Rozali Ishak, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's driver for his official car, has been issued a summons by the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) today for illegal parking.

A photo of the silver Mercedez Benz S300 with the number plate 'PG1' was parked next to a fire hydrant in Lebuh King, went viral on social media and was reported by the local press.

The car was illegally parked on Feb 20 around 1.15pm, and a resident who took the photo alleged that an MPPP enforcement officer had passed by the car but did not give it a ticket.

At a press conference today, Lim said that the state respected the laws and that action would be taken - even if the person involved was his official driver.

"Since he violated a traffic offence, Rozali ( right ) received a summon from MPPP today.

"He has a very good driving record. We hope he can clarify the matter himself and not allow others to humiliate him," Lim added.

Lim then questioned why the pro-BN media continued to play up the issue of his car, but "refused" to publish reports on the financial problems of federal-funded investment company 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

"I hope they will report about other ministers' cars as well, and do not practise double standards by focusing only on trivial matters but go easy on important issues that really matter," he pointed out.

'Failed to find a parking lot'

Rozali explained that he had failed to find a parking lot after he dropped Lim off at the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce building at Penang Street that day.

He decided to turn into King Street, and parked at the roadside while he waited inside the car.

Moments later, he noticed a man taking pictures of the car.

"I never had such an experience where people took photos of the car and put it up online when I previously worked for a state executive councillor," he noted.

This is the fourth time that the CM's official car has courted controversy for illegal parking.

The car was found to have parked illegally in August 2013 along Campbell Street, with photos of the incident having gone viral on social media at the time.

In July last year, PG1 was again "illegally" parked at the entrance of Penang Times Square, a shopping complex along Jalan Dato Keramat.

However, Lim had claimed that it was a private compound and that the parking was allowed by the management.

In November last year, the car was again spotted parking illegally on a bicycle lane outside the Hin Bus Depot Art Centre on Jalan Bricklin.

Even DAP delegate Shamsher Singh Thind had criticised Lim over the matter at the DAP state convention in Penang last year.

Lim had then requested MPPP to issue summons to anyone, including his driver who committed the traffic offences.