Quiet By Day Seedy By Night

Source : The Electric New Paper, April 28, 2008

Geylang condo residents upset over illicit activities in area, spend $130,000 to set up 'security cordon'

CONDOMINIUM in Geylang has become a fortress of sorts, and it's no thanks to the seedy characters who often loiter around it.











Peaceful for now: During the day, it's just another sleepy residential area, but the action heats up at night, to the irritation of condominium residents. Pictures: Kenneth Koh, The Straits Times

By night, the tranquillity of the Aston Mansions estate is disrupted by loud music blaring from the cluster of pubs lining the main road.

Along the back alleys of Geylang Lorong 42, where the condo is at, streetwalkers haggle over the price of sexual services.

Sometimes, residents can even catch an illicit, passionate moment or two.

The situation becomes worse on weekends, with illegal parking along the two-way lane that is wide enough for just one car.

And residents find themselves jostling with motorists for space on the narrow road.

Fed-up and frustrated, the management council of Aston Mansions decided to dip into their sinking funds to implement proactive, preventive measures on their own.

In the past year, the committee has spent more than $130,000 to put a security cordon of sorts around their condominium.

They have put up electronic parking barriers to prevent outsiders from parking on the estate grounds and issued access cards to allow only residents to open the gates around their compound.

Raising the bar: Residents have put up electronic parking barriers to prevent outsiders from parking on estate grounds.

They have also built a spiked fence to deter intruders and installed a network of some 35 closed-circuit television cameras to monitor blind spots.

A committee member who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan told The New Paper on Sunday: 'We've alerted all the various authorities - from the police to the Land Transport Authority and even the National Environment Agency.

'To be fair, they've responded and tried to arrest the situation, but there is only so much they can do right now.'

Most residents living in the 159 units in the two blocks of eight storeys at Aston Mansions felt that the 'vice' has seeped down to Lorongs 42 and 44.

Once night falls, the coffeeshop that serves Vietnamese cuisine at the corner becomes 'a hive of illicit activities', according to residents.

The New Paper on Sunday spent two weekends there to observe the action.

Scantily-clad women thronged the cluster of eight pubs, openly approaching male strangers.

By 11pm, operations at the coffeeshop spilled over to a five-foot walkway and even onto the road pavement, packed with makeshift tables and chairs.





















Eyesore: Prostitutes vying for potential customers in the area in the wee hours of the morning.

Mr Tan said: 'The situation is made worse when illegal parking takes place on the small lane with a road divider.

'Residents who want to avoid the walkway are forced to walk on the narrow road.'

It did not help that large foam boxes are stacked high in the walkway near the shop on the opposite side.

Another committee member, who wanted to be known only as Madam Tan, said: 'Often we have to try to manoeuvre along the driveway and compete with motorists on the one-way lane.'

Then there is the open display of affection and saucy price-haggling.

A resident who wanted to be known only as Gladys said: 'You'd be amazed at how bold these women can be.'

Her bedroom window faces the back alley.

She added: 'There is the occasional illicit action that takes place in full view!'

Some irritated residents have even resorted to throwing bags of water at couples engaging in indecent acts.

ANIMALS IN HEAT

Said one resident who declined to be named: 'If you want to behave like an animal in heat, then you will be treated like one!'

She was especially concerned because she has a teenage son.

Another upset resident, who wanted to be known as Pete, claimed there were a few occasions when his son, in his early 20s, was approached.

Pete said: 'I cannot help but worry if it'll just get worse... or what if another impressionable youth has less discipline.'

Noise pollution from the boisterous customers and their lady companions until the early hours of the morning add to the frustration of the residents.

There are also fights occasionally, and drunken revellers leave vomit.

Most of the residents want the same intensive clean-up done at Joo Chiat for Lorong 42.

Said Ms Gladys: 'Do it before the seediness permeates our estate.'

Mr Tan added: 'From what we understand, the owner of the coffee shop was evicted from Joo Chiat but because their licence is still valid, they have found a new spot.'

The New Paper on Sunday approached a coffee-shop assistant who confirmed that they were previously operating at Joo Chiat.

Leading grassroots efforts to address the problem is Dr Fatimah Lateef, the area's Member of Parliament.

Last week, the MP for Marine Parade GRC lit up a 300m stretch of alleyway between Lorong 34 and 36, where streetwalkers are known to roam.

While Dr Fatimah stressed the need to 'contain' the streetwalker problem, she said: 'I am quite realistic. I know we will not be able to get down to zero overnight or in a few weeks... What I want to do is contain the problem so that it doesn't get rampant and doesn't get into the residential areas.'

And that is something the residents of Aston Mansions hope to do.

Said Mr Tan: 'We just want to regain ownership of our neighbourhood.'