THE ban on banners and bunting in the Bangsar township has now gone citywide, as Kuala Lumpur City Hall will soon extend the ruling to cover the federal capital following a directive from the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry.
To curb the spreading of commercial banners, bunting, flyers and stickers in Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidn said he had directed City Hall to ban the banners after receiving feedback from the KL-ites.
“Lembah Pantai residents have been particularly vocal about the proliferation of these banners especially in areas like Bangsar and I agree with them that it has indeed become a nuisance,’’ Raja Nong Chik said, adding that he wanted the ruling to include other areas as well.
Nong Chik also advised residents to pull down illegal banners and bunting in their neighbourhoods.
As for the ‘legal’ ones; he said that it was the responsibility of the owners of the banners to bring them down when they no longer served their purpose instead of just leaving them the site.
Yesterday Star Metro reported that banners, bunting, flyers and stickers promoting products and services will soon be banned in Bangsar.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall deputy director-general (services) Datuk Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz said the local authority was in the midst of studying the feasibility of banning such banners and initially the rule would be enforced in Jalan Maarof, Bangsar.
Amin said City Hall would not issue licences for new banners and no renewal for those that had yet to expire.
The move was made after getting feedback from residents associations and rukun tetangga in the city that have been pushing DBKL to stop the issuance of licences to companies who put up banners and buntings.
“It is no secret that the local authority has been fighting a losing battle against illegal banners and buntings that are being put up at every nook and corner in the city, that’s why we have been helping DBKL bring these ‘eyesores’ down,’’ said a disgruntled Bangsar resident.
Bangsar has become a hotbed for advertisers who put up all sorts of banners on poles, streetlights, traffic lights, trees and mailboxes.
The situation got so bad last year that a serial bunting slasher started going around Bangsar vandalising banners.
For the past several months many banners along Jalan Maarof, Jalan Bangsar, Jalan Ara and Lucky Garden have been slashed into two.
The slasher was regarded by some residents as a sort of vigilante-cum-Robin Hood character who was helping DBKL clean up the township of the unsightly bunting, but as time went by, the torn bunting were not removed and left hanging in tatters.
Outdoor Advertising Association of Malaysia (OAAM) past president Datuk George Frederick said he fully supported Raja Nong Chik’s decision in banning banners and buntings in the city.
“I agree with Raja Nong Chik on this. The people in the industry must learn how to self-regulate. They must understand the aesthetics and the environment that go with the business,’’ he said, adding that DBKL must also do regular enforcement to rid the city off these rubbish.
Another industry player who wished to remain anonymous said: “ Views of the residents should be taken with concern as past conduct of such activities is testimony of how unregulated the banners and buntings has inconvenienced residents,’’ he said.
“Bunting have always been restricted to government campaigns, in DBKL however, approvals of such activity for commercial leaves a lot to be desired,’’ he added.
Source: The Star Online
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