Facial beauty student made to do body massage instead

BUKIT MERTAJAM: A 19-yearold girl who signed an agreement with a beauty association to undergo a facial beauty course was instead allegedly forced to massage clients.

Lee Yu Zhen, from Taman Pandan in Butterworth, said she signed the agreement on June 13 last year and paid RM1,170 for the course.

She said the course involved three months of theory and practical lessons, followed by 12 months of internship.

Yu Zhen said the course, which was held in Bandar Prai Jaya, had commenced on July 15 last year with only facial work as agreed.

“It was only during the first month that I was taught to do facial work.

“However, I was later transferred to do full body massages for men and women,” she told a press conference yesterday called by Bukit Mertajam DAP parliamentary liaison committee vice-chairman Michael Tan.

Also present was Yu Zhen’s father Lee Book Choon.

Yu Zhen said she had stopped attending the course since Dec 14.

“However, two weeks later, a woman from the centre by the name of Yuki came to my house and told my father that he has to pay RM10,800 as compensation for discontinuing the course.

“The woman also threatened my father and me, saying we will be blacklisted if we fail to pay.

“I was very disappointed and decided to approach Tan for help after suspecting I was being cheated by the association,” she said, adding that she has also lodged a police report over the matter on his advice.

Tan told reporters that a check with the Registrar of Societies revealed that the association has been de-registered.

Meanwhile, the association’s secretary when contacted, refused to comment on the girl’s complaint and the validity of the association.

She added that the matter will be handled by the association’s lawyer.