Debated in Parliament on 7 May 2026.
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.
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 Foo.
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?
Yes, that is the plan.
PAPERCUTS