A woman boss of a now-defunct club convicted of procuring a Chinese national by threat to provide sex to customers was given 12 months' jail yesterday for this and three other offences.

Malaysian Chong Mun Moi was found guilty of procurement by threat, living off the 26-year-old's prostitution earnings, harbouring her and managing a place of assignation in June 2013.

The 63-year-old Singapore permanent resident, represented by Mr Daniel Atticus Xu, is appealing, and out on $20,000 bail.

Three others - her partner Lam Kwek Fah, 62; managers Sia Jin Tee, 58; and Lim Kim Siew, 54 - were jailed for helping to run a place of assignation from early to mid-June 2013. Lam got six weeks' jail. The other two got four weeks each.

Chong, then owner of Zou Entertainment,a KTV club in Keong Saik Road, had employed performing artistes to entertain customers.

The Chinese national - who cannot be named due to a gag order - came here in April that year, expecting to work as a drink promoter or bar waitress. But she ended up singing at the club where patrons "tipped" in the form of garlands.

She also did not expect to have to provide sexual services to customers so that they would purchase garlands for her.

When Chong broached the subject of providing paid sexual services, she refused. They had a quarrel. Chong then threatened to publish a notice in the newspapers in her hometown to say she was working here as a prostitute. The singer later caved in and had paid sexual service with two customers.

Deputy Public Prosecutors Houston Johannes and Rachel Lee had sought 18 to 24 months' jail for Chong. They said she blatantly exploited the Chinese national as a "helpless money-making machine''.