CopsandImmigrationnothelpinginraids,sayco~ncillors.

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CopsandImmigration
nothelpinginraids,sayco~ncillors.~~
PETALiNGJAVA:Localcouncillors
haveaccused
the policeand the ImmigrationDepartmentof
not helping their enforcement team conduct
~requentraids against massage parlours,causmg these to mushroom throughout the state.
They said that although they were aware of
the councils'lack of enforcement,they needed
help from the authorities to raid tht: places.
SelayangMunicipal Council(MPS)councillor GunarajahR.Georgeclaimedthat both the
police and Immigration Department had
refused to work with the council's enforce-
mentdepartmentonthe raids.
He said the coundllors also held a meeting
with its LicensingDepartmentyesterday.
"We instructed it to fine massage parlours
with tinted glasson the front oftheir premises.
Some massage parlours are equipped with
CCIVs-andemployinformersso they knowthe
movementofour enforcementofficersto avoid
being raided,~':saidGunarajah.
'This is also a problem for our enforcement
team. The freeze on licencesfor massage parloursin the state stays.Atpresent,we stillissue
licencesto foot reflexologycentresand par-they shouldnotbe penalisedforthewrongsof
loursrun by the blind asthey are healthy,clean
and providea goodserviceto the public."
SubangJayaMunicipalCouncil(MPSJ)coundllor Keshminder Singh K. Karam said that
although the police were not helping its
enforcementteam, the officersmust alsodean
up their act.
'The old habits of the enforcement officers
stillremain and there must be a'changeto stop
corruption.
'There are genuine massage operators and
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others. We should embrace the licensedmassage parlours because that brings income to
the coundl. The illegal ones must be closed
down,"he said.
PetalingJaya CityCoundl (MBPJ)councillor
K.W Mak said he had nothing against legitimate massageparlours.
"Iunderstand the policewould recommend
such places to the coundl before the licences
are issued. It is the same for nightspots or
other watering holes,"he said.
I
No landlinesinTamanSaujana~r~
tiJ~
ByTHOXINVI
...'
. thoxinyi@thestar.com.my
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"
"
but they need access into the
premises.
"The developer should have
installed the underground lines at
the buildings.
"We are willing to offer our
advice and technical know-how,"
he said.
Manivannan also said the cost
would be high but could not quote
FORnine years, traders and residents in Taman Saujana Puchong
1 and 3 have been without land
lines and had to rely on handphones to contact their customers and friends.
.
Prayer paraphern'alia shop
owner Tan Joo Huay said it was
troublesome for the traders, espethe amount.
cially when the mobile phone
Kuan' appealed to TM and the
reception was poor.
federal government to solve the
"The line breaks up when we
problem.
aretaking orders from customers
'The developer has failed to proand also when the mobile phones
vide the infrastructure, hence the
run out of battery.
burden has now been passed on to
"I also have to seek my friends'
andTiongthe absenceof
Notfixed: (Fromleft)KuanshowingManivannan
the house owners. TMhas bagged
help whenever I need to use fax
landlinesin SaujanaPuchong1and3.
the
Best Corporate
Social
machines," she said.
ResponsibilityGoldAward at Nacra
Bathroom accessories shop
A SaujanaPuchong3 resident, and yet they did not have the Awards 20Q9and reported a profit
owner Winnie Lee said she had to Chong Chun Thin, said it could be basic infrastructure.
ofRM1.21bil in 2010. I hope it can
fork out extra money for a wire- dangerous during an emergency
They sought help from Puchong help the people," he said.
less credit card machine, instead since some senior citizens usually Public Complaints Bureau chief
Special officer to Deputy
of the usual one connected to a did not know how to use a hand- Kuan Chee Heng and Telekom Information, Communication and
land line.
phone.
Malaysia (TM)representatives on Culture Minister TiongY~pChoon,
"I intended to rent out one of
Saujana Puchong 3 Residents Monday.
wQo was" also present, said the
my shop lots but there were no Association chairman Martin Urn
TM Selangor general manager plight of the residents and traders
takers because of the absence of said SaujanCiPuchong fell-in the R. Manivannan said telephone
would be forwarded to the minisland line," she said.
Multimedia Super Corridor zone lines had already reached the area . try.
,
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RA . Act fast to curbgrowth~#
'Illegalmassage
centresat townships
willhavenegativeimpactonsociety'
PETALING JAVA:
Residents associations are
calling on the Selangor Government and, the
authorities to act fast to curb the mushrooming of massage centres in the state.
They are wary that the presence of the centres at townships, especially near residential
premises, will create a massive negative impact
on society.
Section 6 Kota Damansara Residents Association chairman Alpadzul Abu Hassan said
Kota Damansara had earned a negative reputation among the public because it was known
for its massage centres.
"Some people have told me that they refer to
Kota Damansara as the massage zone because
the commercial centres in the area are filled
with massage parlours, like those in Thailand.
"I have no objection to massage centres, but
it is shocking to find the number increasing by
the day," he said, adding that such centres
"The Petaling Jaya City Council must conduct raids on these centres to ensure they stay
closed. It should also seal the premises immediately instead of giving them one or two
weeks' notice," he said.
Yesterday, a Starprobe expose reported on
Theinvestigative
teamat TheStarwelcomes
informationandleads.E-mailusat
the mushrooming of massage and reflexology
centres in Selangor and the frustration of the
;H\}starprobe@thestar.com.my
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police that after 3,000 raids and 5,000 arrests,
many of these vice dens were not closed down
must be centralised under a designated area.
by the local councils.
In Sunway Damansara, Alpadzul said the sitSelangor police chief Datuk Tun Hisan Tun
uation had worsened with even restaurant
Hamzah said their recommendations had falloperators opening massage centres on the top en on deaf ears.
Datuk Samson David Maman, who acts as
floors of their premises in their bid to rake in
profits from the high demand for such seIVices. adviser to 12 residents associations in Puchong,
The chairman of another residents associa- said many massage centres and spas in Subang
tion, who declined to be identified, said several Jaya and Puchong had emerged despite the
freezeonpermitssince2006.
,
massage centres at PJ Uptown had re-opened
He said many of the outlets were disguised
after they were closed down by the authorities.
Sftlrprobe
YOURRltGHT
TO KNOW
as reflexology centres and started off with
body massage seIVices before adding "extra
services".
"Some of these centres started off at the
ground floor with reflexology seIVices before
moving into the first and second floors of shophouses equipped with private rooms, where sex
is offered to regular customers," said Samson,
who is also the representative of the SS15
Subang Jaya Business Community and former
SubangJaya Municipal Council councillor.
Meanwhile, the National Council of Women's
Organisations Malaysia has called on police and
various agencies to be vigilant in their checks
against errant massage centre operators.
Its deputy president Datuk Faridah Khalid
questioned why there had been no arrests of
errant operators or customers, and that only
women "employees" were detained during
raids on massage centres.
.STAR
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