Ipoh mayor: No permission given for signboard stunt

IPOH: The mayor has denied that permission was given to a group of youths to scale the city signboard, whose pictures and video of the feat have since gone viral.

This came after one of the youths who posted the pictures thanked the Ipoh City Council on Instagram for giving them permission.

Speaking to reporters during the New Year countdown on Saturday night, Datuk Zamri Man said he had checked with the council and no approval was ever given.

“We got to know through a website that the youths had put their lives at risk by climbing the signboard.

“We only allow contractors to scale the hill for maintenance works and even then, they have to follow the safety regulations set by us,” he said.

The photos, which were posted on Instagram on Friday, saw several youths scaling the hill and pitching a hammock on the signboard.

On Saturday, the council issued a strongly-worded statement, saying that the signboard was off-limits and that it had never allowed anyone to climb it because it was dangerous.

The hill overlooks the Kuala Kangsar road near the Gunung Lang area.

The youths, said Zamri, scaled the hill on Wednesday while the council only detected the pictures on Saturday.

A police report, he said, had been lodged.

“We have yet to meet the youngsters. I don’t know why they wanted to do it. It’s dangerous. They can be fined.

“This is vandalism. What if the signboard topples or gets damaged? The hill is 20m high and lives are at stake.

“This is the first time such an incident has happened,” he said.

Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Sum Chang Keong said it was investigating the case under Section 336 of the Penal Code for endangering the safety of others.

“They can be jailed for three months or fined RM500, or both,” he said, urging the youths to come forward.