News from Asia 2004-2

Despite Joo Chiat's buzz, a businessman gives up his 5 pubs there. Why? He's turned off by the police raids, the fights and the havoc

JOO Chiat Road is such a jiving, thriving place that you would think that nightlife entrepreneurs would leap at the chance to set up shop there. After all, there are pubs, great food joints, massage parlors and even hotels. But at least one former investor begs to differ. The 1.3km strip, he said, has become too 'havoc' for him.

'When I first set up a pub there in 1999, the place was so much 'cleaner',' said businessman B K Lim. He has since sold off his shares in the six businesses he once co-owned in the area.

'Then, there were not so many scantily-clad women were walking around. I also think it's not good for children in the area,' said the 49-year-old father of a boy and a girl, aged 7 and 18. 'I think the authorities should clean up the place.'

Until last year, Mr Lim had stakes in the Trap Pub, My Friend Pub, Blue Star, Blue Lagoon, and Blue Ice pubs. He also co-owned a coffee shop on the stretch. But he says the sleaze factor has been inching up.

'Business was good, very good at first,' he said in Cantonese. 'But it was starting to get difficult to operate in the area. 'First, there was the soliciting - by Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese women - and the fights.

'The situation was interesting. It's not just drunken men fighting each other, but also women fighting women, and women ganging up to beat up men,' he added.

Mr Lim said illegal Vietnamese and Thai streetwalkers would form their own small groups. They would sometimes tussle over to territorial disagreements. 'These women cannot be underestimated. They look pretty and sweet, but can be very fierce and protective. I've seen many cases where four or five women beat up a poor, helpless man for not giving them tips for their company or services.' Because of the soliciting and fights, the police raids became more frequent.

'The raids were a real pain,' said Mr Lim. 'We had to always ensure the pub was not over-crowded, or we would be fined.' Added Mr Lim, who started up managing pubs and KTV lounges for owners: 'It all combined to give the impression that the place wasn't safe. The residents nearby also felt very uncomfortable.'

Had the money still been good - and Mr Lim says he used to rake in $50,000 a month from each outlet - he may have put up with the problems. But he says the competition among pubs is now so fierce that earnings are squeezed. 'Besides, life isn't all about business, and it's not all about the money.' This was why he had agreed to be interviewed in the Chinese evening daily, Lianhe Wanbao, recently.

'I'm speaking out now because I have friends who are living in the area, behind that 'happening' stretch, and they complain to me, saying that they don't feel safe or comfortable any more.' Of his time in the business, he admits that, with the pretty young things who frequented his pubs, 'of course, there were temptations'. Then he added: 'But I'm scared I'll get a disease or, worse, Aids.'

Summing up, Mr Lim said: 'I think Joo Chiat's heyday has passed. 'There are so many pubs there now, and competition is so tight. Now, it's just sleaze driving it.' For now, he says he intends to open a cafe in Bedok, one of a string he plans in the HDB heartland. 'HDB areas don't have my style of modern cafes,' he said with a knowing smile.

But his gloomy view of Joo Chiat is disputed by his former business partner, the owner of Blue Lagoon. Said the businessman, who did not wish to be named: 'Competition is tight, but my customers are still coming. And we are just operating an honest business. I mean, which pub doesn't have pretty girls, and men who chat them up?' he asked.

IT was probably The New Paper on Sunday's Nov 7 feature on Joo Chiat Road and its colorful characters that got you, our readers, talking. Yes, we reported that the sleepy Joo Chiat of yesteryear now has the reputation of being a colorful strip that rivals Geylang.

Two weeks after the article appeared, 20 Joo Chiat residents met their MP, Mr Chan Soo Sen, to raise their concerns about the bustling nightlife.

They were worried that their businesses would suffer and that property prices would drop due to Joo Chiat's 'New Geylang' image. The safety of their children and homes were also brought up, as was reported in our article last Sunday (Dec 5).

Mr Chan had assured residents that he was aware of their worries and would take the matter up with the relevant government agencies.

Indonesian maids working in Singapore year have their minimum salaries raised next year by 50 Singapore dollars (30 US dollars) a month, under a plan being pushed by the Indonesian embassy.

The embassy sent a letter to all maid agencies this week calling on them to lift the salaries from 230 dollars a month to 280 dollars to reflect the better quality of maids the Singapore government is trying to attract.

The Singapore government announced in September that from next year all new foreign maids must be at least 23 years old, up from the minimum age of 18, and that they must have at least eight years of formal schooling.

Unlike in Hong Kong and other places in Asia, the government in Singapore does not impose a minimum wage, placing a burden on embassies to try and ensure their nationals receive a fair wage and are not exploited.

The Straits Times newspaper said Indonesian maids would still be paid less than their Filipina counterparts, who receive about 320 dollars a month thanks to the efforts of the Philippines embassy.

But the paper said they will be paid more than maids from countries such as India and Sri Lanka.

Indonesian embassy officials were unable to comment on Friday, with the consulate closed for a holiday.

A Manpower Ministry spokeswoman said Friday the government was not involved in the Indonesian embassy's efforts to raise the maids' salaries.

About 150,000 foreign women work in Singapore as domestic helpers, with most coming from Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and India.

URGENT action is needed to tackle an 'alarming Aids epidemic' facing Singapore, including possible border screening of people in high-risk groups.

Senior Minister of State for Health Balaji Sadasivan said homosexuals and heterosexual men who have casual sex in other countries need attention.

He said yesterday the number of new infections may top 1,000 a year in just six years' time, unless something is done to stop the spread of HIV, the virus that causes Aids.

The number of new HIV cases is set to cross the 300 mark for the first time this year. If this continues unchecked, he said, Singapore may have 15,000 people with HIV by 2010.

As at the end of last year, there were 1,200 Aids and 900 HIV patients here. Overall, heterosexuals account for 80 per cent of HIV patients.

Dr Balaji noted the sharp rise in new Aids infections among homosexuals, from 54 cases last year to 77 in the first 10 months of this year.

He felt an unequivocal approach was needed to tackle the 'promiscuous and unsafe lifestyle... practiced by some gays'.

For heterosexual men who have casual sex abroad, other measures were needed, he said.

'If the CDC can screen high-risk Singaporeans at our borders when they return, we may be able to protect Singapore women from catching Aids from these men,' he added.

IT HAS EVERYTHING FROM CHINESE KTV WITH BAR-TOP DANCING TO YUPPIE POOL HAUNTS TO GREAT FOOD TO COOL HOTELS. WHAT CAN'T YOU FIND ON THE HOTTEST STRETCH IN SINGAPORE?

AN old man sits nursing a beer, staring at the television screen. A cheesy karaoke video is playing, showing a woman posing or running on a beach. He doesn't seem to be too affected by the one-key singing blasting through the bar, despite that one key being totally off. Nearby, some yuppies play a game of pool. He pays them no heed.

At about 10.30pm, a sexy girl, dressed in a shimmering bikini outfit, gets onto the bartop and starts gyrating with the pole. His attention begins to shift.

Upstairs, KTV-goers party the night away, oblivious to the old man and the pole dancer, who is beginning to really like the pole. This is a typical scene at Tiger Bar, which is along Joo Chiat Road. It's a scene which even this seasoned pubber finds rather refreshing. A Chinese KTV with bartop dancing and the yuppie game of pool. It's Coyote Ugly and Tiananmen rolled into one.

Throw in the stretch of seven hotels and tasty feasts nearby (of course I mean the food outlets), it's only a small exaggeration to call Joo Chiat Road the new Orchard Road/Mohamed Sultan/Geylang.

Spending two nights walking the street was a real eye-opener - and by that, yes, I mean it was a visual feast as well. The jury's still out, but Joo Chiat Road might very well be the most happening road in Singapore.

The two bars with the most activity are most certainly Blue Star and Blue Lagoon along Joo Chiat Road. And they could possibly be the hottest drinking holes in Singapore.

Sitting at a table, my friend and I saw men of all shapes, sizes, age and ethnicity all around us. Every table had at least one sexy female patron, usually more. If I didn't know better, I would have thought this to be a bar in touristy Orchard Road, given the cosmopolitan crowd. The guys ranged from the typical Chinese Ah Bengs to fresh-out-of-national-service boys to PMEBs to ang mohs.

And they must have been having a really good time, because in the first half hour we were there, we saw no less than three guys stumbling around after having one too many.

The women were tourists, mostly from Vietnam. All partying, I'm told, with their valid travel documents. They liked the two pubs, one of them said, because of the Vietnamese restaurants nearby. And boy, were they friendly.

Halfway into our first drink, one of them approached us. She was pretty, sported straight, long hair and wore a figure-hugging dress.

Not used to a woman making the first move, we were a bit uncomfortable, and said we were about to go. She smiled and moved to the table next to us and introduced herself to a chubby guy. It seems the Vietnamese girls are none too fussy about who they meet at the bar.

That also means that most of the guys are not too particular about dressing up to be seen, and that goes for most of the numerous night spots along Joo Chiat Road.

Across the road, Blue Lagoon is almost a carbon copy of Blue Star, except it looks a tad more like a sports bar with TV screens. It's just as happening, which is no surprise, since it attracts the same girls who go to the Blue Star. Drinks are at about Mohamed Sultan prices at both bars.

Nearer the Katong end is a gem of a little place called Tiger Bar. It's a karaoke, so the quality of music usually depends on the vocal strength of the patrons. Suffice it to say that the two nights I was there, there were no potential Singapore Idols.

Walking in, it seems not that different from the KTVs at Serangoon Gardens. Okay, there's a pool table at the back, and that's an unusual sight in KTVs. What really stands out, however, are two poles connecting the bar top to the ceiling. At about 11 every night, a female dancer will climb onto the bar top and shake her booty. And I mean, really shake.

It's pole dancing the likes of which I haven't seen since I last visited the bars in Patpong, Bangkok. That's not to say that Tiger Bar is as sleazy, though you might think so, given the frenzy the dancer drives the predominantly male patrons into.

The owner, Jennifer, told me: 'You can call this our tiger show.' Then quickly added: 'But only because we are called Tiger Bar.' The dancer exits after four songs, and mingles with the patrons. Actually, it's more like she tries to sell drinks to the patrons, a la the She Devils of Devils' Bar.

'But we don't drink tequila,' we protested. 'That's okay. Buy it for me then,' she said. At other bars, you'd have to drum up courage to even get this far with a woman, so we caved in and bought her a couple of shots.

Upstairs are KTV rooms and a little stretch with a busted television hanging from the ceiling. 'You can watch football in this area,' said Jennifer, though not recently, because a drunk customer threw a mug at the screen.

Bar manager Isaac Cheng reassured us that such incidents were rare, as the six-month-old joint mostly draws well-behaved regulars. Unlike the two blue bars, Tiger doesn't have Vietnamese female patrons, but there is no shortage of good-looking women as well, and they are no less friendly.

Two fair-skinned, long-haired babes walked in, and one of them meekly asked if she could sit on the empty chair at our table. She looked nice and I would have liked to get to know her better, except my Mandarin wasn't good enough to hold a decent conversation with her. She soon left, but by the end of the night, both my friend and I felt that we had been luckier than most times we went pubbing. But we probably won't be heading back to the joints anytime soon - they're just a little too happening for us.

ANY seasoned pubber would tell you that a night out isn't complete without good food. And any local will tell you that Joo Chiat Road has some of the best food around. Not being much of a food connoisseur, I won't go into it - you can always pick up the Makansutra food guide. It is a joy, though, to be able to just walk to a food outlet for supper after partying, without the need to drive or hop into a taxi.

If you're not into partying and just want to sightsee, Joo Chiat Road also has interesting places to go to. At the beginning is the well-known Malay Village. There's a mosque near Joo Chiat Complex, and a Chinese temple, which is converted from a colonial villa. Both places of religious worship are a spitting distance away from the night spots, but they seem to co-exist in peaceful harmony.

IT'S the weirdest thing. Along one stretch of the road, there are seven budget hotels. Four of them belong to the Hotel 81 chain. We've all seen how Hotel 81 have been marketing their outlets as a place for backpackers and low-budget travelers. If that's the plan, then Joo Chiat Road is certainly the place to be.

The Hotel 81s were eye-openers, to say the least. Each one has a distinct theme. Hotel 81 Sakura has a Japanese feel, Hotel 81 Opera is Italian, Classic, opposite Joo Chiat complex, is just what its name implies - classic decor - and Hotel 81 Joo Chiat, is pretty much a standard budget hotel. Their lobbies are nice and clean. Sakura, with its Japanese decoration, looks serene - especially since it's right next to the hustle and bustle of Blue Star.

Its clever locale also ensured a steady stream of tourists - in the 45 minutes or so I stood outside Sakura at about 10pm, no less than four of the hot Vietnamese girls went in with their boyfriends, presumably tired from the hardcore partying just next door.

A little farther down the road, you come across The Fragrance Hotel. It markets itself as yet another budget hotel. A prominent yellow banner hangs advertising the charges, an affordable rate of $49 per night.

And if you're on an even tighter budget than that, you can take up the hotel's $10 per hour offer, subject to a minimum charge of two hours. Guess that's good for a power nap. And if these hotels are full, you can always check into Gateway Hotel or Tristar Inn, all right in the heart of the good food, music and women of Joo Chiat Road, all offering similar packages for customers.

THE prosecutor described him as a 'seasoned criminal'. Yet, he was able to work and live here merely by lying.

American Jack West, 58, pleaded guilty to making false statements to obtain an Employment Pass (EP) from MOM and to be registered as a teacher by MOE. He was sentenced to a total of seven months' jail and fined $8,000 yesterday.

West first came to light as a sordid matchmaker who ran a business matching Asian women with 'American gentlemen' on his website. His website featured women in provocative poses, some of them naked. Calling himself a 'slave-trader in his former life', West sold information about the women he put up on his website for US$20 ($34) to US$99. The New Paper later discovered that West had criminal convictions dating back to the '70s.

Most notably, West was charged with raping his son from his first marriage, then aged 7. He left the US before he could be prosecuted for the acts of rape which occurred between 1984 and 1987.

He returned to the US in 1997 and pleaded guilty to four reduced charges of sexual battery. He was sentenced to two years for each charge which was served concurrently. West was also found guilty of selling a controlled drug and carrying concealed weapons in the US. He was also sentenced to five years probation for three charges of intimidation in 1998.

The probation, which an Ohio court allowed him to serve overseas, only ended last year. Meanwhile, West entered Singapore and worked as a teacher in 1999. He admitted he had intentionally omitted declaring his previous convictions in his EP application form.

Sentenced on two counts of making false statements to MOM, West committed his first offence in May 1999 when he applied for an EP to work for Orchard School of Arts and Commerce. The second offence was committed in July 2000 when West declared the information furnished by him in his previous application remained unchanged, in order to get his EP renewed.

West later registered as a teacher with MOE in November 2000. He applied again in July 2001 so he could be employed as a teacher by Coleman Commercial & Language Centre. Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Cheng Thiam revealed that West would not have been granted an employment pass and allowed to teach if he had declared his past convictions in the US. MOM and MOE did not elaborate on the checks they make to verify statements made by applicants. West easily managed to remain and work in Singapore.

He set up a sole proprietorship, JGW Consultancy, and applied for an EP to work as a consultant for the company in October 2001. That was the same month his contract with Orchard School would come to an end and his EP would be cancelled. Under JGW Consultancy, West provided English education to students, business people and housewives. As of Aug 31 this year, West was also giving private tuition to three students at their homes.

Calling him a 'seasoned criminal', MOM's prosecutor Rosemary Chan said West's actions were premeditated and deceitful. West's lawyer said in his mitigation that West was a 'loving father and responsible teacher' whose family has been forced to take shelter at a welfare home as a result of his conviction.

West's second wife, an Indonesian, and their 13-year-old daughter were in court yesterday for his sentencing. The couple also have a 14-year-old son who was not present. West was charged with five counts of falsely declaring to MOM's Employment Pass Department that he had not been convicted in a court of law in any country. Two of the charges were proceeded with while the other three were taken into consideration. West was sentenced to six months' jail and fined $4,000 on each charge to run concurrently. He could have been jailed up to a year and fined up to $4,000. West was further charged with three counts of making false statements to MOE in his application to be registered as a teacher in Singapore. Two charges were proceeded with and West was sentenced to a month's jail on each charge to run concurrently. He could have been jailed up to six months and/or fined up to $1,000 for each charge.

WHEN asked whether MOM makes its own checks to verify statements made by applicants, MOM replied: 'All applicants for employment passes (EP) must declare to MOM any offence they may have been previously convicted of. 'MOM will make further assessments on applicants who have declared their previous criminal convictions. 'MOM takes into consideration the inputs of various government agencies when assessing the application for an Employment Pass. 'Where the agencies have adverse records of the applicants, the Ministry will not grant them passes.'

MOE said the onus on checking statements made by applicants who wish to be registered as teachers is on the schools rather than MOE. It said: 'The supervisor of the private school has to confirm that the information provided by the applicant has been verified and that all supporting documents forwarded to MOE are certified true copies.'

West's US probation officer told The New Paper that West had originally applied for a visa to Indonesia in 1999.

However, West claimed he had been blacklisted by the Indonesian government and denied entry upon arrival in the country. He then came to Singapore. But that was not the first time West had managed to enter Singapore. He told an Ohio court he had entered Singapore between 1991 and 1997 and tried to give himself up to the US Embassy.

During that time, West was considered a fugitive as an arrest warrant had been issued against him in 1990 following his indictment on the rape charges.

The Ohio court ruled that 'although West traveled to the US Embassy in Singapore (where there was a viable extradition treaty), no evidence was presented that the state knew, or should have known, enough about West's presence in Singapore to effectuate an extradition'.

When asked how West could enter Singapore with an arrest warrant out on him, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority declined to elaborate saying: 'The movement records of individuals are not available for release as such information is private and confidential.'

IT was supposed to be a routine raid on women working illegally at a karaoke lounge. But the police in Petaling Jaya found something shocking yesterday morning.

They uncovered seven videotapes of the lounge hostesses having sex with customers on the premises. Each tape is clearly labeled every day of the week in English. The footage might have been compiled for sale in the overseas pornography market, reported Malaysia's China Press.

They might have been filmed secretly with hidden cameras without the customers' knowledge, the police said. The police confiscated all the other tapes to determine the identities of the people later. The tapes were found on the second floor of the four-storey karaoke lounge, which doesn't have an operating license. There, the authorities found a small room secured with two steel doors which could only be opened with secret number combinations.

The police had to pry the doors open with metal bars. Thirteen people, including staff and customers, were sent for urine tests. However, it's suspected that many others escaped, as the lounge management might have got a tip-off and cleared the premises. Minutes after the raid at 2am - which involved 25 police officers - the electricity supply was cut off.

The sudden blackout meant the police officers had to hunt in the dark for the circuit box. They found it 15 minutes later and the power was restored. By then, several of the lounge hostesses and customers had disappeared. Many of the karaoke rooms were empty, but had the lingering smell of perfume, rumpled jeans and shoes strewn around, suggesting that the occupants left in a hurry. So the police raided a nearby motel, checking every room and taking down the guests' identities. The occupants were warned not to harbor anyone from the karaoke lounge.

· They earn less than counterparts in India, China, Thailand and many other Asian countries. But conditions here still a big draw

That expat sipping a beer at a swanky pub in Boat Quay is actually earning much less than his colleagues in most other Asian countries. But he'd much rather sip his beer here than anywhere else.

A survey by Hong Kong-based HR Business Solutions said pay isn't the biggest draw for the many expatriates still flocking to Singapore to work.

While Expats here command higher salaries than locals, their earnings are lower than that of Expats in many countries, the survey, reported in The Business Times, said.

Total earnings of Expats in Singapore - especially those in country manager and function-head positions - are 1.6 times those of their local counterparts. But at about US$225,000 ($378,000) yearly, what Expats make here lags expat earnings in countries like Japan (US$360,000), India (US$330,000), Thailand (US$270,000) China (US$235,000) and other Asian countries.

Expat earnings here are about on par with Taiwan but are higher than in Indonesia and Malaysia, according to the survey which covered 7,261 execs in 470 companies. Singapore also has the biggest expat community in the region, except China. Of the 1,802 executives polled in Singapore, 14 per cent were Expats. The survey covered 1,850 executives in China, of which 29 per cent were Expats.

'China has the most expatriates because the managerial supply cannot meet demand as a result of the breakneck economic growth over the past two decades,' says Ms Elaine Ng, HRBS's managing principal. So if salaries aren't the major factor drawing Expats to Singapore, what is?

Ms Ng, a Singaporean and formerly with New York-based Mercer Human Resource Consulting, says a major factor is Singapore's better living conditions. The big presence of MNCs and the Government's open-door policy are also factors, she says. Yet another reason is the large number of regional job positions here. A big chunk of those positions - up to 47 per cent, says the survey - are still being filled by Expats.

Although Singapore's hold is slipping, the country continues to top the Asia-Pacific ranking in the amount of regional jobs on offer. Nearly two in three jobs polled carried regional responsibilities. The figure is half for Hong Kong, which has the second biggest number of regional jobs. 'Despite severe competition from countries around the region, Singapore continues to maintain its lead as an Asia-Pacific hub where MNCs continue to base their regional HQs,' Ms Ng said. She also said wage growth here is at the bottom fourth among 14 Asia-Pacific countries.

'Managerial labor costs in Singapore are 21 per cent lower than Hong Kong and Japan. 'While some companies may consider moving their Asia-Pacific HQs elsewhere - and especially to China, where business operations are huge - not all companies think in the same mode,' she said.

The "dirty" old man, complete with umbrella and pager making his way across to Bintan in search of young women to satisfy his desires. There are tales aplenty of how these men even "maintain" such women as second wives, supplying them with enough of an allowance to sustain their little holiday home-away-from-home.

But that, pardon the pun, is old news. The Bintan-bound traveler, it seems, has undergone a major facelift. Welcome to the world of the "dirty" young man, if you like. According to tour operators and hoteliers, every weekend, an average of 60 to 100 young men are taking the one-and-a-half hour ferry ride to Bintan, in search of a good time.

Most head for Tanjung Pinang -- a two-hour drive away from the commercialized tourist resorts on Bintan Island. These Singaporeans, aged between 19 and 30 years old, regularly visit the prostitutes in this small town located near the southern tip of the island.

Why? Crudely put, they say it is "cheaper", the girls offer "better services" and the town "has more variety and privacy". One such regular customer is "Mark" (not his real name), a 23-year-old army sergeant.

He visited Tanjung Pinang with five other friends once a month from June to December last year. He also claims that he knows more than 20 other friends who are about his age, who do the same.

It is becoming so popular that tour organizers are organizing trips for these youngsters through email.

A booking ensures that when they arrive at the jetty, local pimps are on hand to ferry them to a small town several kilometers away. It is here that they get to choose their companions.

For as little as $40, the girl accompanies each of them for two whole days. The guys would usually bring them along for food, shopping and dancing before heading back to the hotel for sex.

A check with the two most popular hotels in Tanjung Pinang revealed that on average, they each receive about 30 young male Singaporeans on weekends. Tour organizer Dwi Julli, a 35-year-old native Javanese, said: "Quite a number of Singaporean men come here around noon on Saturdays and stay for two to three days. They usually sport short hair and are well-built." "Mark" hides these activities from his girlfriend of two years whom he is marrying soon. He said: "I don't think it's wrong. We are just paying for a form of service. After getting married, it will be wrong but now I am still single, I just want to have fun."

A 24-year-old graduate, who is single, agreed. He visits prostitutes overseas once every six months at a variety of places and he sees little wrong in fulfilling his "primal needs". He quipped: "They look better than some of my girl friends."

However, another 21-year-old full-time National Serviceman prefers to visit prostitutes in Singapore as they are "cleaner", he believes that the risk of contracting sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) are higher overseas. He said: "It's more dangerous in places like Bintan because the girls do not mind unprotected sex and we tend to let our guard down too, thinking that it (getting infected by STDs) won't happen to us."

But it does happen to them. Though no formal statistics on STDs are available, 23 Singaporeans aged between 20 and 29 have tested HIV positive in the first six months of this year.

Predominantly male, a bulk of those who tested positive also acquired the deadly disease through exposure to prostitutes locally and overseas and/or through casual sex with multiple partners. But the Bintan-bound are not paying much heed to such risk factors. Understandably, some of their peers are outraged, said Ms Linnet Choo, 24, a lawyer: "It's shocking and depressing that they think nothing of such activities”. The age range and the fact that groups of them are doing it so frequently shocks me. "We always associate such activities with older men and it is worrying. Are they feeling so repressed that they need to seek such undesirable outlets to express themselves? All of us have needs but we have to meet them through valid means."

But others disagree said a 24-year-old trainee teacher: "It is sad but it's their life. If you take away the moral considerations, it's just paying for a form of service. If both parties are willing, why then is it wrong? It's not clear-cut." And though there are no figures to show how prevalent the trend is, the social implications could be significant, said sociologist Ngiam Tee Liang.

"Without comparative figures of the proportion of young Singaporean men who frequent sex workers in Singapore, it would be difficult to say if the figures are high," said Associate Professor Ngiam. "Nevertheless, the age group is of concern to us if they are acting under peer pressure or are risking their health. Also, for those with girlfriends or wives, we hope they would not be irresponsible by patronizing sex workers, even if the prices are lower overseas." with additional reporting by Diana Neo

On a residential street corner on the outskirts of Singapore's red-light district of Geylang, a van pulls up beside two women in the evening dusk, both dressed in revealing blouses and hip-hugging skirts.

Moments later, 27-year-old Ming opens the van's door and disappears. Her friend, 30-year-old Yeh, waits for another customer. Both are tourists visiting from mainland China, and both are the vanguard of a new trend in the oldest profession.

Prostitution is expanding from red-light urban districts into the leafy suburbs, propelled mostly by mainland Chinese women on tourist visas and fuelling a growing underground sex industry in a country known for prudish laws and orderly living.

The trend follows a blossoming in ties between Singapore and China, nourished on ethnic bonds, and is provoking a groundswell of public criticism as prostitution spills out of legal and tightly regulated brothels.

Adding to the assault on Singapore's reputation as a strait-laced, strictly controlled society is a U.S. State Department report this year that said the wealthy city state had a "significant" trafficking problem involving women and children.

Singapore's government refuted the report, which put the Southeast Asian island on par with Cambodia, China and Indonesia as "countries that do not fully comply with the minimum standards" to eliminate trafficking of women and girls for sex.

The focus on sex-for-hire in Singapore, whose ardour has been cast in some doubt by a record-low fertility rate, has been further sharpened by a new book "Invisible Trade" on a thriving world of high-class prostitution in Singapore.

"People generally have this perception that Singapore is a squeaky clean, prim and proper kind of place so they tend to be very surprised when they find out that there is a thriving escort industry here," the book's author, Gerrie Lim, told Reuters.

Singapore's Chinese-language media has branded the new wave of prostitutes from China as "roaming nightingales" or "liuying" in the Mandarin dialect, an analogy to birds known for singing at night. Newspapers report cases of worried housewives escorting their husbands home from work to prevent temptation.

In a report titled "China hookers are now in your neighborhood", the Straits Times newspaper thrust the issue into public debate in July, describing prostitutes who single out elderly men in residential areas.

The report touched a raw nerve. Some alarmed residents urged their leaders to raise the issue with China.

"Bilateral ties with China are no doubt important but we should not compromise our social values by allowing the prostitution problem to get out of hand," wrote Tang Li Shan in one of a series of complaints to local media.

Prostitution in Singapore is legal in several red-light districts where Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai, Indian and Chinese women ply their trade in brothels, karaoke lounges and massage parlors. Sex workers must carry a health card and submit to medical checks. But soliciting for sex on the street is illegal.

By far the biggest source of new sex workers is China, where an industrial boom has triggered rural unemployment and a range of vices -- from prostitution to human trafficking.

Singapore, whose population is Asia's third-wealthiest and 77 percent ethnic Chinese, is a natural magnet.

Hoping to tap the new wealth of Chinese travelers, Singapore relaxed immigration rules in January, doubling the days Chinese can stay to 30 and allowing more tour agencies to obtain visas.

The impact was immediate. Mainland Chinese were Singapore's fastest-growing source of tourists from January to June. In the same period, the number of foreign sex workers arrested shot up 50 percent, police data show. Most of the women were from China.

"It's my first time here," explains Yeh, an affable, soft-spoken women who looks about 5 years beyond her age. "I've stayed for about 20 days." She says she earns about S$300 each day. "I will have to leave when my social visit pass expires."

The lure to work Singapore's streets is strong. The island's annual per capita income of about $21,000 dwarfs China's by about 25 times, and Chinese prostitutes charge S$30 to S$100 for a tryst -- far below the S$100 to S$200 in most brothels.

Human rights activists caution that a public backlash could single out mainland Chinese women who themselves are victims.

"When these women are arrested, it is important to ask if they should be treated as victims or as criminals," said Edward Job, president of One Hope Center, a non-governmental organization that helps prostitutes get out of the trade.

"Those who are forced into prostitution look to Singapore as the land of milk and honey. They borrow money to come here in hope of decent work but only to find themselves landing in debt and in prostitution," he said.

The U.S. State Department's annual report on human trafficking, issued in June, said Singapore did not consider it had a major problem in sex trafficking and criticized it for lacking a plan to deal with the issue.

It reported seven cases of alleged forced prostitution in 2003 and two convictions. Singapore's government said only two of 18 reports of forced prostitution in 2002 and 2003 were substantiated, describing them as "very rare".

CDL's iconic project all set to Sail this month

Initial launch of 200 of the 1,111-unit Marina Bay project, Singapore's tallest residential building, will likely see prices starting at around $900 psf

By Joyce Teo

PRICES for Singapore's iconic residential building, The Sail@Marina Bay, are likely to start at around $900 per sq ft, said property consultants.

This would make the high-end development, shaped like two sails of a boat, one of the more expensive 99-year leasehold developments here. Less ritzy leasehold condominiums, such as Kovan Melody in Upper Serangoon and Varsity Park in the West Coast, are going for between $440 psf and $520 psf.

However, Far East Organization's leasehold home office units at Soho@Central, near Clarke Quay MRT station, start at $1,050 psf.

City Developments (CDL) kept mum yesterday about the pricing of its 1,111-unit project, a 50-50 joint venture with AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp. It announced only the project's name and that the soft launch date will be later this month.

At 245m high, The Sail will be the tallest residential building in Singapore, the seventh highest in Asia and the 10th highest in the world.

The seven 50-storey blocks of The Pinnacle@Duxton have an average height of 156m.

'It'll be a prominent silhouette against the city skyline,' noted property consultancy Jones Lang Lasalle's managing director, Dr Yu Lai Boon, of The Sail.

Analysts are predicting that it will be one of the hottest residential properties to be launched this year because of its height, its being the first residential building in the new downtown, its proximity to Raffles Place as well as the Republic's business and financial centre, and its facilities.

The Sail will boast a 24-hour concierge service, as well as a fully-equipped spa with a cafe and therapy room, among other things.

Most of the homes in the two towers - one with 70 levels and the other with 63 levels - will be one- and two-bedroom units. Only 250 units will have three or four bedrooms. There will also be five penthouses and about 19,900 sq ft of retail space.

Mr Willy Shee, managing director of CB Richard Ellis, which is jointly marketing the project with DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, said he would recommend prices starting at $950 psf at least and expects the apartments to generate a rental return of 4 to 5 per cent.

According to DTZ, the one-bedroom units could command a monthly rent of around $2,200 to $2,800, the two-bedroom units $3,200 to $3,700 a month, and the three- and four-bedroom units $4,000 to $7,000 a month.

The marketing agents are eyeing potential buyers in Jakarta, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, as well as institutional funds in Europe. CDL said the units will be released in phases, with about 200 being made available for a start.

U.S. Troops May Be Tried If Using Prostitutes
Associated Press
September 22, 2004

WASHINGTON - U.S. troops stationed overseas could face a court martial for patronizing prostitutes under a new regulation drafted by the Pentagon.

The move is part of a Defense Department effort to lessen the possibility that troops will contribute to human trafficking in areas near their overseas bases by seeking the services of women forced into prostitution.

In recent years, "women and girls are being forced into prostitution for a clientele consisting largely of military services members, government contractors and international peacekeepers" in places like South Korea and the Balkans, Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., said Tuesday at a Capitol Hill forum on Pentagon anti-trafficking efforts.

Defense officials have drafted an amendment to the manual on courts martial that would make it an offense for U.S. troops to use the services of prostitutes, said Charles Abell, a Pentagon undersecretary for personnel and readiness.

If approved, that would make it a military offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice to have contact with a prostitute, Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, an Abell spokeswoman said later. The draft rule is open to 60 days public comment after being published in the Federal Register, she said.

Officials also are developing a training program for troops and contractors, to be distributed in November. The program will explain trafficking, department policy on it and possible legal action against violators, Abell said in a written statement.

Additionally, the military is reviewing regulations and procedures for placing off-limits those businesses where such activities take place and working with Justice Department officials to tighten rules on contractor misconduct.

Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, commander of the 37,000 U.S. troops in South Korea, said another initiative started on the peninsula has been to "make on-base military life a more desirable experience, and attempt to diminish the seductive appeal of many of the less wholesome off-duty pursuits."

That effort includes offering expanded evening and weekend education programs, band concerts, late-night sports leagues and expanded chaplains' activities.

All new arrivals to duty in Korea are given prostitution and human trafficking awareness and the military is working with Korean law enforcement agencies, he said.

"In spite of all these efforts, we know that there are still some U.S. service members, Department of Defense civilians and contractor personnel who may continue to contact prostitutes and, thereby, be construed as supporting human trafficking," LaPorte said.

NATO officials in July outlined new guidelines adopted to ensure alliance peacekeepers do not encourage sex trafficking gangs by seeking the services of women forced into prostitution.

The rules follows accusations from human rights groups that NATO peacekeepers and civilian staff working for international organizations had fueled the growth of sexual slavery in the Balkans.

20% jump in sexually transmitted infections / More teens being treated after casual sex

By Teh Jen Lee
HE seems just like any other 12-year-old. J J (who cannot be identified) dresses neatly and often goes out with his parents. The primary school kid has a childish face, and polite manners. And gonorrhea. Shocking but true.

J J has a girlfriend and had sex with her at home. Just as shocking - there has been a 20 per cent jump in sexually transmitted infections (STI) here. And a Berita Minggu report last Sunday said the DSC Clinic has noted a rise in STI among teenagers. J J is among the youngest patients being treated. That is all the clinic would reveal about him.

In 2002, there were 6,891 patients with STI. Last year, the number rose to 8,173, almost 20 per cent more. Mr Rahman Katama, 34, a health adviser from the Kelantan Lane clinic, confirmed that more young teens are getting STI. He has handled sexual infection cases for 11 years. He told the Berita Minggu: 'In the past, I didn't see too many young teens here. But in the last two to three years, we've seen an increase in the number of teens with STI.' Unlike older men who usually get infected by prostitutes overseas, their source of infection is teens within Singapore.

Mr Rahman said: 'It's likely that many teens can't afford to pay for prostitutes. But they get sex for free after getting to know people at, say, a karaoke club.' Indeed, his chief worry is infections being passed on through casual sex. 'Some have just got to know each other through IRC, in pubs, clubs or KTV, but they have sex soon after. Some have one-night stands, maybe at the beach or in places where they don't have to pay for privacy.'

Although more teens are getting treated, Mr Rahman warned that these may just be the tip of the iceberg. He said those infected have had five partners on average.

There are those who have had 10, and 'in a recent case, a 15-year-old girl had 20 partners in just one year,' said Mr Rahman. Many of the teenagers are serving NS. 'They usually live in three- or four-room flats and are mostly not from broken families. But these are children whose parents have no time for them.' Three counselors who spoke to The New Paper said the lack of supervision is a main factor in children being exposed to casual sex and contracting an STI.

Ms Sara Dean, from the Association of Women for Action and Research, said: 'They probably don't have positive role models and come from families where parenting skills are lacking.

'Many young people have sex as a substitute for love and attention. So sex education should encompass ways to have healthy and respectful relationships, as well as what sex is meant to be and not meant to be.'

Education should begin at the upper primary level and involve parents so that they are comfortable talking about sex, said psychologist Danny Ng. 'Kids today grow up faster because of easier access to sex information. Naturally they will be curious and want to experiment. 'But for a moment of fun and excitement, they may end up paying for the rest of their lives.' He thinks graphic pictures showing STI are needed to remind children of the dangers of casual sex. 'If you just tell them not to do it, all the more they will. Instead, give them the full impact; don't pull the punches,' said Dr Ng. The young need to stop thinking that they won't get STI, said Madam Lalitha Nair, a health adviser at DSC Clinic for over 10 years. 'Just because their partners are young and look healthy, they think it's safe. They don't realise the symptoms take time to surface.

'They also have very simplistic ideas about relationships. After knowing someone for one day, they have sex and expect the other person to be clean. And they think by not using contraceptives, they are showing trust.' Mr Yet Tun Hoong, a youth service manager at Beyond Social Services, feels safe sex should be emphasised if the trend of youngsters getting STI is to be reversed.

And Dr Wei Siang Yu, founder of meggpower.com, a website to educate surfers about love, sex and babies, thinks that it is also important to respect the privacy of young people. In school, students are unlikely to ask teachers about sex because they don't want them to know about their relationships. Dr Wei said: 'At the doctor, they are accompanied by their parents, so how to ask? But if they can SMS their question to a doctor - we have found that to be effective. 'This is not about knowledge transfer, but about helping them to find reasons to protect themselves - it's about empowerment.'

HE'S only 18 but he claims to have had sex with a long line of teenage girls. Rudy (not his real name) ended up with sexually transmitted infections. But even that hasn't stopped him from having casual sex. It started when he was 14, with a girl he met through mutual friends. 'We met at Far East Plaza. I remember having to pluck up courage for the first time. I just wanted to try it. 'At first, we were just being affectionate. Then we ended up having sex by the stairwell,' said Rudy in an interview with Berita Minggu.

The New Paper tried to contact him directly, but we understand he is in detention and did not want to be interviewed again. Last Sunday's Berita Minggu report quoted him as saying: 'As soon as I got to know a girl, whether through my friends or through chatrooms, I only wanted to have sex with her. 'I didn't think about making any of them my girlfriend. 'It doesn't matter where I have sex - I've tried them all, at the girl's house, in my house, by the stairs, in vacant lots or on Sentosa beach.' He claims to have had 70 encounters but this could not be verified. And six of his partners were reportedly made pregnant. He convinced them all to abort. His promiscuity soon caught up with him, though.

In April, he was shocked when a doctor diagnosed him with gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted infection. 'I felt intense pain when urinating. There would be a burning sensation and it would ache. I don't know who I got the disease from.' The full-time national serviceman went to see the in-camp doctor and was referred to a specialist at DSC Clinic. The clinic confirmed his case.

Rudy, who is the youngest of nine siblings, said he had a urine test, and was given injections and two weeks' worth of antibiotics. He was also asked to return after three months for further testing. You would think getting gonorrhea would make Rudy think twice about sleeping around. On the contrary, he still found it hard to control his urges and carried on chasing one-night stands. Has he ever visited a brothel?

His ironic answer: 'No, never. I will never have sex with a prostitute. They are too dirty.'

Aug 27, 2004 - Singapore's Sex Scene - Sexual Prejudice At Its Absolute Worst

Singapore not so straitlaced
By Michael Backman
Asia Online

Chewing gum remains largely banned in Singapore, there's heavy media censorship and the Government intervenes in most spheres of economic and private activity.
It has all contributed to Singapore's reputation as being straitlaced to the point of being boring. Or is Singapore so straitlaced?

August 9 was Singapore's National Day. The previous evening, what was billed as Asia's biggest gay party, the Nation Party, was held in Singapore. It was part of three days of high-profile gay-oriented events that were kicked off with an opening party at Singapore's Suntec Convention Centre, not far from Singapore's new Parliament building.

Sponsors of the Nation Party included Motorola, Ralph Lauren (which took the opportunity to launch a new fragrance for men during the festivities) and Moet & Chandon, which hosted a VIP tent.

Several plays were staged to coincide with the event. Posters for them appeared in public places around Singapore. One was for a play called Mardi Gras. It showed two men dressed only in Lycra briefs. The other was for Top or Bottom, a none-too-subtle reference to gay anal sex, and starring, among others, Kumar, Singapore's best-known transvestite. Both plays were staged in the Jubilee Hall at the Raffles Hotel, a venue ultimately owned by the Singapore Government.

Per capita, Singapore probably now has as many gay men as London, or even more. (According to a Time magazine survey of Singapore published in mid-2003, there were seven saunas "catering exclusively to gay clients". Essentially, these are venues that do not offer sex to clients but allow sex between clients on premises.) And there is a growing number of obviously gay bars and clubs.

Singapore, what has happened to you?

And yet oral sex that does not lead to full intercourse remains illegal in Singapore, as do homosexual acts. Singapore's Court of Appeal upheld the oral sex ban in 1997 and a man was jailed in Singapore last year based on this ban. The court referred in part in its decision to an Indian case that dates back to 1817 in which a man was charged with having intercourse with a buffalo's nostril. I kid you not.

That's exactly what the Singapore Government seems to want: to appear
disapproving of all this, while making money from it on the side. Prostitution is permitted. Indeed that's one of the great ironies of Asia: prostitution is permitted in Singapore but is illegal in Bangkok. But pimping, soliciting and streetwalking are not permitted. Pimping can attract stiff penalties including lengthy jail terms. But prostitutes who are registered are quite able to work in
licensed brothels that operate openly in Singapore's Designated Red-light Areas (DRAs), of which there are about six in which as many as 400 licensed brothels operate. The principal DRAs are located in Geylang, Flanders Square, Keong Saik Road and Desker Road. Additionally, escort services and private callgirls are permitted. Most brothels cater to locals. Women from mainland China, Malaysia
(especially Sarawak and Sabah), Thailand, Laos and the Philippines make up the core of the sector's workforce.

Prostitutes are required to register and carry a Yellow Card supplied by the Government. It is the same size and in the same style as a national identity card and carries the holder's photograph and thumb print. Card holders are required to submit to a health check every two weeks.

How many prostitutes are there in Singapore? No one knows for sure, although no doubt the Government does, but it's not telling. David Brazil in his book No Money, No Honey! on commercial sex in Singapore put the figure at about 6000.

Prostitution is apparent even on Orchard Road. The Orchard Towers complex, right on Singapore's premier shopping strip, has earned the moniker The Four Floors of Whores. It's not a DRA, but you wouldn't know it. It has several discos that cater mostly to a Filipino crowd. Massage parlors and KTV lounges that specialize in mainland Chinese prostitutes also operate from the building.

THE law here allows the caning of children but there are guidelines to be followed, as in the caning of a 7-year-old boy at a school in Jurong last week.

The United Nations, however, is against corporal punishment for children under 18 years. In fact, it recommended last year that the law be changed here so corporal punishment is prohibited in schools, homes and the juvenile courts. The Government, however, made it clear last year that it will abide by existing Singapore laws. Corporal punishment is allowed under the law. (See other report, below.)

The Government argues that under strict guidelines, children can be caned if they commit serious offences. The UN argues for other forms of punishment.

Asian societies, for example, tend to emphasize duty, social obligations and the greater good of the community. While elsewhere, there might be a greater leaning towards rights and checks against possible abuse.

The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) told The New Paper that in 1995, Singapore became a signatory to the UN Convention on The Rights Of The Child (CRC). And every five years, after the initial report in 2003, the Government has to provide a comprehensive report to the UN.

Singapore already has a variety of laws here, including the Children and Young Persons Act, protecting children's rights.

The Government felt the respect for human rights here was already at a much higher level than in many other countries which have acceded to such conventions. Professor Tommy Koh, who was then Ambassador-at-large, had said then that not signing would 'project Singapore as seemingly out of the mainstream of the international community'. But there were several points where the Government didn't agree with the UN. For example, under article 19 of the CRC, children under 18 cannot be subjected to corporal punishment including caning. But the Government argued that the laws and social context here are different. The Government said children should be taught to be responsible for their actions.

Among other things, the Government said in its initial report last year that it allows corporal punishment to be meted out to children in primary school. Guidelines here already do not allow for children in child-care centres to be caned. A delegation led by Mr Chan Soo Sen, Minister of State for Education, presented the report to the UN Committee on the Rights on the Child in 2003.

In a reply to The New Paper, the MCYS said: 'The delegation highlighted Singapore's emphasis on handling child misconduct through a wide range of verbal and counseling methods, with caning and corporal punishment of male children being permitted only for serious offences and misbehaviors and then only under controlled circumstances in institutional settings.'

But the UN Committee's response was to recommend that the Government 'amend legislation to prohibit corporal punishment in the home, schools, institutions and the juvenile justice system.' The Government, however, argued it could only accept the obligations it could fulfill and those that did not extend beyond the Constitution.

On corporal punishment, the Government argued that slight caning might be used in selective cases. And the laws here provide for juvenile offenders to be caned. (See other report.) But the Ministry of Education and MCYS have strict guidelines on how, when and where corporal punishment can be meted out to children.

THE CRC is an international treaty that recognizes the rights of children, defined as persons aged below 18 years. The convention is essentially a comprehensive charter of child rights, setting standards that governments should meet in providing healthcare, education, legal and social services to children below 18 years in their countries. It was first adopted by the United Nations in 1989.

It is a result of 10 years of consultations and negotiations between government officials, lawyers, healthcare professionals, social workers, educators, children's support groups, non-governmental organizations and religious groups from around the world. On Oct 2, 1995, Singapore acceded to the convention.

Article 19 of the CRC states; that children must be protected against 'all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse' while in the care of a parent, legal guardian, or any other person who has the care of the child.

CORPORAL punishment is used in schools only as a last resort and it can only be meted out to male students, by the principal or an authorized teacher.

The Ministry of Education specifies that corporal punishment should not be carried out in anger and should be done with a light cane on the palms or buttocks, and that other members of the school staff are not allowed to mete out corporal punishment.

Parents must be informed by the school of the punishment and details of the offence.

If they feel that the punishment has been too much, they can report the matter to the ministry, which will then investigate and take appropriate action against errant school personnel. In juvenile institutions such as boys' homes, corporal punishment can be meted out only by the home's superintendent, or an authorized person.

Only the superintendent or, in his absence, an authorized person can administer corporal punishment.

It is used to punish errant children for misdeeds and not meant to abuse the child.

AMERICAN-BORN Chinese men may be all the rage these days, but make no mistake, the Caucasian male is still very much the flavour of the year. I could be wrong, but as far as I can see, out of every 10 couples walking down our streets, at least two or three are a Caucasian/Asian mix.

My friend Karen recently took up with an Australian man two years her junior. At 30, Karen says she has finally found her man. Not that she's been looking for that special white male - Karen, like all women, just wants to be loved. But the backlash Karen has faced over her new partner, especially from local men, has been less lovable. She ranted about being stared at everywhere they went ('One old man at the coffee shop even walked over to our table to get a better look at him!').

Some voice their disapproval by hurling insults as they pass them on the street. 'And some even ask me why I would choose a white man over a man of my own race! I have one word for them: IN-bloody-SECURITY!' she practically screamed.

I totally sympathise with Karen. After all, several years ago, I went through the same experience - except my Mr White was English. Regardless, in the eyes of the angry Singaporean male, he could be American, English, Jewish or Amish, white is white and 'the bleddy foreign talent is taking everything from us!'

Firstly, whether you like it or not, the Caucasian man is bolder when it comes to approaching women. He has no qualms about offering to buy a girl a drink or starting a conversation. Also, he never uses the line, 'Can I be your friend?' because the invariable answer is almost always a firm 'No'.

Sars or not, more and more foreign talent come here every day in search of a better life. From the US alone, the American Embassy estimates that there are about 15,000 to 17,000 Americans living in Singapore. Even if terrorists scared away every single one of them, there would still be plenty of British, French, German and all manner of Caucasian men here who are asking us out on dates (okay, hitting on us) constantly.

Meanwhile, save for the girls that slither around in remnant bits of black stretchy cloth at Boat Quay and Orchard Towers, most Singaporean women who end up dating Caucasian men didn't go out of their way looking for one. It simply happened that he was the only man who had the courage to ask her out. Ultimately, for most girls, it's what's inside a man that keeps us with him. It doesn't matter if you're Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian or Caucasian - if you're a prat, you're a prat.

Your skin color won't change that. The women worth keeping are the ones who accept you for what you are, chicken legs and all. They choose their man based on his values, how he treats her and her family, and quite often, the size of his bank account.

TEENS IN A POLL SAY 21 IS TOO LONG TO WAIT TO BE CONSIDERED AN ADULT BY LAW. THEY MATURE FASTER, ARE MORE EXPOSED THESE DAYS BUT...

YOUNG Singaporeans want to become adults earlier. They can handle the responsibilities, they say. 'Teenagers these days mature and develop faster than the previous generation because of greater exposure to the many aspects of life,' said student Lee Ti Nah, 15.

In Singapore, the widely accepted legal adult age, or legal age of majority, is 21.

In a straw poll by The New Paper on Sunday of 50 people aged 21 or younger, 35 felt the legal age should be lowered to between 18 and 20. Of these, 26 thought it should be 18. Older Singaporeans begged to differ. Twenty-seven out of 50 people above 21 felt the legal adult age should remain at 21. Do teens like Li Nah fully comprehend the responsibilities that come with becoming an 'adult'?

The top five things that the younger respondents associate with being an adult were:

Of these, only voting requires the person to be at least 21 years old and what about adult responsibilities?

Earning money and caring for the family, said the teens, but few realize is that being 'legally adult' also bestows you the responsibilities of deciding on your nation's leaders, the power to sign binding contracts and get married without the consent of parents or guardians. The age of majority is the age that one becomes a legal adult and gains full legal rights. In Western countries such as Australia, the UK and most states in the US, the legal adult age is 18.

In Korea, pressure from young people, civic activists and politicians has led to a proposed revision in the age of maturity, from 20 to 19. Our poll also showed that few Singaporeans - only 14 of the 100 - want the legal age to drop below 18. Student Andy Tan, 23, put it simply: '(An adult should have) a combination of intellectual, physical and emotional maturity.' Madam Adeline Tan, 44, a sales executive and mother of two children, aged 19 and 12, said: 'It's the age at which people are more mature and can think better. Boys complete their national service at 21 and tend to be more mature.' Mr Tony Ong, a youth counselor from Fei Yue Family Service Centre, said: 'People may be getting more street-smart, but are they mature enough to handle certain adult situations?

'The current legal adult age is for the general majority. But what if one day people mature at 12? Does it mean we leave them to make all decisions?

'I think the (current) legal adult age is to protect some young people who might still be vulnerable and are less informed to make important decisions.' Lawyers interviewed said there is no specific law in Singapore that states the legal age of majority. But the biggest leap into adulthood at 21 could be signing binding contracts, which requires one to shoulder much financial and legal responsibilities.

For example, one needs to be at least 21 before being allowed to vote or get married without consent but one can consume or buy alcohol and cigarettes by the time he or she is 18.

Said lawyer Nakoorsha Abdul Kadir: 'In Singapore, the age of majority follows the common law, which says it's 21.' Mr N Kanagavijayan considers the age of majority to be 21 as 'the Constitution says you have to be 21 to renounce your citizenship'. Not everyone is clear about Singapore's age restrictions. When we asked the 100 respondents to name the correct legal ages for 15 activities, only slightly more than half gave correct answers for eight of the activities.

If you thought every Singaporean would know the legal age for R-rated movies (21), you're wrong - 34 of the young respondents did not. Only eight knew the legal age to be charged in an adult court is 16. (Depending on the offence, those below 16 may also face punishment in the same court.)

The legal age of employment (12) in Singapore is even lesser known. Not one respondent nailed the answer.

With the current accent on the young, Singapore's youthful population and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's call for more active participation by young Singaporeans, the legal age becomes more than a formality.

Do young Singaporeans feel equipped to handle the responsibility that comes with being an adult?

A 15-year-old student who gave his name only as Clifton said: 'At 16, we're mature enough as we already have exposure to sex education.' Level-headed adults might argue that it takes more than sex education to make a person a grown-up. One adult, however, thought it might not be a bad idea to lower the legal adult age.

Said Mr Gerard Ee, executive director of Beyond Social Services: 'It seems the young are a bit cushioned (by the current legal age). Their thinking is like, 'Let's leave everything until we're 21. I'm still a kid now.'.'

'If the legal adult age is lowered to, say 18, it may force them to grow up a little bit faster. The only reason I'd lower the age is to help young people become more responsible and socially and politically aware at a younger age.'

CAN HAVE SEX, BUT CAN'T GET MARRIED; CAN GO TO WAR, BUT CAN'T WATCH VIOLENT FILMS. ARE S'PORE'S AGE MARKERS CONTRADICTORY?

REMEMBER how turning 21 was such a big deal for everyone? It wasn't for me - I'm never one for elaborate birthday celebrations. So it was the age I received the perks of being an adult, so what? I turned the big 21 in 1999. My friends celebrated their fully-fledged adulthood. Some threw extravagant parties (with lots of alcohol of course). Others lost their virginity or caught their long-awaited first R-rated movie.

For these people, as with many other young people, turning 21 means getting the key to freedom, to do things how they want, when they want and where they want. Which essentially meant being able to go to R-rated films or being able to apply for a credit card.

For me, turning 21 merely meant growing a year older. Okay, I confess - it felt good to be able to catch a R-rated movie legally. But even before I was officially an adult, I was never one to care for legal age limits. I first went to a club when I was 16 (the age restriction for nightspots then). It was there that I had my first taste of alcohol - even though I had to be 18 to drink or buy the hard stuff. And on several occasions after that and still underage, I managed to get alcohol at convenience stores without getting my IC checked. At 19, when I went to my first R-rated film, the cinema usher asked for my IC. I lied that I had left it at home. She didn't buy it, but for some strange reason, she let me through. For two years until I turned 21, I continued to watch R-rated movies at the cinema. While curiosity accounted for much of my rebellion, I was also confused by the many different legal age limits. I didn't understand why I could have sex when I was 16, but not get married without my parents saying yes if I was not yet 21. So I concluded it was okay to have premarital sex but not so good to marry young. I remembered asking some adults about this - and all they told me was that sex outside of marriage is frowned upon in our 'conservative' society. I also thought it strange that I could drink alcohol and smoke at 18, but not watch a R-rated movie until I was 21. Because as far as I was concerned, the last activity was the least of the three evils. So, I was deemed old enough to have sex, hold a job and steer a car by the time I was 18, but too immature to view sexually explicit or physically violent scenes on the big screen.

The way the Government rationalized how the young grew up and matured just didn't make sense to me.

But many others have voiced their views about the incongruity of the different legal-age laws before, and to no avail. So no point in me arguing until the cows come home.

Young Singaporeans want to become adults earlier and want a lower legal adult age.

Once upon a time, I felt the same way. But now, in my fifth year of legally-defined 'adulthood', I'm not so sure I was ready then to become an adult because it isn't all about fun and freedom. With the perks come the responsibilities. Yes, I wanted to be able to watch R-rated movies freely at 18, but I sure wasn't ready to sign a legally binding contract at that age.

So young Singaporeans, think twice before you say you want a lower legal adult age.