'We'll starve on regular massages': Masseuses at River Valley use sob stories to push 'special services'“如果我们不做普通按摩，我们会饿死的”：河谷按摩院的按摩师用悲惨故事推销“特殊服务”
Some massage parlours in the River Valley area are secretly offering "special" services and appealing their hardships to solicit customers, an undercover reporter from Shin Min Daily News found.Four establishments in the vicinity of River Valley Road and Mohamed Sultan Road are suspected of covertly providing sexual services, according to the Chinese publication.Acting on a reader's tip-off, a Shin Min...
Some massage parlours in the River Valley area are secretly offering "special" services and appealing their hardships to solicit customers, an undercover reporter from Shin Min Daily News found.
Four establishments in the vicinity of River Valley Road and Mohamed Sultan Road are suspected of covertly providing sexual services, according to the Chinese publication.
Acting on a reader's tip-off, a Shin Min reporter visited the parlours.
One denied having "special" services, while two others said they could discuss further during the massage.
When the reporter agreed to a massage, he was given a form asking for his personal details including name and NRIC number and told that it was to comply with police regulations.
Once he entered the parlour, however, the masseuse directly said they offered special services.
During the massage, the masseuse even propositioned the reporter with a "prostate massage" priced at $50 to $100, the report said.
Upon the reporter's refusal, the masseuse reportedly fished for sympathy and claimed she would only receive less than $10 commission for a regular massage.
The woman also claimed they had monthly performance targets to meet, else their pay would be docked.
"If we relied on regular massages, we would starve," she shared.
Parlour raided twice
The tip-off sent to Shin Min also alleged that two massage parlours with "special" services share the same owner. It said masseuses touted services online as well.
In one establishment, the reporter saw several women in revealing clothes inside, but the staff initially denied offering any extra services.
But when the reporter turned to leave, they backpedaled and said it would cost $150 on top of the fee for a massage.
The reporter then pretended that the price was on a high side and said he wanted to check the other parlour.
In reply, the staff reportedly said: "The prices are the same at both, no need to ask."
An owner of a nearby business also confirmed to Shin Min that one of these parlours had been raided in May and July.
"These two massage parlours each have at least 10 masseuses, mostly from Vietnam. They resumed operations shortly after being raided."
According to Shin Min, two establishments were also found to be "advertising" in Telegram groups.
Massage parlour regulations tightened
Police announced in April that licensing exemptions for massage establishments would be phased out under new regulations coming into force in the second half of the year.
This means that open-concept massage establishments — presently exempted from licensing — will soon need to comply with "fit and proper" requirements under a new "Category 3" licensing regime.
Category 1 licences are granted to those which operate in HDB shop houses, shopping centres and hotels, while Category 2 licences are given to those operating away from residential areas, schools and places of worship.
The requirements include ensuring that rooms, partitions or cubicles are not set up within the establishment, and obtaining land use approval from HDB and Urban Redevelopment Authority before the premises can be used as an open-concept massage establishment.
lim.kewei@asiaone.com
《新明日报》一名卧底记者发现，河谷地区的一些按摩院暗中提供“特殊”服务，并利用自身困境招揽顾客。
据中国媒体报道，位于河谷路和穆罕默德苏丹路附近的四家场所涉嫌秘密提供性服务。
根据读者提供的线索，《新明日报》记者走访了这些美容院。
其中一人否认提供“特殊”服务，而另外两人表示可以在按摩过程中进一步讨论。
当记者同意接受按摩时，他被要求填写一份表格，提供包括姓名和身份证号码在内的个人信息，并被告知这是为了遵守警方的规定。
然而，他一进按摩院，按摩师就直接告诉他，他们提供特殊服务。
报道称，按摩过程中，按摩师甚至向记者提出以 50 至 100 美元的价格提供“前列腺按摩”。
据报道，在记者拒绝后，按摩师试图博取同情，声称她一次普通按摩只能拿到不到 10 美元的佣金。
该女子还声称，她们每月都有业绩指标需要完成，否则就会被扣工资。
“如果我们只靠定期按摩，我们会饿死的，”她说道。
客厅两次遭到搜查
发给《新明日报》的爆料还称，两家提供“特殊”服务的按摩院共用同一老板。爆料还称，按摩师们也在网上兜售这些服务。
记者在一家店内看到几名穿着暴露的女性，但店员最初否认提供任何额外服务。
但当记者转身要离开时，他们却改口说，按摩费除了按摩费之外还要额外支付 150 美元。
然后，记者假装价格偏高，说他想去另一家店看看。
据报道，工作人员回应说：“两家的价格一样，无需询问。”
附近一家商户的老板也向《新明日报》证实，其中一家美容院分别在 5 月和 7 月遭到突击搜查。
“这两家按摩院各有至少10名按摩师，大部分来自越南。它们在被查封后不久就恢复了营业。”
据《新明日报》报道，还有两家机构被发现在 Telegram 群组中“做广告”。
按摩院监管收紧
警方在四月份宣布，按摩场所的许可证豁免将在今年下半年生效的新规中逐步取消。
这意味着目前无需获得许可的开放式按摩场所很快将需要遵守新的“3 类”许可制度下的“适当性”要求。
第一类许可证颁发给在组屋店屋、购物中心和酒店经营的商家，而第二类许可证颁发给在住宅区、学校和宗教场所以外经营的商家。
要求包括确保场所内不设置房间、隔断或隔间，并且在将场所用作开放式按摩场所之前，必须获得建屋发展局和市区重建局的土地使用批准。
lim.kewei@asiaone.com