On 10 July 2018, Wang Dajiao was convicted in court for an offence under Section 5(1) and punishable under Section 5(4)(a) of the new Massage Establishments Act 2017 (MEA) and fined $7,000.
On 6 March 2018, Wang Dajiao was caught operating a massage establishment without a valid licence at Yi Shui Fang Massage along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1. She is the first person to be convicted for the offence under the new MEA, which carries enhanced penalties since it came into force on 1 March 2018.
Three other persons, Muhd Khaled Bin Abdul Rahim, Low Boon Hoe and He Yue, who had separately operated a massage establishment without a valid licence, were similarly convicted on 13 July 2018 for the same offence and fined between $3,000 and $8,500.
The Police will continue to take strong enforcement actions against unlicensed massage establishments, as well as errant licensed massage establishments. Operators of unlicensed massage establishments are liable for the enhanced penalties under the MEA. First time offenders can be fined up to $10,000, or face imprisonment of up to two years, or both. The maximum penalties for subsequent convictions will be doubled or more – a fine of up to $20,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
19 July 2018 @ 4:10 PM