Authorities in M’sia order removal of controversial panda painted by tourist at Penang jetty

Penang city council orders removal of panda painted by tourist on mural at Penang jetty

After reviewing the incident, authorities in Malaysia have ordered the removal of the new painting on the mural of the Chew Jetty in Penang, which has recently generated much controversy.

According to The Star, on 13 Nov, the Penang Island City Council instructed the building owner to erase and repaint the wall.

The order was made under Section 82 of the Local Government Act 1976 by the council’s Heritage Conservation Department.

City council orders mural erased & repainted

Earlier this week, the Penang jetty mural became the centre of attention when a tourist, known as Shen Shishi on Xiaohongshu, painted a panda on it.

A clip of her painting over the mural, which is one of the area’s most photographed attractions, went viral.

At one point, a local man even tried to stop her by repeatedly saying “cannot” to her in Mandarin. However, Ms Shen persisted.

In the clip, she said she was proud of her work.

“Because of the panda, people learn about Sichuan, learn about Chongqing, and become curious about Chongqing,” she said.

However, her stunt drew a lot of criticism online. Many netizens accused her of vandalising public art and disrespecting local culture.

Artist was given permission by original mural painter

Amid the backlash, the mural’s creator, Chow Hua Hing, stepped forward, revealing that he had personally invited Ms Shen to paint over his original work.

After discovering her artwork on Xiaohongshu, he said he admired her creativity and asked her to collaborate.

However, he acknowledged that she had not informed his sister or local residents beforehand, leading to a misunderstanding.

“It’s all a misunderstanding — I hope people won’t scold her,” he said.

His sister added that the panda painting had even drawn more tourists to the jetty.

When asked whether they needed council approval to repaint the wall, she replied:

Do we really need permission to paint on our own house walls? My brother’s mural has been here for seven or eight years without issue.

Despite their stance, authorities have ordered the new artwork removed.

Homeowners unhappy, want to preserve the mural

According to Sin Chew Daily, the homeowners are unhappy with the council’s directive and intend to fight for the mural’s preservation.

“This is my home, my walls. Why should it be removed?” Mr Chow asked.