Dear Jane,
Firstly, nice to know you like Singapore for the right reasons. Secondly, nice to know you are not here to condescend. Thirdly, nice to know you are keen on social issues that affect Singaporeans and not just your circle of FT colleagues or your own private circle whatever that may be (anyone can be anything online). For these three reasons, i've decided its worth my while engaging you here.
Down to business, its a bit strange for a foreigner to address herself as "FT". I won't call myself a foreign talent when I go abroad. If you're attuned to the prevalent mood, you also realize Singaporeans don't exactly use it as a flattering term. Take away the word "foreign" and it becomes slightly self-ingratiating.
When i distil your post, the primary message I'm getting is that you feel Singapore is a good country but you hesitate to take up PR because of rising xenophobia. You don't however explore or questions the reason for the xenophobia, or whether it is unfair to even call it that as that label masks underlying issues that hurt Singaporeans deeply and genuinely. Taken to the skeleton, your message sounds like a guilt trip to me, telling us that we have spoilt this peaceful garden city by our poor attitude towards foreigners.
In fact, you sound almost local, talking about "groundswell" against the PAP, "push back" from the citizens, the "opposition camp" using these issues as rallying points. I have a great many Singaporean friends who don't know enough local politics to actually use these terms. Yet you, a foreigner, does. I guess we should be ashamed.
I also find it strange that you have to declare you don't support any political parties in Singapore. Having declared yourself an FT, that's the last question anyone would think of asking you. It seems to me you are going out of the way to make yourself sound politically neutral, after having demonstrated a keen awareness of local politics.
I also find it almost absurd you would not care a whit about foreign workers going on strike. As a foreigner working in Singapore, I thought that issue would be close to him. Granted, you have portrayed yourself as being much more educated than the bus drivers. But surely you must care about how this incident is going to affect your relationship with your Singaporean bosses, friends and colleagues, which you surely must have at least some.
You claim not to give a damn about foreigners going on strike, but you sure give lots of thought into emphasizing your independence, especially political independence.
Putting a summation sign under all these, I can only conclude that I have to be skeptical as to the nature, intent and motive for your post. Perhaps you can lighten the air and clarify things here, by explaning in more details why you think Singaporeans are becoming more xenophobic.
Over The Counter
I am a foreigner working in Singapore for the last 5+ years. I am from Shanghai, China, studied in States and worked in London. I moved to Singapore post my 1 year London stint.*I worked for a foreign bank in Singapore. My Singapore boss is a nice man who has taken care of us very well.