MBPP identifies corrupt enforcement officers

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has recently detected several cases where their enforcement officers allegedly asked the public for bribes.

Councilor Joseph Ng said the council has received three reports where an enforcement officer would stick handwritten notices on illegal renovation works with a phone number to call.

He said the officer would allegedly tell those building owners who called that the renovations were not permitted but he could help settle the issue via a payment to him.

Ng said this has been going on for a few years and the council has since identified the officer involved and disciplinary action has been initiated.

He urged the public not to fall for such tricks as building violation notices were not handwritten, had the MBPP letterhead and would be issued under the Streets, Drainage and Building Act 1974.

"The public can always check with the Council when in doubt," he said in a press conference today.

In a related matter, Councilor Ong Ah Teong said two police reports have been lodged against an enforcement officer who allegedly tried to obtain cigarettes and money from shopkeepers at Jalan Delima.

He said the incidents happened on April 12 where the officer went into a coffeeshop there and asked for cigarettes from the operator but left when told there was CCTVs all over the shop.

He said the officer then went to a sundry shop next door where he asked the shopkeeper for RM150 as a fine for obstructing the five-foot way with sundry items.

Ong said the officer left when the shopkeeper called up the council hotline to check and that both incidents were caught on video.

He said the council has identified the officer concerned and the disciplinary process has begun.

Ong said the public should be aware that council officers do not conduct their rounds alone and should be in a team of two or more.

"The public can always call our 24-hour hotline at 04-2637637 or 04-2637000 to check if they have doubts," he added.