Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon led a second operation within a week to remove an illegal billboard along the Federal Highway.
The joint operation involving Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) stretched from late Monday (Sept 8) night until early Tuesday (Sept 9) morning.
The two-sided 60 by 40sq ft billboard was located at KM34.2 (FT0002) of the highway, heading towards Shah Alam.
This particular structure was also located close to the Kota Darul Ehsan arch that marks Selangor’s border with Kuala Lumpur.
MBPJ said in a statement that the billboard had been installed without a valid licence.
“The council will not compromise on any violation of conditions that could affect the city's image and public safety,” said Mohamad Zahri.
“All advertising companies are required to comply with MBPJ’s regulations, including the prohibition on constructing advertising structures within a 500m radius of the Kota Darul Ehsan arch, without any exceptions,” he said.
According to MBPJ’s statement, Mohamad Zahri chaired a meeting on Aug 25 with the council and TNB regarding that particular billboard
An operation to cut the electricity supply to the advertising structure was carried out the same day under Section 25(aa)(ii) of the Electricity Supply Act 1990 (Act 447).
“On Aug 26, MBPJ’s Licensing, Business Development and Entrepreneurship Department issued a notice to the billboard owner to remove the advertising structure,” said MBPJ in its statement.
“The notice was issued under Bylaw 7 of MBPJ’s Advertisement Bylaw 2007, which stipulates that no person shall display any advertisement without a licence issued by the licensing authority under this bylaw.
“Subsequently, on Aug 29, MBPJ summoned the billboard owner to attend a discussion. The owner was granted a one-week period until Sept 5 to remove the billboard and to submit a proposal for a new billboard site for the council's consideration.”
However, MBPJ had to remove the billboard itself after the owner failed to comply with the directive to dismantle it within the given timeframe.
"This enforcement action is in line with a 2016 royal decree from the Sultan of Selangor, which was upheld by the State Executive Council Meeting on April 30.
“The decree instructs the removal of all billboard and unipole advertising structures within a 500m radius of Kota Darul Ehsan along the Federal Highway.
Mohamad Zahri stressed that MBPJ would continue to take firm action against any parties that fail to comply with council bylaws and guidelines related to outdoor advertisement displays.
The PJ mayor had on Sept 5 (Friday) night led a similar operation to remove an illegal billboard along KM32.9 of the Federal Highway.
