Prime Minister Office Decision has to be taken by PM
My friend related this event to me. 

A Vietnamese girl studied and graduated from National University of Singapore and worked as a nurse for several years in a public hospital. She married a Singaporean but was not able to get permanent residency or long term visit pass for a few years. She had to return to Vietnam and come back to Singapore every now and then, when the duration of the visit pass expires.

They have applied for PR or LTVP many times, but they get a standard reply - under consideration. Their baby was on the way, and they were desperate to get this matter sorted out. 

Someone advised them to see PM Lee in Ang Mo Kio in the weekly Meet the People session. They went there. After seeing the PM, their received a positive reply to their application within a few days.

My friend said - it is very sad that the civil servants were not willing to take a decision and will only approve the application after a direction from the prime minister. 

Furthermore, he said that any baby born in Singapore helps to increase our local population. Why was this family put to so much trouble?

I do not know if this is a correct and fair description of what had happened. But I am personally convinced that there is a culture of referring a difficult decision from one person to another and for every party to avoid taking a decision.

I hope that our senior civil servants and ministers can take this kind of decision, instead of waiting for a direction from the prime minister.

Tan Kin Lian

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