Adding on, the Gurkhas in Singapore are actually not encouraged to mingle with the local population. In fact, after they are discharged from service due to age, they are not automatically granted PR and many went back to Nepal. They are highly discouraged and perhaps prohibited from marrying within the Singapore population. That is why their compound in Mount Vernon resembles that of a town.
Many years ago, there was an issue of Gurkhas not having sufficient monies for retirement, in UK. This was changed not too long ago with a pension fund set up specially for them.
Indeed, I've heard that Gurkhas in Singapore are paid better than their British counterparts. But there is official confirmation one way or the other.
Also, there is supposed to be a security organisation set up by ex-Gurkhas hiring retired Gurkhas to be security specialist in Singapore.
With regards to that statement of selection of 2nd best goes to Singapore, that is largely untrue. They have set amount of recruitment year on year, and the criteria is fixed. There is little indication one fella is better than the other. The pool of men chosen is hardly distinguishable from one another and there is no means to accurately accertain who is really No. 1. Kinda like our officers in SAF nowadays
In times of conflict, I believe they will kept as seperate force from the SAF and will primarily be used on the local ground. They are not meant as an elite force like the commandos or a main fighting force like the SAF.