UPDATE:

(The Star) - Just five days after it was put up, the Penang government’s “Tak Nak ISA” signboard opposing the Internal Security Act has been removed by vandals.

All that was left were the metal frame and some rope.

The signboard was put up at a public car park operated by the Penang Municipal Council just opposite the state legislative assembly building in Light Street here on Saturday.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary Ng Wei Aik said the state was alerted early yesterday morning; that the 2.4m by 4.8m signboard had gone missing sometime in the middle of the night.

Speaking to reporters at the site, Ng said he believed there was a political motive behind the act.

He later proceeded to the central police station to lodge a report. Ng said he believed there was a political motive behind the act.

He added the state hoped to have it replaced as soon as possible.

Any witnesses to the vandalism, he said, should contact him at 019-2459305.

It was earlier reported that the cost of printing and installing the signboard, complete with spotlight, was less than RM2,000. However, the spotlight had yet to be installed due to a technical glitch.

ORIGINAL ENTRY:

On Saturday, while the national media zeroed in on the final day of campaigning in the Bagan Pinang by-election, another campaigin billboard went up in Penang over the same controversial three letters - I-S-A.

Isa the candidate from BN proved to be irresistible to the local voters, trouncing his opponent with a 5,435 majority out of over 10,500 votes cast.

ISA the Act, on the other hand, now has a state government openly opposing it. The DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat government erected a small billboard opposite the Penang State Assembly building as a symbolic reminder to its lawmakers the gravity of the draconian act.

Interestingly, the entire episode began in another by-election just weeks ago, this time up north in Permatang Pasir.

We'll let citizen DanielYKL tell you the story.

Syabas, Penang!

Picture / DanielYKL