Is Singapore a police state?

[sling]

Someone said that to me recently, "Singapore is a police state." I know that they have very strict laws that they enforce rather rigidly, but I think of a police state as a place where you are spied on constantly and the police come knocking on the door at odd hours in the night to haul you away for interrogation. It never struck me as that bad, just very, well, rigid.

[movemove]

Not as long as you are not a permanent resident or citizen.

[synthia]

So once you are living there, you start to have 'issues'?

[sling]

There are always a lot of things that aren't apparent when you are just visiting, or even if you are somewhere for a few months. All the registration and needing a residence permit to rent an apartment and all that seem over the top to me. A town in Pennsylvania passed a law last year making it illegal to rent to illegal aliens. The law was just overturned as unconstitutional.

[movemove]

Originally Posted by synthia

So once you are living there, you start to have 'issues'?

Not exactly. An expat wouldn't realise or experience the true political state of the country since that is not his/her base with its legislations without much effect on their lives. It would be different for a citizen or a permanent resident as all the legislations apply to them as part of the nation.

[expatchoice.com]

Many of my clients has the impression that camera is hidden everywhere. But the truth is singapore is not like what you have mentioned "police state" They can't turn up at your place and bring you away if you have done anything wrong. As long as you obey the laws it is a very safe and peaceful country.

No porn, No drink driving, no gay sex...

[Havoline]

Not really policing, but the accountability of monetary transactions is top notch. Everything is documented, if that's what you mean. You stamp duty your tenancy, IRAS is aware of your rental, how much tax to collect from the landlord. You earn your income, the company declares your income via online submission, you cant underdeclare your benefits, allowances, etc. Only the smaller setups may not be by-the-book compliant in this aspect.
And to counter those non-compliant, GST was introduced, it doesnt matter whether your declaration is correct or not, as long as you got the money to spend, you pay taxes. Toll charges, ERP gantries are erected, and all vehicles comes with compulsory ERP units to pay toll electronically. Going cashless, this is the way, electronic payment is everywhere, if not careful, you are really gona be cashless in the bank, like swapping credit card monthly!

Otherwise, what you do at home, or at the zoo, who cares! I dont think thats enough police to do the sort of policing you are referring to.

[myqute]

Each countries have their own laws. I find these 2 laws the stupidest in my country:
1. banning of chewing gum (The govt could have imposed a FINE AND CLEAN-UP penalty instead of banning it. They should ban cigarettes first but like they say, cigarettes bring in MORE money.)
2. Oral sex without sex (If you give a blowjob without sex here in Singapore, it is an offense! Now...how many people were prosecuted because of this "offense"?)

There's another law which is quite controversial: going naked in your own home is NOT ok if someone else outside your home/building saw you naked. CURTAINS PLEASE! lol