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No more free advertisements, says BDA
Posted on : 11 Dec 2014
 


BINTULU: The Local Authorities (Advertisements) By-Laws, 2012 will be gradually enforced by Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), starting with business premises with glaring and huge signboards.

Its Environment Services Division senior manager Wan Ibrahim Wan Ali said under the by-law, business operators would be required to submit application to the local council for any form of advertisement on their premises or within the compound of their premises together with the dimensions of their signage, including name and logo of their business.

“Nothing is free anymore, all other councils in other towns are also doing the same thing.“It’s not that we come out with this by-law, it is a standard by-law throughout the state – all councils have to enforce it,” he said during a dialogue with the Bintulu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by its president Pemanca Dr Francis Toh Chiew Peng at Bintulu Municipal Service (Perbinda) Office yesterday.

Ibrahim (centre) flanked by Toh (left) and Ali during a dialogue at Perbinda office yesterday. 

“It’s not that we come out with this by-law, it is a standard by-law throughout the state – all councils have to enforce it,” he said during a dialogue with the Bintulu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by its president Pemanca Dr Francis Toh Chiew Peng at Bintulu Municipal Service (Perbinda) Office yesterday.

He said the ruling was not meant to burden the business community though it was part of the government’s efforts to increase the revenue of all the councils.

“Advertisement is one of the prime businesses in the world where people pay a lot of money to advertise,” he said.

He added for the time being, BDA would not be too calculative on the advertisements and would consider any request.

“We will not be too harsh on this and if it (advertisement) is for a charitable cause we will consider it for free of charge,” said Ibrahim when asked if small businesses would also be affected by the by-law.

He said during a lab discussion two years ago the sign craft companies and other firms had agreed to comply with the guideline but BDA was quite slow in implementing it.

Just recently, he said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem had a meeting with BDA senior officials during which stressed on the need to implement the by-law effectively.

Ibrahim was also asked about the 14-day notice issued to the business community for them to comply with the by-law.

According to him, giving a 14-day period was a normal legal procedure and it did not mean that they would be immediately charged in court if they failed to comply in time.

Besides using the advertisement fees for revenue to provide better services to the people, he stressed that the enforcement was also to ensure that signboards or any form of advertisement did not endanger the public and have responsible contents.

“For now, we will just go for the basics first and gradually will involve those small businesses and it is a one-off payment,” said Ibrahim.

Also present was Bintulu municipal services senior manager Awang Ali Awang Amin.



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