Billboards in KL must be vetted by DBP, says city hall

KUALA LUMPUR: Any party wanting to install a billboard in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur needs to get it vetted by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) on the correct usage of Bahasa Melayu.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said other languages could be used on the billboards so long as they accompany the key Bahasa Melayu phrases.

“In the issue of a billboard erected near the Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur, the relevant parties were found not to have been compliant with the approval issued.

“The billboard that was approved by DBP was in Bahasa Melayu as the main language and accompanied by other languages.

“However, when the billboard was installed on the site, there was non-compliance with the approval given, when the accompanying languages became the main expression.

“Realising a mistake had been made, the relevant party had uninstalled the billboard,” DBKL said in a statement yesterday.

The issue of the billboard near Mid Valley Megamall went viral on social media because it did not feature Bahasa Melayu as the main language of expression.

The statement added that there were six types of advertising licences in Kuala Lumpur issued by DBKL and the outdoor display advertisement licence was one of them.

Among the by-laws the outdoor display advertisement licence is subjected to include the Local Government Act 1976, Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 and the Advertisements (Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur) By-Laws 1982.

“Any non-compliance with these by-laws may be subject to enforcement action or penalties as stipulated,” said the statement. — Bernama