Penang state-affiliated bureau cops flak over MY Independence Day greeting post

State bureau Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) has copped flak after posting a Merdeka Day greeting on Facebook with a photo of old shophouses - unfortunately the shophouses are situated in Singapore. 

In a now-deleted post, the PCEB wished all Malaysians a happy Independence Day with a photo of the Penang Bridge and a photo of shophouses located at Singapore's Koon Seng Road at Joo Chiat stitched together. 

A+M has reached out to the PCEB and the Penang Global Tourism Bureau for a statement. 

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According to Chinese Malaysians media Sin Chew Daily, a netizen said he did not understand why the bureau did not use a photo of a heritage building in Georgetown. The netizen reportedly added that the PNEB should have a deeper understanding of Penang's culture and history, and that the oversight hurts the feelings of its people. 

The netizen reportedly pointed out that the incident would lead to negative consequences such as damaging the image of Penang and reducing the public's trust in the PCED, reported Sin Chew Daily. 

When Sin Chew Daily reached out, the bureau's chairman Wong Hon Wai said the original design was meant to use a photo of Jalan Kek Chuan in Georgetown. However, the designer had used a photo of Kong Seng Street in Singapore by mistake, Wong reportedly said. 

The PCEB is not the only state bureau in hot waters as of late. Earlier in July, Tourism Melaka was called out for error-filled guidebooks. Serge Jardin, a French Melaka-based author and historian took to Facebook to post a list of inaccuracies he found in the guidebook.

Some the inaccuracies include the arrival of the Portuguese colonists in the 16th - not 15th - century, how long the Portuguese ruled the state, and how Melaka is celebrating 624 years in history, not 750 years as mentioned in the guidebook.

"Please Tourism Melaka, you shouldn't take tourists for stupid, thank you," said Jardin in a statement.

In response, Tourism Melaka released a statement to publicly apologise for its errors and informed the public that it has ceased the distribution of the guidebooks at all tourist information centres, as well as e-book links on social media platforms.

Photo courtesy Penang Global Tourism (left) and Singapore Tourism Board (right). 

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