As we start a new year, we pray that this year will be marked by prosperity and peacefulness for families and residents.
In Geylang, it is almost difficult for relatives or friends to visit the residents during the holidays over the past 3 to 5 years. The reasons being visitors are concern of the security and embarrassments that of their wives, female siblings, friends or teenage children especially in the evenings. Such street prostitution activities have attracted crimes ( example, recent report of a robbery on 2 prostitutes from China ).
As Brian (johntv.com) has well said - Street Prostitution is not a victimless crime. The victims are the prostitutes, the johns' families, residents, women working in affected areas. In Singapore, Geylang is always viewed as red-light district where in reality there are much more interesting places one can find including popular local restaurants, Muslim schools, mosques, Buddhist temples, clans, trade associations and architectural conservation buildings for locals, families and tourists to visit. Besides, there are affordable accommodation for tourists for the many budget hotels as well as housing with more than 50 residential apartment blocks.
In each of the 44 numbers of lorongs ( i.e. side streets or lanes ), one can find interesting places to visit or view. Beside this, the main Geylang Road is convenient located near to Geylang Serai Market, Joo Chiat area as well as future Paya Lebar second offices and commercial area. It takes about 10 to 20 minutes to walk to these places.
Prostitution is legalised in Singapore ( where you can find some brothels in a few designated even-numbered lorongs in Geylang ); however, street prostitution soliciting are illegal.
In recent years, the increase of street walkers had resulted in more security and environment problems as crimes are attracted alongside such activities including robberies, thefts and even a case of murder linked to a foreign prostitute.
There are children (schools) as well as worshippers (temples, mosques) who frequent Geylang daily, hence, we urge Singapore authorities (i.e. Hotel licensing Board, URA, Public Entertainment Licensing Unit, Anti-Vice Branch,NEA, etc.) to deal with the problems seriously and coordinately because we are concern of the safety of the innocent people accessing this area. Besides, with the recent news about more tourists staying in the budget hotels in Geylang due to tight availability of hotel rooms in the usual hotels; there are urgent needs to increase security in this area to protect the tourists as well.
