As more details of the recent KTV cluster come to light, the authorities are ramping up enforcement actions.
Now they will be deporting 10 women who had served as hostesses at KTV lounges which had pivoted to F&B.
Additionally, they’ll be cancelling the women’s Short-Term Visit and Work Passes.
According to The Straits Times (ST), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) had conducted an islandwide operation targetting pivoted KTVs from 13 to 15 Jul.
They raided a total of 27 KTVs, where officers found 281 people.
Police arrested 29 women aged 20 to 47 for offences under the Women’s Charter, the Immigration Act, and the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has reportedly deemed 10 of the women to be “undesirable immigrants”.
Apparently, the women had served as social hostesses and intermingled with different groups of patrons. One of them even interacted with a patron at a KTV lounge that recently had to close for deep cleaning and disinfection.
In total, police arrested 29 women for working without a valid work pass or flouting the conditions of their pass.
They had also breached safe management measures under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.
In their statement on 16 Jul, the ICA clarified that,
Short-term visitors cannot engage in any form of employment (paid or unpaid), or in any business, profession or occupation in Singapore.
In light of their deportation, the women will not be able to re-enter Singapore.
ICA noted in their statement that police investigations into possible illegal activities at the KTVs are ongoing.
The consequences of the KTV cluster have been dire for all of us, not just those directly involved.
If there’s anything we can learn from this incident, it’s the importance of abiding by health and safety rules.
Hence, let’s do our best to adhere to such measures and take them seriously.
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Featured image adapted from Jon Chang on Flickr, for illustration purposes only.
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