I was sponsored under MOSTI's National Science Fellowship. It's been 6 months since I sent in my SPA application, no offer from any IPTAs yet. The clerk at the submissions counter told me there's a high chance they'll release the bond as the government can't afford to hire new staff at the moment.

Not too sure about that. Previously it was 1 year contract, then convert to permanent afterwards. With the pinch we're in now, I'm not too sure if that still applies.

Lecturing positions are aplenty especially in private institutions. However, language proficiency is still a major issue for most (English is crucial as we have a large number of foreign students). I've interviewed at least 10 candidates from public universities in the last year or so, and we've hired only 2 of them. As an alumni of a public university myself, it saddens me to know that these people who don't make the cut will eventually be absorbed back into their alma mater, degrading the teaching quality over time.