The Police have issued 10-day Closure Orders to 20 massage establishments, which were found to have breached the Safe Management Measures (SMM) on mask-wearing within their licensed premises. During enforcement checks, police officers had detected either a masseuse or customer not wearing a mask during the massage. Where the customer was the party not wearing a mask, the masseuse had failed to enforce mask-wearing before providing a massage. These massage establishments and customers were also fined $1,000 and $300 respectively for a breach of the mask-wearing SMM.
Massage establishments are to ensure that all staff and customers remain masked up at all times while within the licensed premises, even during the provision of a massage. Only customers who are using saunas, onsens or having facials done, may be exempted from mask-wearing.
The Police will continue with enforcement checks at massage establishments to ensure compliance with safe measurement measures, alongside enforcement on existing rules under the Massage Establishments Act.
Massage establishment operators who do not comply with safe management measures may be liable for a fine not exceeding $10,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both, for the first offence. Higher penalties of a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment for up to twelve months, or both, may apply for subsequent offences.
Members of the public are advised to take the prevailing safe distancing measures seriously. For non-compliance with safe distancing measures under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, offenders may be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000, or both.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
16 June 2021 @ 6:55 PM