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JOHOR BARU: Photos of a restaurant in Johor Baru displaying images and cartoons with communist elements on its billboards, which went viral, are in fact old photos taken in 2019, police say.
Johor Police Chief Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said police had conducted a check at the restaurant located in Taman Mount Austin around 3.40pm on Sunday (January 3).
“We found that the restaurant no longer shows the images that had gone viral before. According to the restaurant owner, the photos circulating online were taken in 2019.
“The local authority had also taken action at the restaurant in the past for displaying billboards that are not in line with council regulations,” he said in a statement here on Monday (January 4).
It added that the matter was investigated under Section 47 of the Companies Act, Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.
Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB), the restaurant was inspected for the first time on December 29, 2019.
“During the inspection, MBJB found that one of the two billboards in the restaurant had additional logos that were not approved by MBJB and a notice was issued.
“A follow-up check at the restaurant found that its owner had not yet complied with regulations and the items were seized,” he said on Monday (Jan 4).
He said the restaurant received a citation on December 9, 2020, under the Advertising Licensing Act (MBJB) of 2010, 20 (g) for advertising that does not represent Malaysian culture and lifestyle.
“A further follow-up on Sunday (January 3) found that the restaurant owner had removed the items.
“The controls also found that the restaurant is not currently operating and is under renovation. There were no communist symbols or the like found inside the restaurant.
“The images that have been released on social media recently are photographs taken long before the owner of the restaurant carried out the renovation process,” he said.
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