Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang said businesses engaging in vice activities cast a bad light on the shopping centre. - Screengrab from Google Maps via ST/ANN
SINGAPORE: Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang has vowed to push for a refresh of Tanjong Pagar Plaza amid concerns over vice activities at some beauty and massage parlours there.
In a Facebook post on Sept 20, Foo said he had received feedback from residents about the concentration of such shops at the shopping centre, especially around children.
“There are several pre-schools in the plaza and parents are uneasy whenever their children go past these shops,” said Foo.
According to checks by The Straits Times, there are at least four pre-schools and tutoring centres at Tanjong Pagar Plaza (TPP), which is about a five-minute walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT station.
Foo said businesses engaging in vice activities cast a bad light on the shopping centre.
“When the reputation of TPP is affected, it will affect the overall business viability of the other tenants, which in turn will affect the residents who depend on this mall to meet their daily needs,” he said.
To address the issue, Foo said he has met stakeholders from the police, the Housing and Development Board (HDB), the Tanjong Pagar Plaza Traders Association and the town council to discuss ways to refresh the retail mix there.
He said the police have conducted checks and raids on massage shops at the shopping centre, including several in recent months, and that action has been taken against those involved in vice activities.
Moving forward, the police will increase checks at Tanjong Pagar Plaza, said Foo.
He has also asked the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police to consider increasing their upfront regulatory levers over such establishments.
He added that he asked the Ministry of National Development and HDB to consider buying back leases from owners of shops that have been sold so that HDB can better curate the mix of shops.
“I have raised this as a parliamentary question in the upcoming sitting of Parliament,” he said.
Foo said the TPP Traders Association agreed that having a better retail mix will benefit shops at the shopping centre, as it will attract more customers.
The association will think of potential businesses that can be brought to Tanjong Pagar Plaza, including some lighter food and beverage shops.
Foo explained that the issue of the retail mix is not straightforward, and goes back to the 1990s.
A significant number of shops at the shopping centre were sold by HDB in the 1990s on 80-year leases, said Foo, adding that HDB has limited regulatory levers over these shops.
Given the relatively low footfall at Tanjong Pagar Plaza, only a small range of businesses – such as massage establishments and beauty salons – can afford to pay higher rental fees to shop owners who want to maximise their rental yield.
And when police catch businesses that conduct vice activities, action is taken against the masseurs and business owners who are found to be complicit.
However, shop owners are not implicated as they are much less likely to be complicit, said Foo. The shop owners may then find new business owners of similar trade to let their shops to, he said.
“It is therefore not so straightforward to address the issue, which is why it has been such a longstanding problem. But enough is enough,” said Foo.
“This transformation will take several years – but we are determined to do it with the support of all stakeholders and our residents.” - The Straits Times/ANN
