Enhancing Screening Process for Those Applying for Licences under Massage Establishment Act
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Foo Cexiang’s inquiry regarding whether the Singapore Police Force will enhance screening for Massage Establishment Act license applicants, particularly those associated with past offenders or individuals under investigation. Senior Minister of State Ms Sim Ann explained that 2017 amendments expanded police assessments to include responsible officers and persons with substantial interest in or control over the business. In determining fitness and propriety, the Police consider criminal antecedents, past regulatory breaches, ongoing investigations, and potential risks to law and order or social disamenity. Senior Minister of State Ms Sim Ann clarified that the Police may refuse licenses if an applicant’s associations with previous offenders cause law and order concerns. She further confirmed that these comprehensive screening standards will also apply to the new categories of massage establishments under the expanded licensing regime.
Transcript
10 Mr Foo Cexiang asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Singapore Police Force will consider enhancing the screening process of applicants for a licence under the Massage Establishment Act (MEA), especially for association with persons who have breached MEA licensing conditions or are facing ongoing investigations.
The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Ms Sim Ann) (for the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, In 2017, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) amended the Massage Establishment Act (MEA) to expand the Police's consideration when assessing massage establishment (ME) licence applications to include assessments of the responsible officers of the business entity and all persons with a substantial interest in, or have control or direction over the business.
Responsible officers include business partners if the business entity is a partnership, members of the governing body if it is an unincorporated association and directors or officers holding similar managerial executive positions if it is a corporate body. If these persons are not fit and proper, the Police can refuse to grant an ME licence.
In assessing the fitness and propriety of a person to be granted a ME licence, the Police would consider, but is not limited to, criminal antecedents, past breaches of ME regulations, if the person is facing ongoing investigations and if granting the person a licence is likely to affect law and order or give rise to social disamenity. If the Police assess that a person's association with others who had previously breached ME licensing conditions could cause law and order concerns, the Police can also refuse to grant an ME licence.
Mr Speaker: Mr Foo.
Mr Foo Cexiang (Tanjong Pagar): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State for her answer. With the expansion of the licensing regime for the MEA, can I also confirm that the considerations she has just described, in terms of Police screening, will also apply to the new category of MEs which, today, they are not licensed under the Act?
Ms Sim Ann: Yes, that is the plan.