War on illegal billboards

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THE Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) has declared an all-out war against those who put up illegal billboards and advertisement unipoles.

The council Public Health Standing Committee alternate chairman Ong Ah Teong said operations would be carried out by the council weekly to pull down the 100-odd illegal structures erected by the roadsides and on highways.

He said the council had so far brought down six illegal billboards and unipoles since the operations began last week.

Among the billboards that have been brought down were those on the Jalan Gottlieb-Jalan Kebun Bunga junction, Jalan Tanjung Tokong, Jalan Sungai Pinang-Jalan Jelutong junction, Jalan Tengah and Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway.

To the junkyard: Council enforcement officers using power saws to cut down a unipole on Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway

Ong said of the 325 billboards and advertisement unipoles found on the island, 109 were illegal structures.

He said those who had their illegal billboards and unipoles removed by the council would have suffered heavy losses as each billboard costs about RM20,000 while a unipole which comes with a spotlight and a huge advertisement board is priced between RM50,000 and RM100,000.

“If those who have put up the structures remove them on their own, they could probably reuse the boards and poles.

“But if the council removes it, then it will be turned into scrap,” he told reporters after leading a group of council workers to tear down two advertisement unipoles on the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway yesterday.

Ong added that the council would also issue a RM250 compound to either the advertising company or the event organiser for each billboard or unipole put up illegally.

“Besides that, they will also have to bear the cost of the council tearing down the structures,” he said.

Ong said those intending to put up such structures would first have to obtain the permission from the landowners.

“Upon getting the approval, they can then apply to the council for the approval.

“The council’s planning, building and licensing departments will then vet through the application and the whole process will take about two months,” he said.