2145 hrs August 14th 2005

Back from Batam,

how things have changed.

There is a certain air

of despondency

about that place now.

Gone were those days

when Nagoya Food Court

would be packed

to the brim

on Saturday nights.

All it took,

was the banning of casinos,

and the Singaporean weekend cheongsters

decided to stay away.

The government in Batam,

has obviously no clue

what drove

the Batam economy.

The men in the street,

can shoulder part of the blame

as well.

Prices in Batam,

have gone ridiculous.

When things get overpriced,

the buyers stay home

in Singapore.

Its as simple as that.

The Singaporean cheongster

who wants a weekend

of gambling,

sex,

seafood,

booze,

found gambling banned,

seafood and booze

no longer cheap,

only sex

remains cheap.

One out of Four,

surely ain't good enough,

especially when you factor in

higher ferry tickets

and hotel accomodation.

The poor Batam hookers,

left at mercy

of things quite beyond

their control.

And when the Batam economy

takes a nosedive,

the corrupt police

goes out

on a desparate

treasure hunt.

Easy money,

is not so easy

anymore.

But what about

the Singaporean government?

I am shocked

at the way,

the press goes out,

to crucify

Andrew Kuan.

Absolutely nothing good,

been said about him

at all.

When anybody

becomes so slanted,

I tend to really question why.

I may not know Andrew Kuan,

but my best guess is,

he is

really good,

that they fear him.