Guess COVID-19 is not just for ruining lives and livelihoods; it can uncover possible criminals too!
The index case of one of Singapore’s largest active COVID-19 clusters, a.k.a. the KTV lounge cluster, was found to be a short-term visit pass holder.
She’s a Vietnamese woman who entered Singapore via familial ties – i.e. her Singaporean boyfriend.
The thing is though… their “relationship” might not be what you’d consider the typical “boyfriend-girlfriend” type.
Possible Vice-Related Activities Linked to the KTV Cluster Discovered Through Contract Tracing; Investigation is Ongoing
Getting tested positive for COVID-19 isn’t exactly a red flag for possible criminal activity but it does seem suspiciously so when you look at the way the infection has spread within the cluster through contact tracing.
For starters, for someone who’s in Singapore to visit her “boyfriend”, she sure seems to visit a lot of these KTV outlets, including Club Dolce in Balestier Point and Empress KTV in Tanglin Shopping Centre, within a short span of time…
… which is the kind of thing you’d see if she’s illegally working as a social hostess and is hopping between KTVs.
A quick reminder that she’s here on a short-term visitor pass.
This means that she “cannot engage in any form of employment, or in any business, profession or occupation in Singapore”, as Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Ministry of Manpower (MOM) have so concisely put it.
For pass holders who broke the conditions of their stay can be prosecuted, or have their pass revoked, they themselves deported and barred from ever returning to Singapore.
On the employers’ side, if they are caught illegally hiring short-term visit pass holders, they will face a fine, get sent to prison for up to 12 months, or both.
They may also get their work pass privileges suspended.
Another important clue as to what she might be doing at those KTVs stems from the result of contact tracing.
Of the 88 positive cases reported as of last Thursday, more than 30 of them are non-Singaporeans, with a good chunk of them being work pass holders.
And guess what line of work they are in?
That’s right, being social hostesses at KTVs.
Kind of sus, don’t you think?
There were also a student pass holder and several long-term visit pass holders in the mix.
There sure be hell to pay if they were found to be illegally working in Singapore as well.
ICA: Extension of Short-Term Visit Passes is Evaluated on a Case-by-Case Basis
Many of the passes of these foreigners have expired, but due to the pandemic, returning to their country of origin isn’t as easy.
Due to this, they are allowed to apply for an extension of their passes.
The ICA has also been evaluating these extensions of short-term visit passes on a case-by-case basis, and approving them based on reasons such as whether or not flights are available, whether there are any international travel restrictions between Singapore and the country of origin, and whether or not the applicants have family ties here on the island.
“For example, Vietnamese nationals can only return to Vietnam through relief flights arranged by the Vietnamese authorities,” explained the ICA.
Featured Image: Facebook (Supreme KTV)
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