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An opinion piece published in Nikkei Asia claimed that KTV lounges are run by organised crime groups and are a front for money laundering
MHA's senior director of joint operations said several points in the story are false
He said the writer “made sweeping statements, without basic checks”


SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has slammed an opinion piece that was published in Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei Asia, saying it was “full of inaccuracies”. The commentary had criticised Singapore's law enforcement agencies for their “failure” to clamp down on vice activities at karaoke television (KTV) lounges, the source of an ongoing Covid-19 cluster.

The piece, titled “The institutional failures behind Singapore's latest Covid outbreak”, was published on July 23.

Written by Mr Andy Wong, who was described as a “political and business intelligence analyst based in Singapore”, it charged that these KTV lounges — the source of an ongoing Covid-19 cluster — are fronts for money laundering and “illegal brothels” run by organised crime groups.

In a response to Nikkei Asia, which was sent to the media on Wednesday (July 28), Mr Sam Tee, who is senior director of joint operations at MHA, said that this was false.

He said that Singapore is one of the least likely places in the world for organised crime syndicates to run vice operations, as there are laws against organised crime, money laundering and human trafficking.

While the Government is aware that sex workers visit these KTV lounges to get patrons, it cannot prevent people from meeting in such places, Mr Tee said.

However, any sexual activity would be a breach of licensing conditions.

[*]There  are many many "Andy Wong" around incl the chap who wrote infamous  Nikkei article all different people  but with same name

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coincidently, it is the same andy wong.  this writer is also charged for the telegram case.