Sunshade And Advertisement In Kota Kinabalu

Sunshades and advertisements are two very different things so what is so confusing and misleading?

Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir posed the question in response to remarks by Sabah DAP Vice Chairman Edward Ewol Mujie that Madingkir's press statement on this issue was misleading and had led to confusion.

"I have already clarified to the Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai and President of the KK Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Datuk Sari Nuar, that City Hall was referring to the advertisement banner," Madingkir said.

"We are not talking about the sunshades and we are not going to interfere with the use of sunshades which have been there since before," he said.

I am referring to the advertising banner. Some even with measurements of up to two by eight feet. Advertising banners have commercial value," Madingkir added.

"A sunshade which has two sides with one side having an advertisement, is not an issue for us either. There are two things here, one is the sunshade and one is the advertisement," he said. What I am referring to is the advertisement and I am consistent with what I said before, this issue has nothing to do with sunshades."

The Mayor had earlier explained that City Hall had never issued notices for shopowners to pay fees for sunshades at their premises but only for advertisement banners in front of their shops.

Madingkir also urged those with sunshades to make sure they are in good condition.

"Some sunshades are already torn and broken, so please make an effort to keep them well maintained. So when tourists come, it will give a good impression. It's good for the beauty of our city too," he said.

On another matter that all City Hall traffic penalties will be standardised from RM40 to RM300, he said it was made by the Majlis Negara Kerajaan Tempatan.

"I used to attend that meeting when I was in the Ministry of Local Government and Housing. Normally whatever decision made there will be extended to other states like Sabah or Sarawak," Madingkir said.

"It's up to the State Government whether to follow or otherwise.

We have yet to receive any decision. Normally they will extend the result to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing. It is not automatic.

The State Government has to make a decision whether to adopt or otherwise," he added. But at the moment there is still no decision.

There are three meetings held annually. So we have to wait for that," he said.

The Mayor was speaking during a tour of the newly-opened Ranhill Worley office premises after officiating at its opening, Thursday.

The company has been actively involved in the Malaysian energy sector, tracing its roots back to 1978 in Miri. This is the seventh Ranhill Worley office in Malaysia and the first in Sabah.

The office currently has 10 staff providing services to Petronas Carigali in terms of engineering and safety support both offshore and onshore.

Also present were Chief Executive Officer of Ranhill, Roni Adrian and managers of Petronas Carigali.