Penang Watch

It seems to make sense to encourage advertisers to clean up after their ads run over the due dates. But there are a few issues to consider seriously:

1. How about pulic interests ads which are not commercial in nature? The imposition of high deposits seems to have a serious effect of shutting up community groups who are making non-profit public announcements. Perhaps there should be some warnings before the higher deposits/fines are considered for these groups; 

2. The reasons why there are so many illegal ads  is simply that the approval of ads is troublesome-some taking up to weeks, thus possibly rendering some ads to be too late for good effects. Why don't the MPPP set a certain time limit for approving ads applications?

3. To clean up the city from overdued ads there should be a better system of warning and public education. If anyone need to be `educated' is the MPPP chairperson himself. He promised to clean up Penang in the first 100 days of his office. 100 days passed many times -and he never mentioned about the promise anymore. But many residents remember. How to deal with such recalcitrants who forget to clean up their unfulfilled promises?

Tuesday November 4, 2008
Advertisers to deposit more
By CHRISTINA CHIN and ABIGAIL TAN(Star)

SOON advertisers will have to fork out a RM100 deposit to put up banners, billboards and streamers on the island.

Tired of clearing up after the irresponsible advertisers, the Penang Municipal Council will implement the new rate from Dec 1, council president Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman said.

He was speaking to reporters before joining the council licensing department’s special enforcement squad on its rounds to remove illegal billboards.

“Some of the banners, billboards and streamers were put up without permits. Others were left standing even after the permits expired.

“We have to increase the deposit because the council cannot be wasting funds and time taking down banners, billboards and streamers every day.

“Imagine, along one street,you can have about 100 streamers and banners which would take five men three hours to check and take down,” he said, adding that often, advertisers did not mind forfeiting their deposits because they were low.
It's expired: Zainal pointing to the expired permit number on a banner.

“Now, the deposits are between RM20 and RM50. They know it would cost more to get the items removed themselves so they just leave it to the council.

“That’s why we have to increase the deposit payments,” he said.

According to director of licensing department Rafiah Mohd Radzi, the department had to set up its own enforcement squad in April because there were too many illegal billboards, banners and streamers dotting the island.
Off they go: The enforcement squad loading billboards onto a lorry at Kelawei Road.

“The number is increasing and we cannot rely solely on the council’s main enforcement department because it has other duties to perform,” she said, adding that the department’s special enforcement squad went on rounds every day.

Councillor Tay Leong Seng, who also joined in the operation, said a summons of RM250 would be issued against those whose billboard, banner or streamer permits had expired and those who put them up illegally.

“Pedestrians and motorists don’t feel safe because the advertising structures are everywhere, even beside pedestrian walkways. In fact, the deposit should be RM200 because a steeper sum would be more of a deterrent,” he said.

From April to Oct 15 this year, the council took down 11,044 banners and streamers put up without permits.

The council has also identified 226 illegal advertisement billboards on the island and would continue its investigations to identify owners of the other illegal billboards.

According to council records, only 22 advertisement billboards by four companies were licensed.