Wednesday January 23, 2013

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng under attack over use of ‘Penang’

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS and CHRISTINA CHIN
newdesk@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has continued to come under fire for laying claim to the name “Penang”.

Barisan Nasional Wanita chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil described Lim as arrogant, reminding him that the name Pulau Pinang or Penang was not his, DAP's or the state government's.

“As a person born, bred and educated in Penang, I find the statement arrogant and shameless,” she said.

“For somebody born in Johor, did his politics in Malacca and a Johnny-come-lately to Penang in the last four years, Lim Guan Eng forgets that Penang, both in name and spirit, belongs to the people of Penang and not to his family.”

She added that everyone had the right to use the word “Penang” when referring to the state as a name and geographical location.

Shahrizat pointed out there was no state enactment prohibiting the use of the name “Penang” and that it could not even be registered under the Trademarks Act as it was a noun, geographical location and place.

Lim had been quoted as saying that event organisers, who wanted to use the name “Penang” in their programmes must seek prior approval from the state government.

His remarks came about following a controversy over the Penang Run 2013 in which certain quarters had chided the organisers for holding the event on Thaipusam day. The state government is not involved in the event.

In GEORGE TOWN, Society of Active Genera-tion of Elders president Chin Sek Ham said the name “Penang” was not a registered trademark and people were free to use it as it referred to a location.

“However, if you are organising an event and using the state government's crest to promote it or if a state executive councillor is involved, then yes, you must get the permission of the state government,” he said.

Penang Consumer Protection Association president K. Koris Atan cautioned Lim of his choice of words as Penangites were very sensitive about the name “Penang”.

He said organisers of major events using the name should, however, inform the state government but only as a matter of “courtesy”.

On associations bearing the name “Penang”, a state Registrar of Societies staff member said it was a non-issue if members were Penangites from all the five districts.

Related Story:
BN to launch We love Penang' drive

News

Wednesday January 23, 2013

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng under attack over use of ‘Penang’

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS and CHRISTINA CHINnewdesk@thestar.com.my

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS and CHRISTINA CHIN
newdesk@thestar.com.my