Stricter regulations to prevent vice kick in for massage parlours
Stricter regulations on the licensing and operating of massage establishments come into force on Thursday (1 March), said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the same day.
The new rules are meant to prevent vice activities and law and order problems in massage parlours, said the ministry in a press release.
All massage parlours located in HDB estates must close by 10.30pm every day with immediate effect due to the inconveniences they may cause to residents. For other parlours, the shorter hours apply when they renew their existing licences, which are usually valid for a year.
Massage parlours operating in designated areas – Orchard Road, Marina Centre, Marina Bay, Shenton Way, Collyer Quay, Changi Airport, and within hotels – can continue to operate past 10.30pm.
Another new regulation is that all licensees must ensure that there are no “indecent” advertisements. Massage parlours must remove any such advertisements upon being notified or directed by the police, said MHA.
Certain massage establishments are exempt from the need for a licence. These include outlets which provide massages in full public view or only provide scalp massages; hospitals and medical clinics; and establishments with registered practitioners, including Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners and allied health professionals. However, such outlets are still subject to the new rule regarding operating hours.
Meanwhile, establishments that are considered low-risk will no longer require a massage establishment licence. These include establishments that provide manicures, pedicures, baths, fish spas and self-operated massage devices, as long as massages are not part of the treatment or services offered.
These new regulations come on the back of the Massage Establishments Act (MEA) which was passed in Parliament last November.
Under the MEA, operators of unlicensed massage parlours face a fine of up to $10,000 or two years’ jail or both if they are first-time offenders. Repeat offenders are subject to a fine of up to $20,000 or up to five years’ jail, or both.
Landlords are obliged to take over the premises of unlicensed parlours within a month of their tenant’s conviction. Those who fail to do so will face the same penalties.
Operators of licensed massage parlours can be fined up to $5,000 if they breach the licence conditions the first time. Repeat offenders can be given a fine of up to $10,000, or two years’ jail, or both.
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