GEORGE TOWN, Dec 3 — The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has lodged a police report over a viral TikTok video that it says contains false and defamatory claims about a shophouse development in the Northeast District.

In a statement, MBPP said it also filed a complaint with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) after the video, uploaded on Dec 1, accused the council of improper conduct linked to the project.

“The video contains various untrue, biased, unfactual and defamatory accusations against MBPP. The council stresses that all statements in the video are baseless and have the potential to mislead the public while tarnishing the council’s reputation as a local authority,” it said.

Police have opened an investigation, and MBPP said it is ready to cooperate fully should the matter proceed to court.

The council said the development’s Planning Permission application was submitted by M/s Brilliantcap Holdings Sdn Bhd on June 9, 2016. Notices were issued to 10 adjacent landowners informing them of their right to object under Section 21(6) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976, but no objections were received before the deadline.

The project was later approved by the One Stop Centre Committee (MJOSC) on Feb 21, 2017, with the building plan endorsed on Oct 20, 2021, after technical agencies provided their feedback.

The Commencement of Work approval was granted on Dec 15, 2022, covering eight three-storey shophouses on Jalan Kampung Relau and one block of three-storey shophouses on Lorong Relau 3, on Lots 1857, 11096 and 6555 in Mukim 13, Northeast.

The council said the project’s Traffic Impact Assessment was approved on Nov 5, 2015, while Fire and Rescue Department approval was issued on June 28, 2016 — both before the Planning Permission was formally endorsed.

MBPP said it welcomes official enquiries and urged the public to verify information before making claims on social media.

The video, titled Tiada Perjuangan Tanpa Pengorbanan (“No Struggle Without Sacrifice”), questioned the approval of a commercial project next to a residential area. — Bernama