No approvals for new massage parlours in Yuhua area since December 2022: Grace Fu

SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has stopped granting approvals for new massage parlours around some public housing blocks in Yuhua since December last year, said Member of Parliament for Yuhua SMC Grace Fu. 

Ms Fu, who is also Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, said she has been working with HDB and the police to manage the number of licensed massage parlours in the vicinity. 

The Singapore Police Force has also been conducting regular enforcement checks, she told CNA. 

The area in question is located along Jurong East Avenue 1 and covers Blocks 342 to 354. The last approval for a licensed massage parlour in this area was issued in November 2022. 

On Nov 15, Shin Min Daily News reported that more than 10 massage establishments have sprung up in an HDB estate between Jurong East Avenue 1 and Jurong East Street 32 in recent years, with some of them suspected of providing sexual services. 

According to the report, every HDB block had at least one massage establishment, and women in revealing clothes and heavy make-up would sit at the door waiting for customers. 

When CNA visited Jurong East Avenue 1 on Nov 16 and Nov 24, Blocks 342, 343, 344, 348, 349, 351, 352 and 353 had at least one massage parlour. Some of the outlets also provided traditional Chinese medicine treatments or beauty services alongside massages. 

While there were some uniform-clad women sitting outside some of the massage parlours, none of them were dressed in revealing clothes or wore heavy make-up. CNA also did not see any of them soliciting customers. 

MASSAGE PARLOURS AROUND "FOR SOME TIME"

Residents and businesses CNA spoke to did not appear to be concerned about the proliferation of massage parlours in the area.

An employee at a nearby bakery told CNA that most of the massage parlours have been operating in the estate "for quite some time", and that she did not notice any new ones opening recently. 

"I’m not interested in massages so I don’t know much. I only walk past them. Some of them look a bit suspicious, but I haven’t really seen anything happen before," said the woman, who declined to be named.

A 67-year-old male resident who wanted to be known as Mr Sim told CNA that he has dinner at the nearby hawker centre on most days. However, he has not been approached by anyone from the massage parlours before. 

"I don’t really walk past very often. None of them have been so daring to approach me."

A shopkeeper who runs a clothing store in the estate said most of the massage parlours have been here for at least a few years. 

"I haven't seen any women sitting around outside, so I don't really have any reasons to find the outlets suspicious," she added. 

A furniture store employee who declined to be named said he personally had no problem with the numerous massage parlours in the area, but could understand why others would feel differently. 

"Maybe they think that there are just too many outlets in one small area. But I think it's because the rent here is relatively cheaper."

He said he had not seen anything suspicious in the one-and-a-half years he has been working at the furniture shop. When asked if any of the massage parlours were new, he could not recall any that had opened in the time he had been here. 

"Maybe those people who live in the area who haven't been here in a while would come back and be surprised at the number of outlets that opened," he said.

"If there is really an issue, the police should come and investigate."