A CHINESE national on holiday in Singapore fell in love with a suave, good-looking Malaysian, but the man turned out to be a pimp who forced her to service more than 6,000 clients in the republic.

China Press quoted the 35-year-old woman, who wished to be known only as Lim, as saying that her nightmare lasted more than two years.

She entered Singapore as a tourist in 2002 before befriending the businessman, in his 30s, who subsequently won her heart.

"After two weeks of courtship, he proposed to me. He even wanted me to meet his parents in Malaysia. I thought I had met my true love and followed him.

"That was the beginning of my nightmare. I was confined to an apartment's room for two years and nine months," she was quoted as saying by the daily.

Lim said there were more than 20 other women kept in the apartment, adding that they could not escape as the vice syndicate watched their movements closely.

"When I refused to trade my flesh, I was beaten up and tormented physically and mentally over three days. I could not take the stress and gave in eventually," she said, adding that she was forced to service an average of six clients daily.

"They only released me almost three years later when I no longer held any value to them."

Lim, who returned to China after her release, recently came back to Singapore to help a mother locate her missing daughter whom she believes could have met a similar fate.

A photograph of the missing woman, who is a singer, was published in China Press.