a guide to mp spa operation for all new & old massage lover

[smith.zxcv77]

hi all,

Since receiving a golden handshake from sales of my RBS Wealth to ANZ a while ago and with all my children working overseas, I am free to live a comfortable life. Being a lover of massage, I spend an average SGD 500- 1k a week on good massage including HJ,BM depending on the quality of the masseur.

If you are a regular massage lover or cheongster looking for regular release, this information maybe useful to you. I have a few high level mata AV friend who have confirmed these information are accurate at the time of writing.

MP/Health Centre/SPA/TCM


There are 3 categories of licensed MEs , namely, Cat II, Cat I and Provisional Cat I as follows:-

Cat II MEs

a. Cat II MEs are not allowed in HDB residential areas and commercial complexes. Examples of premises that are considered suitable are shopping or commercial complexes and hotels;

b. Cat II MEs are to be situated away from residential areas, hospitals, schools and places of worship;

c. Only citizens and permanent residents of Singapore and Malaysians with valid work permits can be employed in the establishment. Approval from Police Licensing & Regulatory Department must be sought before any employee is allowed to work in the establishment;

d. Employees who are working as masseuses, therapists or foot reflexologists are subjected to compulsory annual medical health screening before the licensee can register them online with the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department;

e. By 2015, at least 80% of the masseuses/therapists are to have the required certification recognised by Police Licensing & Regulatory Department (PLRD).

The percentage of certified masseuses/therapists required before a licence can be issued or renewed will increase gradually over 3 years to meet the 80% requirement by 2015. The period of application/renewal and the corresponding percentage of certified masseuses/therapists required are as follow:


Period of Licence Application/Renewal

Percentage of Certified Masseuses/Therapists

Before 1 Jan 2013 At least 50%
1 Jan 2013 to 31 Dec 2013 At least 60%
1 Jan 2014 to 31 Dec 2014 At least 70%
From 1 Jan 2015 onwards At least 80%


f. With effect from 1 July 2012, employees will need to wear Company uniform. The design of the uniform must be submitted to PLRD for approval.

New ME Licence Applications
New applicants need to be able to comply to this condition before the licence can be issued.

Existing MEs - Renewal
Existing CAT II MEs will be given a grace period of 3 months from the date of commencement of the renewed licence to comply with this condition.

Cat I MEs
[Note: New ME Applicants who wish to apply for a Cat I ME as they are unable to meet the location restriction for Cat II ME or employ foreign nationals other than Malaysians would need to first apply for a Provisional Cat I ME licence. Existing Cat II ME operators who wish to upgrade to a Cat I ME directly may submit an ’Upgrade’ application to do so if they are able to meet the Cat I requirements and have obtained Case Trust Accreditation.]

a. Permitted premises include shophouses, HDB neighbourhood centres, private shopping centres, commercial complexes and hotels;

b. Cat I MEs are allowed to employ foreign nationals other than Malaysians with valid work permit. Approvals from the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department must be sought before any employee is allowed to work in the establishment;

c. At least 80% of the masseuses/therapists/foot reflexologists are to have the required certification recognised by the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department;

d. Capital investment of at least $50,000/- in renovation costs, assets or rental;

e. Company uniform;

f. A minimum of a 2-year lease OR the floor area of the establishment must be at least 100m2;

g. Accreditation by Case Trust; and

h. Employees who are working as masseuses, therapists or foot reflexologists are NOT REQUIRED to go through the annual medical health screening.


ii. Provisional Cat I MEs


[Note: Provisional Cat I licence is an interim Cat I status for new ME applicants who wish to operate a Cat I ME but would require about 6 months to obtain the Case Trust accreditation. Provisional Cat I MEs are allowed to operate in HDB estates (subjected to approval) and employ foreign nationals other than Malaysians. The criteria for Provisional Cat I ME is the same as Cat I ME except for those marked with an asterisk.]

a. Permitted premises include shophouses, HDB neighbourhood centres, private shopping centres, commercial complexes and hotels;

b. Category I massage establishments are allowed to employ foreign nationals with valid work permit. Approvals from Police Licensing & Regulatory Department must be sought before the employee is allowed to work in the outlet;

c. At least 80% of the masseuses, therapists or foot reflexologists are to have the required certification recognised by Police Licensing & Regulatory Department;

d. Capital Investment of at least $50,000/- in renovation costs, assets or rental;

e. Company uniform;

f. A minimum of a 2-year lease or the floor area of the establishment must be at least 100m2.

g. Letter of Acceptance by Case Trust; and

h. Employees who are employed as masseuses, therapists or foot reflexologists ARE REQUIRED to go for compulsory medical screening before the licensee can register them online with Police Licensing & Regulatory Department.

HOWEVER, in recent months, in order to by pass or illegally do the business, the operator uses 2 other ways of setting up shops:

1. By using a Chinese medical doctor licence and operate a TCM. Typically, the owner will pay a TCM licence owner (who maybe presence in the shop but often just lend the licence to these masseur for a monthly income). And operate like a TCM. In these outlet, you will not be able to see any licence like Cat 1 or 11 display. Most masseur here do not have massage certificate like ITEC or other government standard courses.

2. The shop will operate more like a Beauty, Facial, nail polish shop with some Nuskin, facial cream product on display but offering massage.

The above 2 types of shops will be the risky as they are not allow to operate massage services and will be fine and ask to close if raided. But most of these operator are shop e.g. tanjong pagar, fortune, peace centre, PPC etc.

So, for the safety of my cheongster friend, do take precautions as you cheong!. Good to look out for the sticker outside the shop like Cat 1 or 11 if you do not want to take risk. Off-course the high end spa like Adeva, Ikeda, g SPA are the safest. Second group will be health centre in hotel or big establishment like Hans, Tang, Roxy etc all under Cat 1 even though you can get some special once in a while.

A group of the Cat 1 (with case trust certificate) are also offering HJ as the masseur wanted to make some "tips" and the owner either closed one eye or do no know what's going on e.g. in beach road gxxxxx b or race course road Cxxxx ++

Please do not ask me for more information as I am just doing a quick favor to a few friends who ask me for details after a few raid recently.

[KimEmma]

So many rules & regulation .

[tikogoh]

I'm sure getting the licences are not cheap. The cycle of illegal massages will continue again

[hairspa]

Thanks for the detail information. I was wondering why the window on the door, why sign in with real name, why wear uniform, why some no need. Am i right to say that those advertise in the new paper are those that we a cat 2 or cat 1 permit. I came across a few mp now with china prc tourist pass just for a month or short term visit. These must be the dangerous one!

[4getful]

Read over n over, still have no idea what it trying to say

[SexSinner]

Thanks for the info. Insightful.

[DrPussy]

thanks for sharing, still confused.

Got the isea the safest is with lot of $$