Permanent residents Vishal Garg and his wife Shweta moved to a Marine Parade condo to improve their three-year-old son Prateek's chances of getting into popular schools nearby, but recent changes mean PRs will get one fewer ballot than citizens for places at schools. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
THREE-YEAR-OLD Prateek Garg once smacked his Chinese playmate for calling him Indian. 'I'm Singaporean!' bawled the child, whose favourite food is chicken rice.
His mum, training and development manager Shweta Garg, 30, came to Singapore from India in 2004. Dad Vishal Garg, 32, is an assistant vice-president at Barclays Capital. They are permanent residents (PRs) here.
Having picked up the Singaporean kiasu (afraid to lose) trait, the Gargs moved to a Marine Parade condominium to improve Prateek's chances of getting into nearby Tao Nan School or Ngee Ann Primary School.
But a slew of recent changes to favour citizens over PRs means they get one fewer ballot than citizens for places in popular schools.
'I totally agree that Singaporeans must be given a privilege, but we are doing our part for the country and giving back to it,' said Mrs Garg, about the recent changes that range from public housing to education and health care.
'If my son can't get into a good school because of the balloting, what do I tell him? That it was because you are not Singaporean?'
Today's Insight asks PRs what they feel about the recent changes, and whether they are now encouraged to sink roots here or seek greener pastures elsewhere.
