19 June 2013 Press Statement by Wanita MCA Young Women Bureau (Beliawanis) National chief Sdri Tee Hooi Ling S’gor Exco’s gender segregation solution to illegal massage parlors stifling & not feasible The suggestion by DAP Selangor Exco for local councils Teng Chang Khim to compel gender segregation to solve the issue of brothels operating under the guise of massage parlours is a wrong choice. Creating gender segregation policies would would inhibit businesses and could lead our country into a slippery slope of gender apartheid. Selangor can’t enforce the laws they have now, why create more? Currently, Selangor authorities are having a difficult time to inspect all operating massage parlours, to ensure they are not fronting as brothels. So how will the authorities create time to inspect these establishments for the opposite gender? This is time consuming (wasting). To stifle vice, what is more important is to have more regular raids (jointly with the federal authorities if necessary) against illegal operators. Businesses will have to cease Let us take the point of view from a legitimate business. If from now on licenced massage parlours can only operate with the same gender, then the number of establishments could theoretically double. If the number of massage parlours did increase, the overall profit for the industry would be divided by that many more employees, decreasing their gains which translates to lower salaries. And naturally, married couples would not as likely go if they could not attend together – causing an even greater loss in profits. Enforcing gender segregation in this business would not just hurt the income of legal operators, but, also other innovative minds looking to open businesses as there will be less space to do so. Although the demand for massages is high, it would not find equilibrium with the increase in supply of establishments. Setting precendents Also, who is to know what type of precedent this would set for future policies. First, we must keep genders separated in massage parlours, then swimming pools, shopping malls, airports, etc. These medieval practices reflect back to a chauvinistic and patriarchal society way of keeping women from working among men. What type of sentiment is that- women may only work with other women? It’s ridiculous. Perhaps Teng is too influenced with PAS’ policies in Kelantan (gender separation at supermarket checkout counters, cinemas) and previously in Kedah (gender separation during New Year countdown), Terengganu (proposed separate swimming pools for hotels) and even in his own Selangor last year where unmarried couples were instructed to sit apart at the sole cinema in Bangi. Teng claims this policy is not a priority, and if so – please next time don’t waste the time formulating the idea. He should rather focus on the priorities of the state like improving the economy not restraining it. Tee Hooi Ling Wanita MCA Young Women Bureau (Beliawanis) National /End
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:46:45 +0000
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