdeveloped countries. The other problem is given the size of Indonesia population finding the culprit is almost impossible.

Plavt.

[Global Citizen]

Global Citizen - Indonesia is not on the list of countries that are deemed to persecute people, hence one cannot apply for assylum or refugee status.
If crime were a reason, then 90% the world's countries would be on that list, most western ones included.

Thanks for filling me in Quasi. It's a shame though that Indonesia is not on the list, especially in view of all the documented facts on the atrocities.

Earthfriendly, you mentioned the last riots were in '98, so perhaps the attack on Edward's wife, though still a heinous crime was not racially motivated?

[e2rd2006]

[Earthfriendly, you mentioned the last riots were in '98, so perhaps the attack on Edward's wife, though still a heinous crime was not racially motivated?[/quote]

Yes, I believe it is not racially motivated. Because they also take several items in my home. The accident happened when I was not at home..I have already reported to police, but some of my friends suggest I do not hope too much unless I want to loose more. So, I am focusing right now on safety of my family. My motivation to move to other countries is for better place and safety. I think Singapore is a better place to live and offer safety environment.

EDWARD

[e2rd2006]

Is there any other way to become Singapore's PR? Can I do business in Singapore, because right now I sell notebook and other gadget via internet. My wife's also a private teacher before having a baby..

I have also contacted consultant in Jakarta. They suggest I become Landed PR first before finding a job for which I must pay Sin$ 2,000. If I could not find a job within one year, I'll never have a chance to apply for PR anymore..Is it true ?
Thank you for all attention

EDWARD

[earthfriendly]

Earthfriendly, you mentioned the last riots were in '98, so perhaps the attack on Edward's wife, though still a heinous crime was not racially motivated?

If a govt. has it written into their law that it is OK to discriminate agaisnt a certain race, can you see the trickling effect down the hierarchy? I can imagine the officer handling the case thinking "my govt. says it is OK to discriminate against Chinese and hence I will not look at your case with full seriousness". Of course this argument is flawed by assuming that all Indonesians are no good, which I do not believe so.

Why is it OK for the Europeans to carve out a niche in South Africa and banned the native Africans from stepping foot into their territory? Becasuse the SA govt. sanctioned (used to but I don't know the situation over there now) it.

[Quasimodo]

If a govt. has it written into their law that it is OK to discriminate agaisnt a certain race, can you see the trickling effect down the hierarchy? I can imagine the officer handling the case thinking "my govt. says it is OK to discriminate against Chinese and hence I will not look at your case with full seriousness".
Why is it OK for the Europeans to carve out a niche in South Africa and banned the native Africans from stepping foot into their territory? Becasuse the SA govt. sanctioned (used to but I don't know the situation over there now) it.

So, this applies to Malaysia as well?



In reference to your South Africa comment - why do you ask rhetorically if it is OK for Europeans . . . etc . . . diatribe? And then you say you don't know the situation now . . .
Sheesh . . .

[earthfriendly]

If a govt. has it written into their law that it is OK to discriminate agaisnt a certain race, can you see the trickling effect down the hierarchy? I can imagine the officer handling the case thinking "my govt. says it is OK to discriminate against Chinese and hence I will not look at your case with full seriousness".
Why is it OK for the Europeans to carve out a niche in South Africa and banned the native Africans from stepping foot into their territory? Becasuse the SA govt. sanctioned (used to but I don't know the situation over there now) it.

So, this applies to Malaysia as well?



In reference to your South Africa comment - why do you ask rhetorically if it is OK for Europeans . . . etc . . . diatribe? And then you say you don't know the situation now . . .
Sheesh . . .

Quasi,

Technicality. OK, the thing with writen words (words are inadequate and sometimes it is better to discuss in person so you get to clarify what you really mean)and posting in the forum is that it gets easily misunderstood. I was not asking if it is OK (as in morally right but OK as in acceptable within the SA society) to have aparthield in SA. I think it is not OK (as in morally right) in SA as it was done to subjugate a certain group of people. I should have phrased it like " why do you thing apartheid is acceptable in SA (from colonial time to the 1990s)". The reason I do not know the situation now is that I am not up-to-date on the SA events. I know Nelson Mandela and entire international community put a lot of pressure on the SA govt. and I have not heard any news on how effective the integration process is over there.

I hope this is clear.

You actually brought up a very good point about Malaysia. Amongst other discriminatory law, they have quotas limiting the number of Chinese that can be admitted into the Universities. Which is one reason why some Malaysian Chinese end up going overseas to pursue college degree.

[Liberto]

<So, this applies to Malaysia as well? >



Malaysia is a perfect reflection of past SA and thereby practising Apartheid at its best, just that the whites are now the bumiputras. How appalling to recall why the riot happened in the past and the govt is still spoonfeeding them. There are a lot of strong undercurrents going on for too long now and that the non bumis are being pressed down for far too much at the expenses of the bumis.

Indonesia with such a minority of chinese population has been marginalised since they came from China and used as scapegoats for any conceivable circumstances to cover for any Indo govt shortfalls to divert attention and as such the sponsor of these riots by them is not surprising.

The commonality between these 2 countries = Bumiputeras !!!

So go and figure out what are in store for this generation, the next one and and the future !!!

Get out if you can for history is always against the Chinese in these 2 countries.