'I really can't hang on': S'pore's family KTV operators craft appeal letter & take grievances to Meet-the-People sessions

As Singapore's vaccination rate grows steadily and the economy gradually reopens — a slew of Covid-19 restrictions were eased in early August allowing people to dine in and other businesses like gyms and fitness studios to operate again — one can say that a sense of normalcy has returned.

For most people in Singapore, that is.

Singapore's entertainment industry is still in shambles, and for the many family karaoke operators here, the indefinite nightmare brought about by the pandemic is far from over.

In their last bid to fight for survival, several KTV operators crafted an appeal letter to request for a reopening on September 15, which they sent to their Members of Parliament (MPs), these include the Multi-Ministry Taskforce co-chairs Gan Kim Yong, Lawrence Wong, and Ong Ye Kung.

Hoping for some clarity

Since March 2020, all nightlife establishments were not permitted to operate.

In October 2020, selected nightlife establishments including family KTVs were allowed to pivot their business to other permissible activities, should they receive an approval from the authorities to do so.

However, in the span of time from October 2020 to July 2021, family KTVs have been hard hit by the fluctuating number of Covid-19 cases, forcing them to open and close several times.

Once again on July 16, the government announced that all pivoted nightlife establishments, numbering around 400, would be suspended for two weeks due to the outbreak of the KTV Covid-19 cluster.

Family KTV operators like Frank Per, owner of Sing My Song Family Karaoke at Paya Lebar Quarter, said they were at their wits' end.

I met Per on Aug. 30 at Choa Chu Kang, where he was queuing to meet the Finance Minister and MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Lawrence Wong at his Meet-the-People session (MPS).

Per had prepared a detailed letter of appeal addressed to Wong, a copy of which he handed to me, listing out his predicament as a family KTV operator.

As 80 per cent of Singapore's population has been vaccinated, Per and other operators have taken it as a good sign and time for them to make an appeal.

All Per wanted was some clarification on whether family KTVs will be allowed to reopen in the next three months, or at the very least, an update on the direction Singapore's entertainment industry can head towards.

He also wants to propose for a pilot for the reopening of family KTVs, possibly with small groups being allowed in each room and safe management measures in place such as replacing microphone covers.

"Most of us need to exit also, we can't just [continue] waiting for so long," he said. When asked how long his business could last, Per said it was "to the limit already".

Besides reopening, the KTV operators also hope to have "a clear exit path" with protection against potential lawsuits from landlords and stakeholders as a form of short-term support to the nightlife operators.

Back at Choa Chu Kang, Per managed to rally a small group of family KTV operators, all of whom were looking for a mere hint as to when things might look up for their business.

Why pivoting business is not feasible to some?

Steven Ng was one of these aggrieved family KTV operators gathered at Choa Chu Kang. He has closed his business, K Voice Karaoke at 321 Clementi, since the end of 2020.

Despite attempts to pivot to selling food in Nov. 2020, Ng gave up after two months.

"F&B is not my forte. I'm not designed for it, otherwise I would have started a [F&B] business long time back," he said.

Additionally, he added that the location of his karaoke outlet, on the upper floors of a tiny neighbourhood mall situated next to the bustling Clementi 448 Market and Food Centre and other coffee shops, was simply not "favourable" for selling food.

After all, who would visit the place for standard food fare when they can find hawkers nearby who have been specialising in a dish and plying the trade for years?

Both Ng and Per make it clear that while they are appreciative of the government allowing them to pivot their business and generate some revenue, it's evident that the move is merely a stopgap and unfeasible in the long run.

Thus far, Ng has had zero revenue from the karaoke outlet since its closure. Per is also in the same boat, since the suspension in July, and both men have had no income during these periods of closure.

Per shared that he is currently facing mounting debt, and that even if his business is closed, he still foots the bill for rent, which is over S$30,000 per month.

Although the 0.5 months of rental relief KTV operators received helped marginally, Per says it is simply not enough for them to put food on the table.

New restrictions tough for operators

KTV operators have also had to contend with stringent and evolving Covid-19 restrictions.

In end-July after the two week suspension, the government announced that pivoted nightlife establishments will be able to reopen — on the condition that they adhere to additional safe management measures on top of those imposed on F&B outlets.

These measures include installing CCTV cameras throughout the premises, as well as locking all private rooms, and using only the main hall for F&B operations.

Businesses must also remain completely closed until they pass inspections and receive a conditional permit.

These "onerous requirements" — as Lau, the owner of Romance KTV Pub at Serangoon Garden Way, described — has proven a host of problems for KTV operators.

Not all of these karaoke outlets have a main hall in their premises, and having to lock all the rooms essentially means they are left with no space to even operate their pivoted business out of, which is the case for Per.

According to Lau, Ng and Per, the inspection process is also a tedious one.

Inspectors do not arrive the next day once the relevant documents have been submitted. Ng shared that some KTV operators have waited three weeks for inspection, but have not received any answer.

Said Ng:

Unfair to have blanket treatment

Another main gripe is the lumping together of family KTVs with other nightclubs and KTV lounges that offer illicit services.

The KTV operators at Choa Chu Kang find the blanket suspension of all KTVs unfair, and considered the KTVs that carried out errant actions as "black sheep" in the industry.

In his appeal letter, Per described the government's actions as "discriminatory", stating that these rotten apples continue to take advantage of loopholes and operate illegally, while 'cleaner' family KTVs are "criminalis[ed]" and forced to shut down.

"Every industry has black sheep, but to penalise all [KTVs], it's a bit harsh. You cannot blame the whole industry for this problem," Ng said.

Lau agreed, tacking on that he felt the recent suspension and subsequent safe management restrictions were "made in haste".

This distinction between family KTVs and nightclubs and lounges is something Per and other family KTV operators hoped to bring up to Wong during the MPS, and hope the government can consider in future policies.

A lot more at https://mothership.sg/2021/09/family-ktv-meet-people-session