Council tears down banners

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WITHIN two hours, Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) tore down 3,533 illegal bunting and banners in a joint operation with 24 residents’ committees on Wednesday.

Ninety-eight enforcement officers and 49 council personnel with help from the residents committees got rid of bunting and banners pasted on walls, bus stops, streetlights, trees and other public areas.

Aman Puri and Kepong Industrial Park in Kepong had the most number of banners taken down at 1,089.

Waste of space: Zainal (centre) with enforcement officers taking a look at the banners and bunting collected.

MPS president Datuk Zainal Abidin Aa’la said the clean-up campaign was to educate the public and warn traders not to place banners without council approval.

“We had received numerous complaints from the public on banners put up throughout the Selayang municipality making it an eyesore.

“Those who have placed illegal banners will be fined up to RM1,000 under the 2007 Council by-laws on advertisement or taken to court,’’ said Zainal.

In the last four days, MPS has collected about RM30,000 in fines from those who had put up illegal banners.

Zainal said there were 933 licensed banners in the Selayang municipality and the revenue derived was RM196,299 annually.

“If more people seek council approval for putting up banners, it will generate better revenue for us and it can be channelled to other areas to improve the township,’’ he said.

MPS enforcement director Lt-Col (Rtd) Azmi Ismail said the council was looking into ways to prevent banners from being put up in public areas.

“Three months ago, MPS Enforcement Department and Licensing Department formed teams to take down illegal banners.

“The enforcement officers patrol the municipality once a week while the Licensing Department personnel do it once in two weeks.

“By January, the enforcement department will have 10 three-wheeler motorcycles with a two-man team taking down illegal banners.

The licence fee for a bunting or a banner measuring 1m x 2m is only RM22 for a month.

In MPS, the biggest banner that was recorded measured 20mx33m and priced only RM160.

Those who want to place banners can visit the MPS licensing department in Bandar Baru Selayang or call the MPS Hotline at 03-613 89898.