Petaling Jaya City Council's (MBPJ) 'unsatisfactory' explanation over the proposed billboard concession prompted resident groups and NGOs to lodge a police report on the matter.

Representing the All Petaling Jaya Pro-Action Committee (Appac), Maria Chin Abdullah urged the police to investigate the alleged corrupt practices by MBPJ in awarding the concession to a single consortium led by Seni Jaya Sdn Bhd.

In her report, she questioned the legality of the concession as there were no provisions under the Local Government Act 1976 for MBPJ to carry out privatisation work.

"We suspect that there are irregularities in MBPJ's administration," said Maria when met after lodging the report at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters yesterday.

The billboard saga began on June 8 when Appac claimed that leaked council documents indicated that the council had approved a RM492,000 concession lasting 15 years.

Appac said the amount was considered a paltry sum and estimated that the billboard industry was worth between RM50 million annually.

Maria explained that MBPJ's licensing fees for each billboard varied between RM1,000 for small spaces and RM11,000 for large unipoles.

A lump sum payment, suggested by the documents, would severely short change the council, which in turn affects the services rendered to the rate payers, she said.

A similar report was lodged by DAP Petaling Jaya Action Team last Tuesday.

'Donations' to sports club?

In his June13 reply to a memorandum from Appac, Petaling Jaya mayor Ahmad Termizi Puteh said the matter was still being mulled by the council.

"If the council signs any agreement regarding outdoor advertising in Petaling Jaya, it will consider appropriate payment, quantity, satisfactory duration/years, safety, legal aspects and other," he added.

According to Maria, Termizi called for a meeting with Appac in mid-June where he implied that the 'leaked council documents' was a proposal based on 'Seni Jaya's perspective'.

In a related development, StarMetro reported on Tuesday that billboard advertising agencies had to pay a minimum donation of RM10,000 to the MBPJ Football Club.

Quoting industry sources, the report said the payments could go up to RM80,000 for large unipoles and that they were compelled to do so in order to continue in the business.

MBPJ Social Development Department director Aznan Hassan declined to comment when asked about the alleged donations.