THE Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has sought assistance from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to bar the contacts of businesses that put up illegal banners across public facilities.
MBPP Public Health and Licencing chairman Tan Soo Siang said this initiative aligns with Section 263(2) of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1988.
“We seek help from MCMC to take necessary action against the errant businesses that put up the illegal banners across Penang island.
“In this year alone, we managed to trace 16 phone numbers associated with consistent violations. These advertisements involved property agents, tuition centres, and moneylending services.
“Despite necessary actions in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOPs), we found there are still six illegal banner owners actively hanging up the banners.
“Hence, our last resort is to take down their contacts before submitting them to MCMC for their numbers to be barred,’ she said at a press conference at Esplanade today.
Tan issued a stern warning, stating that the council would continue to crack down on the illegal banners that violate regulations.
“We have taken down up to 10,000 illegal banners yearly. Up to June this year, we have removed 3,230 illegal advertisements,” she said, adding that a compound for each illegal banner is RM250.
It is understood that the cost of the online application for each banner is RM20, followed by an RM30 deposit (refundable), and an RM50 processing fee.
Tan advised businesses keen on putting up banners to follow proper procedures.
Also present were MBPP councillors Rohaizat Abdul Hamid, Choong You Ray, and Nicholas Theng
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud