New MP Foo Cexiang says ‘enough is enough’ to vice activities at Tanjong Pagar Plaza

SINGAPORE: In a social media post over the weekend, first-time Member of Parliament Foo Cexiang (Tanjong Pagar) said that some constituents have spoken to him, sharing their concerns about Tanjong Pagar Plaza (TPP). He then went on to explain the upcoming plans to change the retail makeup of the commercial property.

Posting a photo of himself with several individuals in a meeting, Mr Foo wrote that the residents gave him feedback about the concentration of massage establishments and beauty salons at Tanjong Pagar Plaza, expressing concerns over vice activities in them.

“There are several pre-schools in the Plaza and parents are uneasy whenever their children go past these shops,” he wrote, adding that while most of the companies in the area are legitimate, a few are not, and this is causing residents, customers, and potential businesses to be turned away. The MP added that this could affect other tenants’ businesses, as well as the residents who depend on the mall.

“How did we end up with this retail mix in TPP? The significant number of shops in TPP were sold by HDB in the 1990s on about 80-year leases. HDB has limited regulatory levers over these shops. The shop owners want to maximize their rental yield. However, given the current relatively low footfall in TPP, only a small range of businesses can afford to pay higher rental to them – massage establishments and beauty salons being one of them,” he wrote.

Mr Foo explained that addressing the issue is not as straightforward as one may think, which explains why the problem has been around for some time now. While the police have taken action against businesses that run illegal activities, they are replaced by shops of similar trade, and the risk is repeated.

For Mr Foo, however, “enough is enough.” He explained that last week, he met with several stakeholders from the police, HDB, the TPP Traders Association, and the town council to talk about a strategy to refresh the retail mix in TPP to the benefit of Tanjong Pagar residents.

He wrote that checks and raids on the massage establishments have been carried out by the police, with corresponding action taken against guilty parties. These checks, moreover, will be ramped up. Mr Foo has also asked the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police “to consider increasing their upfront regulatory levers over such establishments”.

He has also asked the Ministry of National Development and the Housing & Development Board to look into buying back leases from owners of shops that were sold. The HDB will then be better able to choose the trade mix of shops in response to the needs of residents. The MP also raised this as a parliamentary question.

The Traders Association agreed that a better retail mix is advantageous to the shops in TPP, as it would help attract more residents and customers.

“They will think about potential businesses that can be attracted to set up shop in TPP, potentially some lighter F&B outfits.

“This transformation will take several years – but we are determined to do it with the support of all stakeholders and our residents. It is time to refresh Tanjong Pagar Plaza!” he added. /TISG

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