A LOUNGE in Jalan Ipoh became one of the most sought after nightspots within a month of its opening.
And the lure was not good music, but an eyeful from female Filipino and Thai band members who would strip to their bras and underwear after a few riffs every night.
But on Thursday, the energetic performance by the seven women was cut short by eight Immigration flying squad officers who had posed as patrons for three nights.
The lounge had hired the band three weeks ago to lure customers from other nightspots in the area and it had received rave reviews from the crowd.
Immigration enforcement director Datuk Ishak Mohamed said the band members had been performing daily between 9pm and 2.30am.
He said the girls were performing in bras and underwear, covered only with transparent tops, not realising there were undercover Immigration officers in the crowd.
The raid, dubbed Ops Sayang, followed a tip-off.
“We found the lounge management had not applied for professional passes for the foreign band, rendering them illegal,” said Ishak.
“The lounge was competing with other clubs in the neighbourhood and probably decided on the performance on top of the singing to attract more customers,” said Ishak, adding that the band members were promised a salary of between RM1,000 and RM1,500 a month by the management.
Besides the band members, two Bangladeshi bartenders wearing cleaner tags were detained in the two-hour raid. Those detained were aged between 20 and 25.
“The club manager was arrested for hiring foreign workers without permits,” said Ishak.
Investigations revealed that the band members had entered the country as tourists and were granted social visit passes under the government’s visa-onarrival scheme to promote Visit Malaysia Year 2007.
“Their visas show that they are regulars here but we are examining the stamp on their passes to see if it is fake,” he said.
Ishak advised foreign bands to obtain special permits from the Immigration Department and from the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry before entering the country.
“Most club managements prefer to hire foreign performers as they are cheaper compared to local artistes but they should go through the proper channel.”
“It is better to be safe than sorry. We do not want to ruin a good night out with our raids,” he said.
It is a must for foreign performers to apply for the passes.
Without the passes, foreign performers are not allowed to perform or appear in any event.
He said those detained in the raid face charges under Section 33(b) and Section 55 of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
If found guilty, they can be fined up to RM10,000 or jailed up to five years, or both.
Source: The Malay Mail
And the lure was not good music, but an eyeful from female Filipino and Thai band members who would strip to their bras and underwear after a few riffs every night.
But on Thursday, the energetic performance by the seven women was cut short by eight Immigration flying squad officers who had posed as patrons for three nights.
The lounge had hired the band three weeks ago to lure customers from other nightspots in the area and it had received rave reviews from the crowd.
Immigration enforcement director Datuk Ishak Mohamed said the band members had been performing daily between 9pm and 2.30am.
He said the girls were performing in bras and underwear, covered only with transparent tops, not realising there were undercover Immigration officers in the crowd.
The raid, dubbed Ops Sayang, followed a tip-off.
“We found the lounge management had not applied for professional passes for the foreign band, rendering them illegal,” said Ishak.
“The lounge was competing with other clubs in the neighbourhood and probably decided on the performance on top of the singing to attract more customers,” said Ishak, adding that the band members were promised a salary of between RM1,000 and RM1,500 a month by the management.
Besides the band members, two Bangladeshi bartenders wearing cleaner tags were detained in the two-hour raid. Those detained were aged between 20 and 25.
“The club manager was arrested for hiring foreign workers without permits,” said Ishak.
Investigations revealed that the band members had entered the country as tourists and were granted social visit passes under the government’s visa-onarrival scheme to promote Visit Malaysia Year 2007.
“Their visas show that they are regulars here but we are examining the stamp on their passes to see if it is fake,” he said.
Ishak advised foreign bands to obtain special permits from the Immigration Department and from the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry before entering the country.
“Most club managements prefer to hire foreign performers as they are cheaper compared to local artistes but they should go through the proper channel.”
“It is better to be safe than sorry. We do not want to ruin a good night out with our raids,” he said.
It is a must for foreign performers to apply for the passes.
Without the passes, foreign performers are not allowed to perform or appear in any event.
He said those detained in the raid face charges under Section 33(b) and Section 55 of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
If found guilty, they can be fined up to RM10,000 or jailed up to five years, or both.
Source: The Malay Mail
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