GEORGE TOWN, June 22 — The Penang City Council’s (MBPP) decision to tear down an UMNO logo structure at Menara Umno Negeri here on Friday was in accordance with the law, says MBPP.
MBPP council member Ong Ah Teong said the construction of the logo structure at Jalan Macalister was illegal as it did not have a permit from the local authority.
“I received a complaint via telephone on Thursday on the illegal structure there. I went there on Thursday evening and found the complaint to be true.
“I called the advertisement licencing unit to verbally give notice to the owner of the building to cease work immediately. The next day, we found the structure had been put up. On the same day, the Development Department issued a notice for the structure to be removed.
“They (Development Department) had gone to the place to tear down the structure but the situation became a bit chaotic. It is hoped that Umno will not politicise the issue. We, at MBPP, are only carrying out our duty under the Local Government Act 1976,” he told a media conference here, today.
MBPP enforcement officers had tried to dismantle the structure, but were prevented by Umno members present there.
Ong, who is a MBPP Permanent Committee member, said the construction of structures in the state must first obtain a permit.
“We will take down any stand alone boards in Penang, by Umno or anyone else.
We have taken down 290 standalone boards in Penang. Anybody who breaks the law will be acted against,” he said.
Asked about the statement by Penang UMNO Liaison Committee chairman Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman that MBPP should give a 90-day notice before acting, he said the MBPP could issue a notice immediately for the owner to bring down the structure.
Penang Umno must bring down the structure first and apply for a permit to put it up, he said.
As such, he said MBPP issued a notice to the Penang Umno to take down the structure in a week from today. — Bernama
