Welcome to Downtown KL, R-18 Edition
Bukit Bintang is the undoubted heart of KL, the capital of Malaysia. The main drag, Jalan Bukit Bintang, is surrounded by malls of both upper and lower ends, with cafes and restaurants of all shapes and sizes flanking its colorful traffic and colors. The author is rather happy that he will have the chance to reside in this downtown neighborhood, given that the last tenure he had in the city was confined to its outskirts, with little experience of its center aside from that of a weekend tourist. Surely the convenience of the city center, with countless shopping options, will make life much easier this second time around.
However, one thing has been seriously bothering the many men, both of the residential and tourist types, that frequent the Bukit Bintang neighborhood. That is, it is nearly impossible to get away from the throngs of prostitutes that inhabit its sidewalks, making themselves heard and seen as early as 8:30pm when the author walks through on his way to work. By the end of the work hours at 7pm, the aggressiveness of the ladies have only increased many-fold, with many thrusting themselves into the bodies of the passersby just to make sure they know "massage" are on offer.
This is not new. Malaysia has been visibly "into" this particular industry since years ago. But what is scary is just how unregulated and open this sort of behavior can be in the very middle of the city, the most popular, most frequented, most "showcase-like" neighborhood in the entire country. It should be family-friendly (given the large numbers of foreign and domestic families walking into the malls and restaurants) and ought to be well-policed (rather ironic that the massive police HQ building is down the street from Jalan Bukit Bintang). And this is, after all, a conservative Muslim country. Blind eyes to the ladies is incomprehensible.
There really is no point discussing the economic needs of the sex industry, of course. This is not just a Malaysia issue but one that engrossed most of Southeast Asia. Yes, this stuff is good money, and for those who are unwilling to partake in it, largely harmless. Those who will answer the solicitations will do so enthusiastically, and those who are more likely to frown upon it will shrug the ladies off as a mildly inconvenient fact of life. Thus, financially speaking, it is more of a "why not?" question. The benefits are too many and the costs too few, from a direct, visible point of view.
That is not to say there are no negative externalities. The most of obvious of which is the image Malaysia as a country projects to foreign visitors. Like products, countries can very much be branded to anything from premium to the mass-market. Much of Southeast Asia has been on the mass-market side for too long. East Asian visitors come because everything from the airfare to the hotels to the food are cheap, but not because Malaysia as a country will wow them with exoticism or life-changing inspiration. They do not come with such expectations and they leave with none.
Yes, then, they are satisfied. But Malaysia is not a winner in this equation. People, once wealthier and capable to saving up quickly, will bypass the general neighborhood and search for the premium destinations. Most notably, amid the rolling hills of New Zealand and ancient castles of Western Europe, people find a new part of themselves, going back home a different person, made happier by seeing what are usually only available in movie sets and imaginations. The ladies of Bukit Bintang, unfortunately, cannot provide the same feelings of personal transformation.
In fact, any form of "instant tourist gratification," whether it be delicious food, comfy hotel rooms, and shopping sprees, cannot make that lasting impact on true travelers. These are the people who are willing to spend large quantity of money and efforts in search of a certain life meaning they have yet to find in their daily routines back home. They cross the world to climb mountains, go to distant remote towns, dive deep into oceans just to make their lives more wholesome. Malaysia, and Southeast Asia as a whole, should be afraid that they cannot offer such moments of epiphany to their visitors.
Malaysia is not short of true natural and man-made wonders. From Petronas Towers to the caves of Sarawak, it has plenty to impress the tourists in ways that will change their lives. It would be too sad to see such splendor shoved to the back of people's mind, as they end up being assault each morning with loud inquiries about whether they want a "misses" for the night. Don't eradicate prostitution (it can't be anyways) but don't just let it grow without control. Regulate them to make them a part of culture (as Amsterdam and Tokyo can attest) that can seem exotic but simultaneously sophisticated in a unique way.
However, one thing has been seriously bothering the many men, both of the residential and tourist types, that frequent the Bukit Bintang neighborhood. That is, it is nearly impossible to get away from the throngs of prostitutes that inhabit its sidewalks, making themselves heard and seen as early as 8:30pm when the author walks through on his way to work. By the end of the work hours at 7pm, the aggressiveness of the ladies have only increased many-fold, with many thrusting themselves into the bodies of the passersby just to make sure they know "massage" are on offer.
This is not new. Malaysia has been visibly "into" this particular industry since years ago. But what is scary is just how unregulated and open this sort of behavior can be in the very middle of the city, the most popular, most frequented, most "showcase-like" neighborhood in the entire country. It should be family-friendly (given the large numbers of foreign and domestic families walking into the malls and restaurants) and ought to be well-policed (rather ironic that the massive police HQ building is down the street from Jalan Bukit Bintang). And this is, after all, a conservative Muslim country. Blind eyes to the ladies is incomprehensible.
There really is no point discussing the economic needs of the sex industry, of course. This is not just a Malaysia issue but one that engrossed most of Southeast Asia. Yes, this stuff is good money, and for those who are unwilling to partake in it, largely harmless. Those who will answer the solicitations will do so enthusiastically, and those who are more likely to frown upon it will shrug the ladies off as a mildly inconvenient fact of life. Thus, financially speaking, it is more of a "why not?" question. The benefits are too many and the costs too few, from a direct, visible point of view.
That is not to say there are no negative externalities. The most of obvious of which is the image Malaysia as a country projects to foreign visitors. Like products, countries can very much be branded to anything from premium to the mass-market. Much of Southeast Asia has been on the mass-market side for too long. East Asian visitors come because everything from the airfare to the hotels to the food are cheap, but not because Malaysia as a country will wow them with exoticism or life-changing inspiration. They do not come with such expectations and they leave with none.
Yes, then, they are satisfied. But Malaysia is not a winner in this equation. People, once wealthier and capable to saving up quickly, will bypass the general neighborhood and search for the premium destinations. Most notably, amid the rolling hills of New Zealand and ancient castles of Western Europe, people find a new part of themselves, going back home a different person, made happier by seeing what are usually only available in movie sets and imaginations. The ladies of Bukit Bintang, unfortunately, cannot provide the same feelings of personal transformation.
In fact, any form of "instant tourist gratification," whether it be delicious food, comfy hotel rooms, and shopping sprees, cannot make that lasting impact on true travelers. These are the people who are willing to spend large quantity of money and efforts in search of a certain life meaning they have yet to find in their daily routines back home. They cross the world to climb mountains, go to distant remote towns, dive deep into oceans just to make their lives more wholesome. Malaysia, and Southeast Asia as a whole, should be afraid that they cannot offer such moments of epiphany to their visitors.
Malaysia is not short of true natural and man-made wonders. From Petronas Towers to the caves of Sarawak, it has plenty to impress the tourists in ways that will change their lives. It would be too sad to see such splendor shoved to the back of people's mind, as they end up being assault each morning with loud inquiries about whether they want a "misses" for the night. Don't eradicate prostitution (it can't be anyways) but don't just let it grow without control. Regulate them to make them a part of culture (as Amsterdam and Tokyo can attest) that can seem exotic but simultaneously sophisticated in a unique way.
" Do not take home and sleep with women who do not want to be communicating at a higher level in the days, weeks, and months ahead. "
ReplyDeleteA bit patronizing towards Taiwanese women, wouldn't you say? They can't judge the utility of a short-term relationship for themselves?
"The dancing is just the by-product of drunkenness, a valve to release the alcohol-infused euphoria that is bound to come with downing glass after glass of hard liquor."
ReplyDeleteIn other words, I need to come party in Taipei.