JOHOR BARU, Sept 14 — The Johor government has ordered an immediate halt to enforcement action over advertising signages and billboards state-wide, pending amendments to local by-laws.

Johor Local Government, Science and Technology Committee chairman Tan Hong Pin said this was in response to the recent issue involving the traditional Chinese characters carved on the pillars of pre-war buildings in Muar.

“We have put an immediate freeze to enforcement action in relation to advertising signages and billboards until amendments are made to the state’s Business Premises Advertising License Guidelines.

“This was due to public confusion over the announcement made by the Muar Municipal Council (MPM) president on the need to apply for advertising licences, including trademarks that included any form of cultural writings such as Chinese, Tamil and Jawi,” he said in a statement today.

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Tan said the state government disagreed with such enforcement, and will amend and streamline current guidelines.

He maintained that the state government’s stand was to honour the diversity of Malaysia’s cultural heritage, in line with the “Sayangi Malaysiaku” spirit.

“Such action should not have happened, especially when Malaysia was celebrating its Merdeka month and the coming Malaysia Day, which celebrates our country’s diversity,” said Tan, who is also the Skudai assemblyman.

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Earlier, Tan said the sentimental value of each historical building such as those in Bandar Maharani, Muar should be celebrated without undermining our nation's multi-racial heritage.

“As such, the amendments (to the local authority by-laws) will be based on the United Nations New Urban Agenda with an emphasis in respecting cultural diversity, preserving historical artefacts and creating a an inclusive society that is able to enhance the well-being of all,” he said.

Tan was instrumental in engaging both the affected business premise operators along Jalan Sisi in Muar and MPM officials on September 6 after the issue was highlighted in a local Chinese daily a day before, with some parties alleging the enforcement action was racially biased.

However, Malay Mail reported the next day that MPM president Mustaffa Kamal Shamsudin urged business operators to follow licensing rules for engraved traditional Chinese characters on pillars until they are gazetted as historical material.

He said business owners must apply and pay for each billboard or signage featured at their premises separately until the state government makes the necessary amendments to the current by-laws for exemption.