And it worked! The SMRT technician’s vote count revived itself as though Jessica had executed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The figures sped ahead and allowed Adhha to step onto the second to last beep-light twenty counts ahead of Chong Jin. By then, everyone in Studio Two was cheering for Adhha. Chong Jin folded his arms and tried to look nonchalant but it was obvious to everyone that he was seething with rage. When the last beep-light turned red for Adhha and he stepped forward to receive Jessica’s kiss of acceptance, half the audience jumped to their feet and cheered themselves hoarse. The underdog had won!
“You did it! You broke the ratings record!” Andreae was waiting at Jessica’s place upon her return. They had arranged for a sleepover to celebrate.
“I am so exhausted!” Jessica flopped onto the bed after her shower. “And I am so glad the producer arranged the filming of my outing with Adhha on Friday. It will give me a couple of days to rest.”
“You go ahead and sleep,” Andreae urged. “I will go onto the Arm Wrestle for Love website to initiate a discussion so that I can insert the link to the ‘J Bruise’ website. I’m pretty sure our sales are going to hit the roof!”
Jessica grinned and buried her head under the pillow. It was reassuring to have a friend watch her back.
The next morning, Jessica awoke to the fragrance of fresh coffee. Andreae was seated on the living room sofa nursing a cup of Old Town white coffee. There was, however, a perturbed look on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
Andreae tilted her head and looked Jessica gravely in the eye. “Something went wrong.”
“What?”
Jessica found herself ushered to the dining table where the laptop was set up. Andreae clicked her way to a page she had bookmarked earlier and said, “They found this.”
Jessica felt as though she had had the wind knocked out of her. Someone had posted a photo on the Arm Wrestle for Love website—a selfie she took when she was dating Adhha. He was without a shirt and was embracing her from behind lovingly.
“But I deleted all our photos!” Jessica stammered.
“I am guessing Adhha kept his and one of Chong Jin’s fans dug it out.”
“Oh my God! What am I going to do?”
“Jess, you should check the agreement you signed with Arm Wrestle for Love. They may hold you and Adhha accountable for not disclosing your past relationship.”
Andreae was right. There was a clause in the agreement that penalised any contestant who did not fully disclose relevant information. True enough, the producer of Arm Wrestle for Love asked for an urgent meeting that very afternoon with both Jessica and Adhha.
“This is unacceptable!”
Jessica and Adhha exchanged looks of guilt and trepidation. There was no way they could exonerate themselves.
“I will arrange a live radio interview for both of you tomorrow morning. You will come clean on air, explain yourselves and apologise to the public. It goes without saying that you will have to give up your winner’s title and all the prizes that come with it, Adhha.”
Adhha nodded solemnly. He knew his hope of securing sponsorship for the upcoming ASEAN sports meet would go up in smoke once the radio interview was over.
“As for you, Jessica, things are a little tricky,” the producer continued. “We will need to approach Mr Ng Chong Jin and ask if he is still willing to go on the official winner’s date with you on Friday. If he says yes, you will need to fulfil your part of the contract. Your chosen charity, Migrant Workers Count Too, will however not be entitled to any funding from Arm Wrestle for Love.”
Jessica felt her heart sank. She hated to have to inform Omala and Kuan Eng that she had let them down. But that would come later. She would first need to survive the radio interview.
As it turned out, the ordeal was not as tortuous as Jessica had imagined. Although one caller mocked her by reminding everyone that she had claimed honesty was an important quality she sought in a romantic partner, most of the other callers sympathised with her. So she did hide the fact that Adhha was an ex-lover, but she would always be the symbol of courage and resilience for her fans. She had made the necessary apologies and her fans chose to forgive her.
I am glad this is over, Jessica texted Andreae after she got home. I just hope Chong Jin will say no to the winner’s date on Friday. I can’t bear to see him again.
Jessica was out of luck. The same radio programme invited Chong Jin as their guest the following morning. The beloved STAR specialist was magnanimous and chose to forgive Jessica. He did not want to disappoint the viewers of Arm Wrestle for Love either, so he would still go on the winner’s date.
Why would he want to do that? Jessica screamed over WhatsApp to Andreae. Is he trying to torture me?
He just craves the limelight, Andreae texted in reply. It can be a good thing, Jess. Both you and he have a big fan base. The telecast of the winner’s date will be a treat for them, and more of them will forgive you for your lie. Just bear with it.
Jessica decided that Andreae was right; she would just have to bear with the humiliation. Once she accepted the inevitable, she went shopping for a new bikini. The winner’s date included an hour of flow-boarding at Wave House. She owed it to her fans to look good.
On the night before the winner’s date, the Arm Wrestle for Love producer sent Jessica a terse message to inform her that the shooting the next day had been cancelled.
Can I ask why? Jessica texted back.
Go to the Arm Wrestle for Love website and look for the comment by SheBangsHard.
Jessica was nervous as she fired up her laptop and sought out the website. SheBangsHard was a netizen who claimed that he knew a dirty secret about the STAR specialist. The man was not the saint his clueless fans made him out to be. SheBangsHard knew because both himself and the STAR specialist subscribed to secret website where members swapped video clips of themselves engaging in rough sex. The STAR specialist was a regular contributor. SheBangsHard provided a link to one of his uploads.
Jessica was trembling when she clicked on the link. There it was, one of the video clips Chong Jin had leveraged on to blackmail her, the one where she was savagely pounded from behind!
Jessica sat paralysed on her bed. This could not be happening. All her fans could see this! How was she going to face the backlash?
In a daze, Jessica returned to the Arm Wrestle for Love website and resumed reading. When a second reader pointed out that although Jessica was clearly recognisable in the sex clip, the man banging her was out of the frame and could be anyone, SheBangsHard defended himself with confidence. “Freeze frame and zoom in,” he wrote. “There is a photo frame on the dresser in the background. There is your beloved STAR specialist, looking splendid in his blue uniform.”
Jessica felt tears welling up. This was more than she could take. She needed her best friend by her side right now.
As she reached for her mobile phone, she noticed there was an incoming message. It was from Inspector Toh Boon Hwee, the one who had taken her statement after the Little India riot.
This is to pre-empt you that the media will likely be pounding on your door soon. Haroon, the migrant worker who carried you to the ambulance, has woken up.
Chapter 12
A blessing in disguise was what it turned out to be.
That was the thought that ran through Sharon’s mind as she skimmed the online articles. She had tasked Masri to compile a list of trending articles so she could gauge the public’s response to the new revelations that had emerged with the awakening of the comatose migrant worker.
When the lawyer representing Haroon Kumar first made the claim that no sexual assault ever occurred in the ambulance, there was uproar among the public. It was a false claim! That was what lawyers were paid to do—lie through their teeth! How could anyone doubt the suffering that Jessica Tan Jia Lin underwent the night of the riot? Overnight, six online petitions sprouted simultaneously to gather signatures and to demand that the police prosecute the rapist
Haroon Kumar. He might be weak from three months in a comatose state but the prison cell would allow him years of reposeful convalescence.
The public furore was so vehement that the police commissioner felt compelled to make a statement in response. He stated simply that Jessica Tan did not claim, in her statement taken right after the riot, that she was sexually assaulted. Neither had the medical examination she underwent revealed any evidence of physical or sexual assault.
The public went into shock. How could that be possible? Did Jessica not, at one point or another, claim that she was a rape survivor? Did she not kick-start the J Bruise Movement to motivate and support rape victims? What did she have to say now? But Jessica Tan Jia Lin could not be contacted for comments. The young woman appeared to have gone into hiding.
Prominent bloggers began to weigh in. One of them—Daxue—reviewed and analysed all the published articles that had featured Jessica over the last three months. It was true. Not once had the woman claimed that she was sexually assaulted. She simply stated that she did not wish to talk about it and by her quiescence allowed the rumour to flourish. This was a shrewd strategist at work. The woman had turned a non-event into a publicity stunt that propelled her to Internet fame and won her a national fan base in record time! Daxue professed that she would gladly pay to receive private coaching from the guru.
After the first wave of disbelief crashed against the breakwater and dissipated, waves of infuriation and grievance rolled in. The Crescent Girls for J Bruise were heartbroken to realise they had been inspired by a fake idol. Teachers who had extolled Jessica’s courage in class were embarrassed when a video clip leaked to reveal that the misplaced role model was in the habit of filming herself having rough sex. Online shoppers who had made purchases on the J Bruise website demanded refunds and compensations. When the website shut itself down abruptly, the shoppers bayed for Jessica’s blood.
That was how Sharon came to the conclusion that it was a blessing in disguise that she had failed to rope Jessica into her campaign in the aftermath of the Little India riot. The young woman was pure poison!
Sharon wondered what she could do to exploit the turn of events. The public was shocked, confused and enraged. It was the perfect opening for a politician to step in and stake a claim. Elvis had taught her that much.
But Sharon was too slow. It was another MP who jumped in and made a calculated splash. Dr Gimme Lao, MP for Zheng Hua constituency, fired the first volley.
“I am sure all of you have read about the shocking development in the papers. The migrant worker who was in a coma for the last three months has awoken. And guess what? We found out that he was not guilty of the crime everyone had judged him for. We were all mistaken. Which begs the question—who has intentionally or otherwise misled us?”
Dr Gimme Lao was the guest-of-honour in an opening ceremony at the newly-completed Zheng Hua Recreation Park. Both the event attendees and the invited media team sat up straight when he broached the topic.
“Some people have accused the young lady, Miss Jessica Tan, of spreading the rumour so that she could gain instant fame. But I, for one, doubt it. If you had followed the developments closely, you would have noticed that Miss Jessica Tan was very unwilling to talk to the media after the riot. Even when she eventually did, she stayed clear of the incident and did not at any time claim to be a victim of a sexual assault. So my question is, who pushed her to the forefront and into the limelight against her will?”
Dr Lao paused. His audience raked their memories, but no one could recall the details.
“The very first media interview Miss Jessica Tan gave was to Online Citizen, and the interview was conducted at the premise of Migrant Workers Count Too. Now we all know that Online Citizen thrives on its anti-establishment articles and reporting, while Migrant Workers Count Too is never government-friendly. Which makes us wonder… What is their hidden agenda in coaxing Miss Jessica Tan into the public eye against her will?”
“They want to stir shit!” someone shouted. Many among the attendees laughed out loud.
“I would say that is a very good guess,” Dr Gimme Lao beamed. “If we study it closely, we will realise that an organisation like Migrant Workers Count Too has its own agenda. On the one hand, they put up a front that no one can fault, for they are volunteering their time and effort to help the migrant worker community. But on the other hand, they leverage on a very popular blog called The Tornado to, like the gentleman so succinctly points out, stir shit!”
Amidst the laughter, the same gentleman shouted again, “Shut down the bloody website!”
“Now we are a democratic society that respects free speech. We cannot simply shut down a website at will.” Dr Gimme Lao raised a finger. “What we can do, though, is hold them accountable for their articles. Which is why the Minister of Information and the Arts fully supports the newest regulation imposed by the Media Development Authority of Singapore. Every website and blog that chooses to carry political content shall have to put up a $50,000 performance bond. This is to protect the public from fake news.”
Sharon chortled when she came to this part. So this was what it was about—the Minister of Information and the Arts was attacking the online dissidents via the proxy of Dr Gimme Lao. She glanced across the dining table at Yu Chin, who was similarly browsing on his laptop. “Did you read Gimme Lao’s attack on Migrant Workers Count Too? I thought it was very smoothly executed.”
“Yes, I did.” Yu Chin smiled and tapped on his laptop. “But I must say the online forum discussions are even more exciting!”
“Really! What am I missing?”
“Dr Gimme Lao’s son has publicly and vehemently denounced his own father.”
“What!” Sharon screeched and reached across to swivel Yu Chin’s laptop around so she could view the screen. In her haste she completely missed the look of petrified alarm on her husband’s countenance.
“What forum is this? Fridae.com?”
“Yes,” Yu Chin stammered. “It’s a local…LGBT website. Elvis wanted me to keep tabs on the public’s response to Gimme Lao’s speech.”
“But why on an LGBT website?”
“You probably don’t know this, but Gimme Lao’s son is gay.”
“My gosh, I have nothing but respect for your espionage skills!” Sharon laughed. “What else do I not know? Tell me!”
“Well…” Yu Chin drawled, scratching his nose to hide his blush. “Gimme Lao’s son is in a long-term relationship with a prominent gay rights activist who happens to be the legal adviser for Migrant Workers Count Too. Which explains why the son is at loggerheads with the father.”
“You are right. This is even more exciting!” Sharon grinned. “Imagine what will happen if the public finds out an MP has an out-and-proud son!”
“It’s no fault of his, really. The public ought to give the man a break.” Yu Chin did not appear keen to pursue the topic. “I was talking to Elvis earlier today. The sentencing of the first rioter will be announced next Wednesday. The media might want to interview you. Elvis wants me to help you prepare a statement.”
“Sure.” Sharon shrugged. “Piece of cake. I don’t foresee any surprises.”
But Sharon was wrong.
Late Monday afternoon, Sharon received a text message from Yu Chin. Elvis wanted to meet both of them for dinner. They would have to redraft her press statement to incorporate some new developments.
“Update me,” Sharon requested once she arrived at the restaurant. Yu Chin had already ordered food for all of them.
“We received a plea from the Indian Embassy to exonerate the rioters yesterday,” Elvis said.
“Are you kidding me? Three days before the sentencing and they make a plea?” Sharon could not hide her astonishment. “And on a Sunday? What do they have up their sleeves?”
“They have this.”
Sharon took hold of the mobile phone Yu Chin handed her and watched the video clip being played. It was a shaky recording using a smart phone. The
re was some sort of a scuffle as a Chinese man dragged an Indian man off a bus, followed closely by two others, a man and a woman. The four quarrelled inaudibly outside the bus for a minute or two before the Chinese man, who looked to be the bus driver, turned and ascended the steps. When one of the Indian men tried to push his companion up the steps, the Chinese man swivelled around and aimed a kick at the latter’s chest, sending him reeling out of the vehicle.
“This was the night of the riot, wasn’t it?” Sharon asked tremulously.
“That migrant worker who was kicked out of the bus was the one who died that night, squashed to death by the very same Chinese bus driver.” Elvis confirmed her fears.
“Why did the police never show us this clip?”
“Because they never had it. The migrant worker who shot this didn’t trust the police and chose to hand it to the Indian Embassy instead,” Elvis explained. “I received a request for a closed-door meeting yesterday. That was when the Indian Ambassador showed me this.”
“But the timing is terrible!”
“It was a calculated move,” Yu Chin interjected. “I am certain that they received the clip right after the riot. But they chose to hide it till now. They wanted to be seen stepping in to negotiate and getting a lighter sentence for the rioters. It’s going to win them lots of political brownie points back home in India.”
“What can we do now?” Sharon turned to Elvis and asked.
“I had a closed-door meeting with the police commissioner this morning. He is going to apply for a deferment of sentencing by claiming that new evidence has emerged.”
“But this clip of a local Chinese bus driver kicking an Indian migrant worker out of the bus is going to ruffle a lot of feathers.” Sharon frowned. “We are going to look very bad.”
“Which is why I am hoping not to submit this clip as court evidence,” Elvis said.
Sharon glared at Elvis, bewildered.
“Did you notice that there was an Indian woman involved in the scuffle? She is a local. And it so happened that the police tracked her down yesterday.”
The Riot Act Page 19
