20-year PR takes up citizenship to gain easier school entry for child. Surprised?

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

By Janice Heng

Ms Hoo Kai Peng, who has lived here for more than 20 years and been a permanent resident for almost as long, has witnessed the growing list of measures to differentiate between citizens and PRs in recent years.

With her youngest son starting Primary 1 next year, she decided to start thinking about taking up citizenship to give him a better chance of getting into the school of their choice. Married to a fellow Malaysian PR who works in engineering, the 43-year-old put in her application three months ago.

Referring to last year's ruling which gives absolute priority for citizens when there are more applicants than places in a school, the accounts manager said: "It will be hard to get a place in school if we are PRs."

School fees for her three children were also another factor, as these rose by between $50 and $80 a month for PRs this year.

Education is not the only area in which PRs stand behind citizens in the line. Over the past two years, there have been changes in health care and housing as well, as the Government moved to sharpen the distinctions between citizens and PRs in the wake of citizens' unease over increased immigration.

Just last week, a three-year waiting period was imposed on new PRs before they can buy resale public flats. Previously, there was no restriction.

These measures, coming one after another, may push more PRs like Ms Hoo to apply to be citizens, or translate into fewer applications for permanent residency.


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