The Rangoon Division government has taken action against 43 illegal massage parlours so far this year, according to the regional Border and Security Affairs Minister Col. Tin Win.

Responding to a question by Yankin Township MP Myo Khin about whether massage parlours can legally register as businesses, Tin Win said this is not the case and that authority had been passed down to local police to clamp down on any such establishment.

“We learnt that certain illegal massage parlours are operating as KTVs [karaoke bars] or beauty parlours,” he said in parliament on Tuesday. “When we obtain solid information regarding such as establishment, we take action in accordance with Article 188* of the Penal Code.

“Between January and November 2014, 43 massage parlours were identified and action was taken upon them.”

The minister said illegal massage parlours, when found to be providing sex services, are closed down for one year and six months; while those only providing massage are closed for one year.

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On Monday, Thaung Kyaw another MP from Yankin Township, which is located in central Rangoon east of Inya Lake, motioned in the regional parliament to officially licence and regulate massage parlours.

The assembly is scheduled to debate the proposal on 12 December.

Union Home Affairs Deputy Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Zan Myint previously told the lower house in Naypyidaw that the government in 2012 took action against 61 illegal massage parlour operations involving 511 defendants; with another 78 cases involving 790 defendants in 2013; and, between January and June 2014, 66 cases nationwide involving 424 defendants.

*Article 188: Disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant.