Moving forward to realize its national vision, the ‘Wawasan 2035 Negara Zikir’, which calls for Brunei to become the purest Islamic state in Southeast Asia by the year 2035, the Sultanate has enacted new regulations for local beauty and health establishments, including laws that prevent male employees from attending female clients and vice versa, and keeping male and female strictly separated within the premises.
Beauty and health establishments, as defined under the Bruneian Attorney General Court (AGC) Miscellaneous Act, means any premises that provide any of the following services; massage, sauna; spa; gymnasium; aerobics; aromatherapy; body-slimming; manicure and pedicure; reflexology; and hair salon.
Brunei: Things like this are wrong and sinful, males and females shouldn’t mix in such circumstances
The new regulations states that heath and beauty businesses are prohibited from displaying photographs or writing articles that are considered “too sexy” at their premises, and all their employees must dress and cover decently on the job. The amendment also states it is illegal for licencees to employ anyone who looks like a prostitute. Doors in any areas where treatment services are given must not allowed to be locked, so to enable the authorities to conduct on-spot inspection at anytime.
Services cannot be given to people under 18 years of age, and those who selected an “undesirable location” for the operation of their beauty or health establishments may have their license revoked. Licensees must also ensure that all employees have the ‘necessary’ skills or qualifications to work in their establishment, failing which the licensee may have their license disqualified.
Brunei: Scenes like this are very dangerous and catastrophic to the society
Anyone who has had their license denied, revoked or suspended may appeal to the Minister of Home Affairs in writing within 14 days of the notice of such refusal.
Brunei has launched harsh crackdowns on its beauty and health establishments in the past 2 years, promoting suspicion that it is seeking to shut down the industry. Last year, the country announced that no more new employment quota is to be given for health and beauty businesses, and permits for foreign workers in the industry would not be renewed upon expiration.
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