Some parlours in Batu have already told their female masseurs to padlock their skirts or trousers. Local town officials praised the move at a recent meeting with parlour owners.

Recent TV footage and press photos have shown several masseuses with small padlocks in the zip of their pants or skirts.

But a female state minister has publicly opposed the policy, saying that it was disparaging to women.

On Wednesday, State Minister for Women's Empowerment, Meutia Fardia Hatta Swasono told reporters: 'It is not the right way to prevent promiscuity.

'It insults women as if they are the ones in the wrong. It is not that we oppose the administration's effort to uphold morality, but the problem is in their way of treating masseurs as if they're all committing prostitution.'

Ms Meutia said the way to minimize prostitution in massage parlors was to strengthen the security system, such as by installing CCTV.

MASSAGE FOR HEALTH

She added: 'Obliging women to lock their underwear means the administration considers all massage parlours to be places of prostitution. In fact, many people go to the parlour for health reasons, not for sex.'

Following Batu's policy, even Jakarta Tourism Agency said it would consider implementing the same rule to improve the tarnished image of massage parlours in Indonesia's capital.

This story was first published in The New Paper on Apr 11, 2008.

The authorities in Batu, East Java seem to think so.

They recently issued a policy obliging masseurs to install padlocks on their trousers and skirts in a move to reduce prostitution in massage parlours, reported the National News.

FOLLOWING POLICY

Some parlours in Batu have already told their female masseurs to padlock their skirts or trousers. Local town officials praised the move at a recent meeting with parlour owners.

Recent TV footage and press photos have shown several masseuses with small padlocks in the zip of their pants or skirts.

But a female state minister has publicly opposed the policy, saying that it was disparaging to women.

On Wednesday, State Minister for Women's Empowerment, Meutia Fardia Hatta Swasono told reporters: 'It is not the right way to prevent promiscuity.

'It insults women as if they are the ones in the wrong. It is not that we oppose the administration's effort to uphold morality, but the problem is in their way of treating masseurs as if they're all committing prostitution.'

Ms Meutia said the way to minimize prostitution in massage parlors was to strengthen the security system, such as by installing CCTV.

MASSAGE FOR HEALTH

She added: 'Obliging women to lock their underwear means the administration considers all massage parlours to be places of prostitution. In fact, many people go to the parlour for health reasons, not for sex.'

Following Batu's policy, even Jakarta Tourism Agency said it would consider implementing the same rule to improve the tarnished image of massage parlours in Indonesia's capital.

This story was first published in The New Paper on Apr 11, 2008.