KUALA LUMPUR (July 17): Vietnamese women topped the list of foreign sex workers fleshing out a living in the country last year.

This is based on the arrest of 3,456 Vietnamese from the 12,434 foreigners picked up for the vice nationwide.

According to the police, the arrest of the Vietnamese might be an indication they were dominating the flesh trade in Malaysia.

The number of Vietnamese women arrested had increased by 2,196 cases, as compared to 2011, said Bukit Aman's Secret Societies, Gaming and Anti-Vice Division principal assistant director Datuk Abdul Jalil Hassan.

He said most of the Vietnamese sex workers usually carried out their activities at nightclubs, karaoke lounges and massage parlors.

"Their attitude in not being too demanding, in terms of payment, make them the ideal choice. For example, if they were told to serve drinks to customers, the customers would merely give tips for the service, without additional tips if the women were asked to sit and join them.

"The same goes for sexual service. If they were paid RM100 for the 'body-to-body' massage, the payment is treated as a 'one-off', even if the customer asks to have sex," he said.

Abdul Jalil said apart from Vietnamese women, the police also picked up China nationals (5,165), Thais (2,009), Indonesians (1,418), Filipinas (845) Indians (139), Myanmars (114), Uzbekistan nationals (70) and Cambodians (70).

Other foreigners involved in the flesh trade were from Bangladesh, Laos, Uganda, Nigeria, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Singapore, Hong Kong, Russia and Canada.

Abdul Jalil said the police also carried out 42,788 raids to combat the vice with the highest numer of raids in Johor (8,749), followed by Kuala Lumpur (8,620), Selangor (6,663) and Perak (5,426).