GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council has ordered the unauthorised mural at a building at Chew Jetty to be removed.
In a notice dated Thursday (Nov 13), issued under Section 82 of the Local Government Act 1976 by the council’s Heritage Conservation Department, the building owner was instructed to erase and repaint the wall.
The mural gained fame after a video of a Chinese tourist, known as Shen Shishi, painting a picture of a panda on the mural went viral online.
She was accused of defacing the “Girl on Scooter” mural at Chew Jetty, a historic waterfront settlement built on stilts over the sea.
It was later clarified that the building owner had invited Shen to add the small panda to the existing mural.
Chew Jetty is recognised as part of George Town’s Unesco World Heritage Site for its cultural and historical value.
Shen was also believed to have painted similar panda figures at several other locations in Penang, including Butterworth.
