Emigration from Kolomna to Singapore. Life in Singapore
We shared our experiences of living in this Asian country, dispelling some of the most famous myths.
A little over a year ago we returned from Singapore. After living there for some time, we realized that this city-state had truly become home to us. And now, finally, we are ready to write about what is really happening there and what Singapore is really like.
Let’s say right away that 80% of the information we had before leaving there was false. Neither the program “Heads and Tails,” nor a single forum or article gave us the information we needed to know when going there to live, work, or simply travel.
Myths about Singapore
Myth one. Complete prohibitions
You can't chew gum, you can't throw cigarette butts, you can't litter, you can't spit, you can't, you can't...
Of course, there are all these signs in Singapore. But the reality looks a little different. There will definitely be a circle of smokers next to the “No Smoking” sign; in a place that should be clean, there will be trash lying around, and in a place where skating is prohibited, you will find a crowd of teenagers on skateboards. And, of course, they chew gum there. So don't be scared. Everything is there, like normal people.
Myth two. There are no homeless people in Singapore
And right on the first day, while walking around the city, we met several “friends” who were collecting bottles and sleeping on a bench in the park.
From here it collapses third myth. Who are these tramps and why do they live on the streets in this richest country?
These are pensioners. The fact is that there are no pensions in Singapore. Elderly people should be supported by children. And if the children turn out to be not very positive or wealthy people, then each parent has only one fate - to remain in old age on the street, since maintaining housing in Singapore is quite expensive.
The fourth myth. Singapore is a great place to go to work
If you decide that you are a hero and can conquer any part of the globe, it is better to come down to earth. Although we sincerely believed in it. English language, higher education, determination and activity do not solve anything. No one advertises that for the past year and a half, rallies against Europeans have been actively held in Singapore (Russians, Ukrainians - in general, all the Slavs did not please them either). The Chinese want to see only Chinese and sometimes Indians at work. It’s easy to find a job, but to work, you need a work visa, which is where the problem most often arises, since they simply don’t give us one due to the lack of quotas.
But, of course, there are exceptions. If you register a company in Singapore, if you are a first-class specialist (for example, a pilot, aircraft mechanic, engineer, etc.) in demand in Singapore, if you come on an exchange, then you will be gladly accepted. In other words, if you already have enough money, then you can go. But if you want to go to Singapore to earn money, it won’t work. To move to Singapore you need a good financial base.
Fifth myth. There are no traffic jams and almost no traffic lights in Singapore
There are traffic jams and many traffic lights. You can stand at a red traffic light for 20 minutes. It's been a bit long for them. Buying a car in Singapore is almost impossible. First you need to pass your license, then get your license, then pay a huge tax and pay a considerable amount for the car, because cars, of course, are very expensive in Singapore (most often you can see Ferrari, Bentley, etc. on the roads . P.).
Myth six. Singapore has a beach
The only three beaches you will find are on the entertainment island of Sentosa. But you won’t see the ocean, you will only see something similar to a quarry. Singapore is a port city, because of this the water in the bay is very dirty, it is almost impossible to swim, but it is possible. =) We really like the Sentosa amusement park itself. Yes, it doesn’t match the exoticism that we had in our fantasies, but the beaches are really very good. Attractions, show programs, fountains, wind tunnel and much more. We came there all the time, had a picnic and still remember these moments with joy.
Organizational aspects
Housing in Singapore. This is where it gets interesting. By law, you won't be able to rent an apartment until you get a work permit, so it's a vicious circle. But thanks to our compatriots, of whom there are about 1,500 in Singapore, it is still possible to rent housing unofficially. We rented a room in a Condo, with private shower and toilet, in one of the nicest residential areas. On the territory we were pleased with a swimming pool, a gym, a barbecue area, a cafe, a tennis court, a basketball court and a beautiful park. 300 meters from the embankment and about 20 minutes drive from the center. The room cost €700, utilities included in the price. The place is simply gorgeous, it’s called Bayshore park.
We rented a more modest room, in an outlying area, but in a new house, from a compatriot for €450 per month. Hotels in Singapore are expensive, renting an apartment and living with Indians or Chinese is probably not very good either, so you may find the forum where we found our accommodation useful: www.nashdom.sg.
Kitchen. Very tasty food. They have such places called food court, there are many different restaurants, shops, snack bars, etc. Prices start from €1. Chinese, Indian, Malay, Thai, Filipino food for every taste.
Products in stores: meat - expensive; chicken is cheaper; pasta, noodles, vegetables - for free. We ate noodles and vegetables.
Transport. Subway, of course. Clean, fast, interesting. It's interesting to watch people. =) Costs the same as in Moscow.
Visa. Citizens of Russia and CIS countries require a visa to travel to Singapore, with the exception of a transit stay of 96 hours if they have a ticket to a third country.
A few facts about Singapore
Singapore is waiting for self-sufficient people. Neither your compatriots nor the Chinese will help you. You will most likely get help from the Indians.
Singapore is special. He is waiting for successful and self-confident people. If you have the opportunity to live or work there, be sure to agree. The beauty of the city center cannot be expressed in words. For us, this is the city of the future. Avatar Gardens, parks, Marina Bay Sands, observation decks, the DNA Bridge, the largest Ferris wheel - every time we came for a walk in the center, we could not believe that this was happening to us. Night city lights, skyscrapers, casinos and the smell of delicious food at every turn. A zoo where you can have breakfast with the monkeys; a botanical garden where you can walk for two days; embankments, Sentosa, grill areas, coconuts - some unreal combination of civilization and exoticism. In Singapore, you can experience the life of different nations, walk through the Indian, Chinese, and Arab quarters, ride a water bus, and drink real tea.
Singapore is fashionable, but at the same time simple. There is no need to be afraid of prohibitions; the only thing you need to take care of in advance (while still at home) is a work visa, because as soon as you get the “approved” stamp, the door to a completely new planet “Singapore” will immediately open in front of you.
We spent several wonderful months in Singapore. And we will definitely come back to live in this “space” again.
Katya and Kostya Shapovalov, organizers of the Hellomir project.
Have you been to Singapore? Share your impressions and discoveries in the comments.
As a rule, young countries cannot boast of a high standard of living and well-established infrastructure, but there are exceptions to every rule, and such an exception is.
The state of Singapore became independent in 1965 (before that Singapore was a colony of Great Britain), and in a short time a qualitative leap was made. Currently, Singapore ranks eleventh in the ranking of the richest countries in the world, and first in the countries of the Asian region.
The country owes much of its prosperity to a stable and moderate political climate. In fact, the political structure of Singapore has not changed since the founding of the country. Despite the fact that government is centralized and has all the features of authoritarianism, this has contributed to the development and prosperity of Singapore.
Actually, the country’s leadership adheres to only one single goal - ensure the survival and prosperity of your country. Over the years of its existence, it has been possible to attract over nine thousand foreign companies to cooperation, build several dozen high-tech factories, and establish the production of the latest electronic components.
As mentioned above, the Singapore government is free from corruption, and officials do not lobby for certain interests of big business. Similar rules apply to the economic environment.
In order for a Singaporean citizen to start an independent business, all he needs is desire and a few hours of free time. Therefore, the vast majority of residents of the country have their own business or are co-owners of a foreign business.
Also, one should not forget that Port of Singapore is the busiest port in the world. Actually, this port is the starting point from where electronics assembled in Asian countries are sent to Europe and North America.
However, in recent years there has been a significant shift. Production capacity has become much smaller, and the main emphasis is on research activities, as well as on the development of banking and the financial sector. The average income of a citizen of the country per year is over 34 thousand dollars, and this is a record among the Asian region.
Thereby . The welfare regime is complemented by an effective income tax rate. The tax rate is progressive and varies depending on earnings. Singapore citizens are taxed from 0 to 20%, while non-residents pay a flat tax of 15%. There are no fees such as taxes on dividends, taxes on the purchase and sale of real estate.
Singapore's economy is one of the most competitive in the world
Singapore has adopted a special program to attract foreign specialists and valuable employees. Such invited specialists are paid serious bonuses and given huge discounts on the purchase of housing.
The average salary in the country exceeds 2 600$ , and GDP per capita 52 000$ , which makes the country one of the world leaders in quality of life.
As it is not difficult to guess, such acceptable economic and political factors contribute to the strengthening of morality and ethics. The country also has huge fines, which has a very positive effect on the crime rate. The unusual thing is that the country still practices physical methods of influencing criminals (beating with sticks), and capital punishment is provided for especially serious crimes.
It must be said that during the entire existence of the country there has not been a single major shooting, act of terrorism, riots or serial killers. By the way, it is the low crime rate that is the decisive factor due to which the level of people coming to the country for permanent residence is very high.
The level of healthcare in Singapore is the best in the Asian region, and one of the best in the world, second only to Israel and Switzerland. The infrastructure of medical institutions is such that for every thousand residents there are about a dozen medical institutions of varying degrees of equipment.
The government of the country has adopted a program Medisave. Under the program, every working Singaporean is required to contribute part of their monthly salary to the health insurance fund. The amount is accumulated in funds and, if necessary, spent on a specific patient. If the accumulated amount is not enough, the state subsidizes the shortage of funds. Thus, Singapore citizens receive first-class treatment.
A special law has also been adopted regarding medicines. All medications sold in pharmacies have a strict certification system and are sold exclusively with a doctor's prescription. It is this humane healthcare system that has led to the fact that the average life of a citizen is 80.5 years, which is significantly higher than in most other countries.
It is worth noting that the Singapore education system is quite specific. The main emphasis is on economics and financial literacy. Moreover, economics begins to be taught in the middle grades of school, and the training is aimed not at theoretical, but at practical knowledge.
The largest higher education institution is the National University of Singapore. This educational institution is one of the hundred best universities in the world, and most of the teachers are invited Europeans.
After our trip to Singapore, we compiled a list of fascinating facts.
Most of them are based on our personal experience - on what we encountered ourselves during the trip, and we learned some funny moments while preparing to visit the country.
In any case, the facts chosen are interesting and we hope that you will be interested in reading them.
Facts about Singapore
1. Many people are interested in the question " Singapore is a country? "Or is it, after all, a city? So, Singapore is a city, a capital and a state at the same time!
2. The name Singapore comes from the Malay " singa " – lion and Sanskrit " pur " - city".
3. The national flower of Singapore is orchid Vanda Miss Joaquim, which, due to its vitality and thanks to its year-round flowering, has become a symbol of the country, as a sign of Singaporeans' desire for progress.
4. Singapore is mainly located on one large island, but it also includes 63 other small islands - most of them uninhabited.
5. Singapore is among the twenty smallest countries in the world– its area is 715 sq. km (for comparison, the area of St. Petersburg is 1440 sq. km).
6. About 4.5 million people. The main population is Chinese (78%), Malays (14%), Indians (7%) and Europeans. According to rumors, about 400 Russians also officially live :)
7. The symbol of the city is fish with a lion's head - Merlion, and every September there is a holiday dedicated to this mythical animal 
8. Climate in Singapore– equatorial, it is always hot and humid here, the air temperature fluctuates around +25-30˚С all year round, and the humidity is 82-86%.
9. Singapore is located almost on the equator and the sun is very treacherous here– You can get sunburn even when the sky is overcast.
10. Heavy tropical rains are possible throughout the year, so locals often carry umbrellas, which some also use as sun protection.
11. In general, dark skin color is not held in high esteem here - cosmetic stores skin whitening products occupy more than one shelf and are located, as a rule, in the most prominent places.
12. Singapore ranks second largest population density in the world, ranking between two dwarf states - Monaco and the Vatican.
13. National language Malay is considered to be the language in which the national anthem is performed ( "Majulah Singapura"), but there are four official languages - English, Chinese, Tamil, Malay. In addition, there are language mixtures - “Singlish” ( singlish) and "Manglish" ( manglish).
14. Citizens of Russia You can stay in Singapore in transit for up to 96 hours. Despite the fact that you can get there in 10 minutes by public bus, and Indonesia can be reached by high-speed ferries, the visa-free regime is only valid if you have an air ticket confirming that you are going to leave the country by plane.
15. Changi International Airport Singapore is the largest aviation hub in all of Southeast Asia, with passenger traffic of more than 36 million people per year.
16. In 2012 Changi Airport took second place in the list of the best airports in the world according to Airports Council International (ACI). The airport has several gardens with orchids and ponds with goldfish swimming in them, and one of the terminals even has a swimming pool. In the departure area there are computers with free Internet access and special playrooms for children.
17. Sea port The country is also one of the largest in the world (1000 ships can be in the port at the same time), in addition, it has been repeatedly recognized as the best and most environmentally friendly in Asia.
18. Due to high fines and strict laws, Singapore is jokingly called " Fine city" (play on words in English, fine– “wonderful” and “fine”) 
19. There are really a lot of fines in the city. For example, for spitting on the ground, smoking in public places, throwing garbage, eating food in transport, crossing the road in the wrong place, a fine from 500 Singapore dollars(400 USD). The full list of actions subject to punishment in the form of a fine amounts to dozens.
20. One of the most comical fines is the fine applied if, after watering flowers, under the pot there is water left in the saucer. The fact is that water attracts mosquitoes, and the city authorities have almost completely eradicated these insects, thanks to which they got rid of epidemics of fever and malaria in the country.
21. In addition to fines, there are violations for which Physical punishment(in addition to imprisonment, of course) in the form of blows with reed sticks - attempted murder, robbery, theft, rape, vandalism, and so on.
22. Along with judicial corporal punishment, it is also popular in Singapore. home punishment of children– stores even sell special, lightweight reed sticks for these purposes. American justice, in which children sue their parents for a slap on the butt, is simply resting =)
23. Also in the country there is the death penalty(by hanging), it is used for the most serious crimes - especially brutal murder, drug trafficking, corruption, high treason and an attack on the life of the president.
24. Singapore is one of the world leaders in number of death sentences– from 1991 to 2004 they were carried out more than four hundred times (mostly drug dealers were caught in the loop).
25. In Singapore prostitution legalized. According to official data, more than 10,000 girls work on Geylang Street.
26. Thanks to its judicial system and legislation, Singapore is considered one of the most safe and law-abiding countries, and the crime rate here is one of the lowest in the world - you can safely walk around any quarter of the city both day and night.
27. There are almost no police on the streets, but there are cameras, both explicit and hidden– with their help, order is monitored.
28. In many apartments they hang on the door combination locks with a thin chain, which are hung more for formality than for security purposes.
has no natural resources and imports not only sand, but even fresh water from.
30. Singapore is part of the " East Asian tigers", along with South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, are countries that have made a gigantic economic breakthrough, turning from third world states into advanced countries in just 30 years.
31. Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew, who led the government from 1959 to 1990, became famous for his toughness and intransigence in anti-corruption issues, which he managed to successfully eradicate, making rapid economic growth possible. To the question " How did you manage to overcome corruption?", he replied " Start by seating three of your friends. You know exactly why, and they know why."
32. Another indicator by which Singapore is a leader is this is health. According to data from the American financial and economic information agency Bloomberg ( The World's Healthiest Countries 2012), the health status of Singapore residents is the best in the whole world. At the same time, the country is in 11th place in the overall quality of life index.
33. One of the reasons for an excellent level of health is considered to be tasty and healthy food. national cuisine of singapore. According to Forbes magazine, the country ranks second (after Japan) for the quality of local food, which has a positive effect on health, fitness and longevity.
34. Many foodies love Singapore for variety of dishes– due to the mixture of national (Chinese, Malaysian, Indian) cuisines, as well as significant Western influence, it is easy to find culinary creations to suit your taste. One of the important features is that, regardless of the level of the restaurant and prices, the food is always fresh and of high quality.
35. Not only cuisines are mixed here, but also methods of eating food - local residents, depending on the type of food, deftly use both with a chopstick and spoon, and with your right hand(the left hand is considered unclean and is not used for eating).
36. Very popular here independently finishing the dish. Restaurant visitors are given ingredients that need to be put into a pan to get a fresh soup or stew, or a frying pan with sizzling meat that needs to be turned over and cooked to the desired condition. Especially for these purposes, in many restaurants there are small gas stoves
37. Medium life expectancy Singaporeans are 80 years old, which is 14 years longer than in Russia.
38. As for the economy, Singapore is also ahead here, it is the 4th leading financial center world after London, New York and Hong Kong, more than 130 global banks are concentrated here. Inflation rates are hovering around 2-3%, and the Economist Intelligence Unit ranks Singapore as the most competitive city in Asia for doing business.
39. Average income Singaporean - $34 thousand per year.
40. About 100 thousand people live in the country. dollar millionaires(almost 3% of the country's population). The city even has a separate “millionaires’ quarter” – Keppel Bay 
41. Computer registration of a legal entity in Singapore it takes only 10 minutes. They say that in 2009, Medvedev, a well-known lover of electronic technologies, during a visit to Singapore, registered a legal entity for the sake of testing. face, and a year later the local authorities turned to the Russians with a question about taxes - it seemed like they opened the company not as a joke, but seriously, but no one thought to close it.
42. Such a popular phenomenon in Asia as slum, unknown to Singapore. Once in any part of the city, you will see relative cleanliness and order.
43. Our Indian friends rent a three-room apartment 15 minutes walk from the center. Despite the fact that the rooms are quite small, the renovation is simple, and the kitchen has been converted from a balcony, they pay 1900 SGD for it(almost 50,000 rubles). Moreover, according to them, if you rent an apartment further from the center, you won’t get significant savings; prices are approximately the same everywhere.
44. One of Singapore business cards is a unique five-star hotel complex Marina Bay Sands, consisting of three two hundred-meter 55-story towers. There is a platform on the roofs of the towers SkyPark in the form of a ship, which, among other things, has a 150-meter swimming pool. Entrance to the observation deck costs 20 SGD, but you can swim in the pool only if you are a hotel guest, and tourists are allowed to approach the pool once a day, at 14:00 and only for 15 minutes
45. There are two ethnic areas in Singapore - Little India ("Little India") And Chinatown ("Chinatown"). Initially, these areas were created for the adaptation of immigrants, but now they have lost their original significance and remain cultural centers where you can taste traditional cuisine and purchase national goods.
46. Dishes in one of Indian restaurants, which we visited turned out to be really Indian, but the sizes and prices differ significantly, and the sizes are 3 times smaller, and the prices are 3 times higher, while the service is authentic - slow and sloppy. Masala tea was brought in traditionally small thimble cups, with the usual careless spilling of it on the saucer :), although this did not in any way affect the taste, which was as excellent as in India.
47. Quite a lot throughout the city free public toilets– they are quite clean and even have toilet paper (which is very unusual for Asia).
48. Quantity Chinese lanterns, which decorate the streets of Chinatown is impossible to count - they hang literally everywhere 
49.The Mid-Autumn Festival(Mid-Autumn Festival) - An ancient holiday of family unity and thanksgiving, celebrated in Chinatown in September during the fullest and brightest moon - a symbol of abundance, harmony and prosperity.
50. Fighting traffic jams carried out by the authorities from both sides at once. Firstly, public transport is well developed here, and secondly, owning a car is quite an expensive pleasure: in order to acquire personal transport, you need to buy it at a special auction driving license– its cost is about 60,000 SGD and it is issued for 10 years.
The cars themselves, due to duties, are expensive, and in addition you need to pay a rather large fee for registration and registration. Well, in addition - in Singapore there are many toll road sections, bridges, tunnels and interchanges. Each car is equipped with a payment terminal, through which the required amount is automatically debited from a bank card. Thus, only wealthy people can afford cars here, which, however, are not so few.
51. Singapore is one of 9 countries in the world where sales begin new Apple technology. Here, as well as in the United States, there is a widespread system in which iPhones are sold relatively inexpensively when a contract with a cellular operator is signed for several years.
52. Very popular in Singapore brand clothes and accessories - wherever you look, there are Louis Vuitton, Mont Blanc, Gucci and Prada.
53. Particularly popular Louis Vuitton bags– despite the fact that prices for them start at $800, every third young lady in the city wears them. At the same time, many tourists visit the LV store (which is located near Marina Bay) as if they were visiting a museum - it stands on the water and looks very unusual in appearance 
54. Despite the fact that Singapore is called " concrete jungle", almost every district of the city has sports grounds and a park with plenty of greenery, where you can relax and breathe fresh air. Almost half of Singapore's territory covered with greenery– gardens and national parks.
55. They say that Singapore is built according to everyone Feng Shui canons– its landscape and architecture are consistent with this doctrine of the influence of energy flows on humans.
56. Every evening next to the Marina Bay promenade there is Laser show– water from the fountain is sprayed into small splashes, creating a screen on which an image is projected, accompanied by music from the speakers. The laser show is free and accessible to everyone, and therefore it is better to come in advance - as a rule, there is no shortage of people interested 
57. The world's only night race Formula 1– "Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix", held in Singapore.
58. Fountain of Wealth- the largest fountain in the world (28 m), which is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It is especially beautiful in the evening, with multi-colored lighting 
59. Singapore Zoo It is considered one of the best zoos in the world, where animals are not in cages, but roam freely around the territory. The ticket costs 20 SGD, but most visitors agree that this is one of the most worthwhile expenses in Singapore.
Despite the fact that just over half a century has passed since Singapore gained independence, during this period the state has become one of the richest in the world. The metropolis and the state of the same name are located on the small islands of Southeast Asia, where local culture and the European vector of development are intertwined. Life in Singapore is characterized by a high level of corruption and crime. As a rule, migrants with higher education and qualifications choose this Asian metropolis to move to.
In Singapore, Eastern and Western cultures coexist peacefully. This is a multinational state that was a British colony for several decades, for some time a Japanese protectorate, and briefly part of Malaysia. Today, the bulk of the population is Chinese, they make up almost 80 percent. The indigenous population - Malays - is a little more than 13%, the rest are Japanese, immigrants from India, England, and Taiwan.
Various world rankings and facts about the country indicate that the quality of life in Singapore is comparable to that existing in developed world powers. Despite the lack of mineral resources and fertile lands, the authorities have built a diversified economy, with the development of the electronics industry, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and the service sector. The country has the world's largest port.
The fashionable streets of the metropolis are always perfectly clean and well-groomed. Despite the fact that Singapore is in 13th position in the ranking of the most expensive cities in the world, the standard of living of the population is quite high due to decent salaries. There is no change of seasons in the country. There is a humid, hot climate all year round, which is not suitable for everyone. Most of the local population has adapted to the equatorial heat, but it is difficult for foreign citizens to get used to it.
Russian communities
Our compatriots began to come to this exotic Asian country in the early nineties, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The metropolis is developing dynamically and is famous for its cosmopolitanism. It is not the most popular destination for emigration, and Russians in Singapore form a small community. Today the number of our compatriots in the republic is about two thousand people.
The bulk of Russians who settled in an exotic country are specialists who speak excellent English and have a good education. Only those with high qualifications and practical experience will be able to find a vacancy in a metropolis. You can organize your own company.
But life in Singapore is not limited to business and work for Russians. There are several non-profit organizations here that organize events for their compatriots. There are websites on the Internet where you can find out a lot of useful information about the peculiarities of employment of foreigners, local legislation, way of life, search and rental of housing. The Parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God of the Russian Orthodox Church operates in the metropolis.
What languages are spoken in Singapore?
This Asian state was a trading center both during colonialism and after gaining independence, which attracted immigrants from Asian countries and other regions. This affected the local language situation. According to the Basic Law of the Republic, the official ones are:
- English;
- Malay;
- Chinese;
- Tamil.
If we talk about what is the main language in Singapore, then it is Malay. This linguistic diversity reflects the multinational nature of the territory. In total, more than 20 languages are spoken in the country, but English is the main language for communication and teaching in educational institutions and doing business. Almost all residents of the Asian state speak this language in addition to their native one.
Education system
Its principles are accessibility, individual approach to each student, education of tolerance, and meritocracy. There are preschool institutions here, where children from the age of three are taught to communicate with peers, drawing, modeling, reading, and spelling. Children in kindergartens are divided into groups: junior, middle, senior. Parents decide whether to send their children to these institutions. The institutions are paid, some work under the auspices of religious organizations.
Banking sector of the country
This direction is actively developing here. Today there are more than a hundred local commercial structures and representative offices of 45 foreign ones. Their total assets reach US$259 billion. The banking sector provides services to individual and corporate clients. In the first case, it is assumed to open a personal account for withdrawing and storing earned finances. Foreign employees of Singapore companies and students can also do this.
To open a corporate account, a local company will need to prepare a package of materials, which includes: information about all shareholders, a certificate of registration. Each co-owner of the company will be interviewed, the papers will be studied, after which the application will be satisfied or rejected by the bank.
Responsibility for breaking laws
Not so long ago, Singapore was the poorest country, inhabited by drug dealers, pirates, and smugglers. Among other things, the authorities’ strict crime prevention policy helped the republic transform into a prosperous state. There are strict laws here, failure to comply with which can result in huge monetary penalties, physical punishment and the death penalty. Thanks to this, the crime rate in Singapore is at a minimum.
The legislation provides not only fines for offenses, but also corporal punishment. For participation in gambling, elements of corruption, you can earn blows with a stick. Rattan pole beating is approved by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Singapore. Similar punishment is used in schools and in families.
Special whipping sticks are easy to find in local stores; parents actively use them for educational purposes for both boys and girls. This forces you to respect the laws and not break the rules from early childhood. Social work is constantly carried out with minors, so children from an early age understand that the law must be followed and rarely commit a second violation.
Singaporeans clearly know that they will be subject to a serious fine for throwing a piece of paper on the sidewalk, smoking in the wrong place, or riding on the subway or bus. This state of affairs ensures cleanliness on the streets of the metropolis, which is rarely found anywhere else. In Singapore, you can forget your bag or phone on a street bench and return some time later to find it in the same place, since theft carries a long prison sentence. The republic applies the death penalty. Such capital punishment is imposed for serious crimes, including possession and distribution of drugs.
Entertainment and relaxation
Singapore is a country of high technology, where cellular communications and the Internet are characterized by excellent signal levels and quality. Almost every hotel and cafe has Wi-Fi. Free access is a rarity in the metropolis; it is available only at the airport and some expensive hotels.
The peculiarities of the country are its unique geographical location and status as a free territory. This expands Singapore's ability to trade in crafts, art and goods produced by neighboring Asian countries. In addition, the metropolis is known for the presence of a wide variety of exotic food - Chinese, Indian, Malay dishes. Many restaurants and cafes offer both national Asian cuisine and dishes from European countries. There is an opportunity to have lunch on the roof of a skyscraper.
Entertainment in the republic is represented by an abundance of clubs, karaoke bars and discos. Local residents recommend that all tourists visit the zoo, where rare animals live: Sumatran tigers, pygmy hippos and golden monkeys. In the Underwater World water park you can admire beautiful colorful fish and sea predators and go scuba diving. Singapore has many gardens and greenhouses, beaches, and ferry and canoe trips.