Johor getai singers flocking to Singapore

The Seventh Lunar Month is in full swing, during which it is traditionally believed that the gates of Hell open to let spirits roam the streets. But during this Hungry Ghost season, there is a different kind of hungry visitor from across another border: the Malaysian getai performer.

Malaysian acts have long been familiar sights in local getai, which are concerts believed to appease ghosts so that they do not disturb the living.

However, with the ringgit at a record low against the Singapore dollar (about RM2.97 to S$1), more Malaysians are crossing the Causeway to take advantage of the stronger Singapore currency.

The result is a Malaysian invasion, with some Singaporean acts feeling the heat, say getai organisers.

Veteran local getai organiser Peter Loh, 64, estimates there is a 30 per cent increase in the number of Malaysians coming here. He is organising 30 concerts across Singapore during the Hungry Ghost season, which runs from Aug 14 to Sept 12 this year.

For him, it makes financial sense to hire Malaysians because they are cheaper and better.

"Malaysian performers do whatever they can to make their shows more exciting - from spending more money on costumes to changing their act," says the man who has been organising getai concerts for more than 40 years. "Singaporean performers are very sui bian (lackadaisical in Mandarin) in comparison."