PETALING JAYA, Sept 6 — The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) continues to tighten enforcement against unlicensed advertisements when its Mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon personally went down to seize an illegal billboard along the Federal Highway yesterday.
Harian Metro reported that the drastic action was taken after the owner of the large-scale structure, belonging to an automotive company, refused to comply with the compliance notice despite having been warned twice before.
“We had already cut off the electricity supply with the help of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), but they used a generator. We seized it.
"Now they are using solar power and have even installed closed-circuit television, as if challenging the authorities,” he said during last night’s midnight operation.
Zahri emphasised that action against the 37-metre-long and nine-metre-high billboard was taken in the spirit of integrity and to ensure that advertising guidelines are observed by all parties, regardless of company size.
“Whether big or small, everyone must follow the rules. If I myself do not act, it sends the wrong signal to others.
"We want to prevent this from spreading and becoming a trend,” he added.
MBPJ welcomes advertising applications from any party, but they must be approved in accordance with procedures and cannot simply be put up haphazardly.
“I do not like issuing warnings. But I will continue advising everyone — whatever the advertisement, make sure you have valid approval. If not, we will be forced to take action,” Zahri said.
He also emphasised the importance of protecting the city’s image and road user safety, as illegal advertising structures are built without a proper technical assessment from the local authority.
Yesterday’s operation also saw Zahri himself cutting part of the billboard canvas as a symbolic gesture of MBPJ’s firmness in combating unlicensed advertising activity.
He noted that such operations will continue from time to time to ensure compliance with advertising laws and that no form of non-compliance will be tolerated.
