SINGAPORE — Shopkeepers around Golden Mile Complex and in Geylang are keeping their fingers crossed that no extra measures, beyond the increased police presence, will be imposed in their areas, as the Government looks into measures necessary to maintain law and order in places where foreign workers congregate.

In contrast to the dampening effect the additional CCTV cameras and alcohol ban, among other measures, has had on crowds and business in Little India this past weekend, shopkeepers in Golden Mile Complex and Geylang — haunts of foreign workers from Thailand and China, respectively — reported no drop in takings despite the sight of more police officers making rounds.

The owner of Hong Giap Credit provision shop at Golden Mile, who declined to be named, said: “Take a look for yourself, nothing happens here, there is no need to change the status quo.”

Mr Thomas Quek, 64, who runs Jia Quan Xiang Zhuang provision shop at the Housing and Development Board estate opposite the shopping mall, added that restriction of alcohol sales is unnecessary in that area because the Thai workers gathered there are peaceful and usually clean up after themselves.

Resident Ding Siah Yin, 41, agreed, saying she did not mind the Thai workers as they do not get into fights and are not very noisy.

In the five hours TODAY spent around the Golden Mile area yesterday, police officers were spotted only once telling a drunk man by a stairwell to leave. When auxiliary police officers asked workers to move from the five-foot ways in front of shops to the multipurpose hall, they complied quickly.

Some workers were also seen cleaning up after themselves when they finished with their drinks.

Over in Geylang, shopkeepers said the increased police presence over the weekend was conspicuous, but it had not kept away their usual customer pool of foreign workers.

Indeed, coffee shops in the area were packed with the usual throngs of Chinese national workers eating and drinking beer.

Some residents, however, felt that even more police officers should patrol the area.

A resident in Geylang Lorong 14, who only wanted to be known as Mr Bong, said he had seen more foreign workers congregating in the vicinity in recent months. “I hope the police can do this more regularly (and) not because of some problem at Little India. This is the red-light district,” said the 40-year-old.

Foreign workers interviewed also said the increased patrols are not a bother. Said Mr Wanachai Mangkong, a Thai construction worker who has been in Singapore for 14 years: “We don’t do anything wrong, we don’t get into trouble. Work and follow the law, otherwise go Changi Prison.”