Invasion of China Dolls

Every weekend, a large number of tourists from Brunei would descend upon Miri just a few hours’ drive away, to seek reprieve from the puritanical restrictions within the Islamic sultanate of Brunei, and indulge in what would be haram in Brunei. Entertainment is a huge industry in this oil town, and you can get whatever you are prepared to pay for.


Sim Kwang Yang
Saturday, 19 December 2009 01:26

SARAWAK FOCUS The last time I went back to Kuching City for a brief visit, the talk of the town was the significant presence of those Little Dragon Ladies or China Dolls in the hotels, massage parlours, health spas, and reflexology centres.

They are easily distinguished from girls from elsewhere, by their distinctive Chinese accent, their loud dress mode, and their fondness for straight dyed long hair. Apparently, late at night when their ‘work” was over, they would descend upon certain eateries and indulge in fine expensive dining.

Then, the headline stories broke in the Borneo Post, with some housewives in Miri complaining about their husbands being lured astray by these China Dolls, spending days and weekends away from home to be with these seductresses.

My ears are hot with all those stories about the exploit and adventure of these China Dolls that all claim to be from reliable sources, but since they cannot be independently verified, I will refrain from spreading rumours, even if in Sarawak, rumours are sometimes more accurate than published news.

Prostitution joints in disguise

Still, I find it hard to believe that these well-dressed and over made-up Chinese ladies are in Kuching City and large towns to take advantage of our humble institutions of higher learning, since they are unlikely to have knowledge of Bahasa Malaysia or English, or take in the sights in many of our eco-tourist destinations.

Prostitution – this the oldest profession in the world – has always existed in Sarawak, as in everywhere all over the world. But vice has always been very much hidden in this decent, sedate, and laid back state. Prostitution joints are mostly illegal, or disguised behind some other form of licensed establishments.

Unlike some countries that are our Asean neighbours, sex-tourism has always been frowned upon in Malaysia, in order to minimise the impact of tourism on the local culture and the healthy social ambience in our country.

In Sarawak, the focus of developing our tourism has always been trained upon the magnificence of our natural beauty and the diversity of our way of life.

But the Borneo Post report of the presence of an army of China Dolls is believable.

Every weekend, a large number of tourists from Brunei would descend upon Miri just a few hours’ drive away, to seek reprieve from the puritanical restrictions within the Islamic sultanate of Brunei, and indulge in what would be haram in Brunei. Entertainment is a huge industry in this oil town, and you can get whatever you are prepared to pay for.

Eartly pleasures for the rich

Sarawak is a poor state, and people are struggling to make ends meet. But there is no shortage of politically connected people who can make a killing in the business world over a short time. They and their cronies would also be looking for exotic entertainment. After all, as they would tell me, what is the point of making money if you do not indulge in the vast pleasure that money can buy?

The company of those China Dolls must be one of these earthly pleasures readily available for the rich men in Sarawak.

Already, the Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Fatimah Abdullah (right) has called for concerted effort from all authorities to stop and prevent health spas and reflexology centres for being misused for immoral activities. The Bekenu state assemblywoman Rosey Yunus also shares her sentiment, calling for prompt actions to preserve family values in Sarawak.

These lady politicians were probably expressing their gender solidarity with those poor housewives whose husbands have been stolen by the seductive ladies from China. That is why they talked about family values.

One can argue that for those married men with some money and straying eyes, the government can never stop them from extracurricular activities outside their home, China Dolls or no China Dolls.

But this is an issue larger than the question of broken families and unfaithful husbands.

It is a question about crimes and the Rule of Law in Sarawak. Rampant prostitution creates a network of agents, pimps, bouncers, and even drivers. The vast amount of money generated by prostitution also makes it possible for widespread corruption among the law enforcement agencies.

Flower at home vs jungle flower

Investigative journalism is rare in Sarawak. We are unlikely to have reporters probing into the extent of China Dolls engaged in profitable but immoral activities. Friends from the newspaper world in Sarawak had told me more than a few stories about how they were hounded by elements from the underworld for stories that were published on crimes.

But the stories in the Borneo Post should not be too hard to confirm or disprove. Those establishments talked about in the news reports operate quite openly in Sarawak. Covert intelligence gathering and regular surprise checks would soon determine whether there are China Dolls working under suspicious environments without a work permit.

Above all, the local town councils which licensed such health spa must ensure better regulations for such establishments, to make sure that they are bona fide businesses that care for the health, and not only the libido of their customers.

My last point of curiosity is quite frivolous. I am partial to Sarawak ladies myself, and I keep telling my West Malaysian male friends Sarawak women are the prettiest in the world.

Why then would those Sarawak men go after the China Dolls? Is it the case that the flowers grown at home are never as fragrant as wild flowers in the jungle?

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