GhianPng Nomad's Alpha Adventures

Hmmm, just feel like logging down some very interesting stuff I've experienced since returning home and starting work. In fact, all the incidents here relate to what I've gone through at work. For those who know my job, enjoy!

Case 1:

Wednesday night/Thursday morning, 2am, Zouk. Sounds familiar? Yes, it's Mambo Night. Case of fighting/rioting. 2 couples, M1 & F1, M2 & F2. F1 & F2 are very good friends, and it's their usual drinking outing at Zouk. F1 brought along her cousin, M1. Trouble starts when F2's boyfriend, M2, saw F2 and M1 hugging together. Women and jealousy catalysed by alcohol gives disaster. M2 confronts M1, and a fight break out. When I arrived at the scene, the pair are separated by Zouk security. M2 was berating F2 for the act in a very childish manner. F1 was trying to calm M1 down, all the while trying to tell the police she'd bring M1 back though she's as drunk. Meanwhile, police were recording statements and trying to persuade all parties involved to go home. The breaking point is when M1 verbally assaulted a mediating policeman. Now the police moved in to suppress and handcuff him. F1 became very agitated and aggressive which warranted another arrest. Both ladies started crying. In the end, M1 & F1 were brought back to the station.

You know what? The funny thing is the rapid changes in the moods and expressions of drunkards. In particular, F1. She kept saying the police had no right to arrest her or her cousin, asking to see her lawyer, father, LKY etc etc. Crying, laughing, screaming, scolding and all the funny things a drunk person can say. And meanwhile, all the bored passers-by were having fun looking at the entire incident, and I can only say that most of them aged around 20 or so. Act garang yet can't drink. What a mess.

Case 2

Thursday, 9pm, authorised spa. The entire group of us, some 20 people chiong into the spa and started raiding. We opened up all the rooms, and finally caught 1 massause fully nude. Are massauses supposed to be nude? Subsequent checks: the massauses have names like Spring, Ice, Summer, Crystal... sounds like bar hostesses rather than massage professionals. They are skimpily dressed, all with either clothing so tight you will find difficulty breathing, or clothing so loose that you may just see everything if they were to bend down to pick something from the floor. What's worse is that they all hold authorised and legal work permits from Ministry of Manpower, and they have also signed the non-prostitution clause in their contracts with their employer. End of the day, only the lady in nude was brought back fully clothed, for her client has given prosecutional evidence that she offered sexual services.

I think what amazes me more is the plight of these massage ladies. They are all Malaysians, and in the lingo of those who patronises escort or sexual services, they are of higher class than roadside ones. Despite the rate of 40+ SGD charged to clients, the ladies are only paid $6 per customer for doing legalised work! According to the logical deduction of a colleague, if there are 5 customers in a day, they can only earn $30 for the entire day, which is very low for such 'professionals'. Indirectly, they are coerced into such illegal activities. The owner of the premise is spared from prosecution, but the ladies are the ones who suffered. Seems like pimping has taken on a new light with the current legislation in our country. Subsequent grilling reveals their rates: 80 SGD for oral and masturbating services, 100 for intercourse. This finding itself is insignificant, but it provides the basis of comparison for the next case.

Case 3

Friday, 12am, KTV. This is one of those that you think old uncles like to frequent. And I can say you're damn right. This time round, it's more exciting than the spa raid. We went in, sealed up the exits and held all the ladies and the lechers in their KTV rooms. Then the ladies are rounded up 1 by 1 and brought to a room where all of them are interrogated. The clients are then interviewed 1 by 1 as well. Subsequent findings: 1 of the ladies was grilled for admittance to self prostitution, her client has provided prosecutional evidence as well. Guess what's her rate? 150 SGD! The ladies are all then rounded up with handcuffs, and brought back in vanloads. Exception: there was a couple of ladies with friend alibis to say they are not doing dirty business.

I think what raise my eyebrows is the difference in market supply and demand. Sorry but I can't help thinking about this economically.

For the previous case, the Malaysian ladies are much much younger, prettier, and their clients are younger people as well, typically middle classes. Some are as young as 24 or 25, and these people tend to be more well dressed. Executives no doubt, but the ladies are earning at around $100 per client.

On the other hand, the PRC ladies rounded up in this case are much older, late 30s or even 40s with old fashionede tattooed eyebrows and would have appealed more to the older people, typically those in their late 40s and 50s. Despite not being as attractive as the Malaysians, these PRCs actually commanded higher rates, not to mention tips they received for escorting drinks and such.

A more straight forward argument will be that those Malaysians target younger executives who are typically more educated, and hence prices tend to be a little lower for the clients know 'market' prices and can bargain. Also, as long as they are not caught in an immoral state, ie nude or even in the act, it is legitimate for them to continue staying in Singapore on their work permits. Job security is there, and hence they tend not to insist persistently on high rates.

For the PRCs, however, they are mostly illegal immigrants or overstayers, here on expired social visit passes and or even accompanying their kids for Singaporean studies. It is not legitimate for them to even work, and thus tend to be more susceptible to raids. Their clients also tend to those people who, through years of hard work, had stashed away a substantial sum of retirement nest. Money and lecherous inclination worked wonders for these PRCs. These uncles are able to afford higher rates, and coupled with the high risks under which these PRCs are working, culminated into rates as high as $150.

Isn't the invisible hand a cool force to meddle with?