Monday August 24, 2009
Some reflexology centres are offering more than just a massage
REFLEXOLOGY centres have become ubiquitous in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur over the past few years following the demand from busy urban folk needing a good massage to relax after a hard day’s work.
Lately, reflexology centres have been mushrooming at an alarming rate, especially in Kepong and Kota Damansara, but the frightening fact behind the trend is that many of these places offer “sinful” extras.
Aside from foot, body and shoulder massages, a good number of these centres are raking in money by offering “extra services”.
The trend has become so prevalent that most locals know what is going on behind the closed doors of the centres.
Red lanterns and dark tinted glass are some subtle indications that a centre provides extra services while some of them use suggestive Chinese names.
Beckoning: Tinted glass is usually a sign indicating that the reflexology centre offers extra services. “It is no longer a secret,” said a hawker in Kepong who wanted to be known only as Joe.
“I made a rough count and there are about 60 reflexology centres in Kepong, with many offering the extra services, usually by masseurs from China,” he said.
He said the services included erotic massage, “body-to-body” massage and even sexual services if agreed between the customer and the masseur, adding that these top-up services were priced from as low as RM50.
Most of the centres are open from 11am until 4am. Foot and shoulder massage services are usually provided with a 50% discount between 11am and 6pm to pull the normal crowd.
“The customers know when and where to look for what they want,” Joe said.
“It is worrying as the Kepong commercial centre is flourishing with a lot of trendy cafes and eateries pulling in youths and families. These unhealthy activities will certainly have an impact on them, not to mention tarnishing the reputation of this area,” he added.
He urged the authorities to look into the problem seriously as the residents dared not complain to the operators.
“These questionable outlets are owned and looked after by syndicates,” he claimed.
In Kota Damansara, reflexology centres have made their entry into the area’s new business hub along with cafes, restaurants and boutiques.
Most of them boast of sleek and decent-looking decor but there are still a number of seedy ones in the quieter corners.
StarMetro reporters paid a sudden visit as female customers to a sleazy-looking outlet but were politely turned away.
The outlet’s tinted door was flanked by two red lanterns.
Inside, there was a reception counter manned by scantily dressed young women while the room, lined with massage chairs, was dimly lit with a huge projection screen in the centre playing music videos.
The team then adjourned to another reflexology centre that had a completely innocuous signboard, but were told by two men at the reception that the service at the centre would not be suitable for women.
However, another outlet in the area that looked dodgy from the outside turned out to be relatively wholesome on the inside.
“You have to be careful when visiting some of the outlets here, as they cater to only male customers,” the middle-aged female masseur, who was a local, said.
She said the young women were raking in big bucks through the services, adding that some could earn up to RM6,000 per month.
She added that these places insisted that foreign masseurs were required to fork out about RM8,000 for the application of their work permits.
Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman said while the Selangor government had imposed a freeze on the issuance of licences for massage parlours, foot reflexology centres were not affected.
“We expect the licence holders to abide by the terms and conditions, but it is hard for us to monitor as the activities are carried out behind the scenes, therefore we need the public to tip us off,” he said.
“We will raid the outlets upon a tip-off,” he added.
PJ OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed said the police had been checking regularly on questionable premises to stop such unhealthy trends.
Source:
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