Singapore Diary: Can Sugar Relationships Be As Sweet As One Thinks

Massita Ahmad, Bernama's correspondent in Singapore shares her stories from across the Causeway. SINGAPORE, Feb 7 (Bernama) – Like everything else in the age of internet, finding love and companionship too has become so easy these days. The numerous dating and matrimonial websites have united countless men and women in partnerships or matrimony. However, the thesugarbook.com dating site promises something different. The Malaysian based platform founded by Darren Chan promotes sugar relationship, where love and companionship are exchanged for money and support. Hence, a wealthy man or woman can become the sugar daddy or sugar mommy respectively by providing money and support for young women or men, the sugar babies, in exchange for love and companionship. Though such liaisons were frowned in the past, going by the numbers garnered by the website, it is obvious many are open to the idea of finding love and companionship in exchange of financial support. In Singapore alone, the site has witnessed 20,000 signups since starting operations in Dec 2016, the second biggest group behind Malaysia. However, the dating site has sparked concern in Singapore and the issue has been brought to the Parliament on Monday. Members of Parliament Seah Kian Peng and Tin Pei Ling had raised questions, among others, on the government’s position on the dating platform which targets young females. "Singapore police will keep a close eye on thesugarbook.com, as well as the individuals who use its services," said Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee who responded to the question. For instance, Lee said if there was any procurement of sexual services for payment, the police would take enforcement action under the Women’s Charter, including the website and its owners. “While we collectively object to such websites, the more effective and enduring solution lies in increasing the awareness of young people to such dangers so that they exercise discretion and good judgement when navigating the online world. “Students in Ministry of Education schools are taught to establish boundaries for personal safety, discern risks, and exercise sound judgment when going onto online platforms and managing relationships, both online and offline,” said Lee. In addition, Lee said during Cyber Wellness lessons, they learn about safe and responsible use of technology and cover topics such as danger with cyber contacts. “We will also link up with our universities and polytechnics to help raise awareness of such risks. At the same time, parents play a critical role in guiding their children and helping them to stay away from undesirable online content. “At the end of the day, while we recognise that these websites undermine families and society, our best defence is for society, communities and our families is to reinforce values that anchor us so that we do not to succumb to such influences,” said Lee. According to Lee, sugar dating platforms like thesugarbook.com commoditise and devalue relationships under the cover of a ‘mutually beneficial arrangement’. Relationships become transactional, an exchange of money and gifts in return for companionship and “other” services. However, what is of greater concern is that the site targets young people who are in their late teens and early 20s, even while they are still students at polytechnics and universities, exposing them to the risk of being exploited and abused. These transactions are fundamentally imbalanced, in favour of older and wealthier people. Young women, for instance, may feel compelled to comply with their wishes or demands, and risk physical or sexual harm if they reject them. -- BERNAMA