But DAP fired back saying notices had been sent to the cafe owner since July 25 last year and the request to demolish the toilet was made four days before the owner’s criticism of Lim.
Penang Gerakan Youth acting chief Jason Loo today lodged a report asking the police to investigate if there had been any power abuse.
He said before the demolition took place on Wednesday at the Kaffa cafe, a DAP councillor had posted on Facebook a “warning” that action would be taken against the cafe for its illegally built toilet.
“The councillor’s remarks signalled that action was going to be taken against the cafe.
“The remarks by the councillor from Seberang Prai sounded like a threat over the unhappiness caused by the cafe owner’s statements in the media,” Loo told reporters after lodging his report.
He said it would be worrying if people who spoke out against the administration faced enforcement action.
He said Penang people did not want a situation where they could not speak out.
Meanwhile, Penang MCA also lodged a report and a complaint with the northern region Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in Butterworth today.
Its secretary, Dr Tan Chuan Hong, said the complaint was lodged over the councillor’s Facebook posting, which had elements of cyber-bullying.
The posting, written in Chinese by the councillor, has since been deleted.
Yesterday, Penang Gerakan chief Teng Chang Yeow told the media that there was concern that action was taken against the cafe owner, Patrick Ooi, because he had criticised Lim’s leadership and the latter’s outbursts against the Chinese media earlier this week.
Teng said after the remarks were reported in Chinese newspapers on Dec 18, a DAP councillor posted on Facebook on Dec 20 that enforcement action would be taken against the cafe.
A day after the posting, the cafe’s toilet was torn down, leading Penang Gerakan to link the sequence of events to the cafe owner’s criticism of Lim.
Describing this as “vengeful, petty and intolerance of criticism”, Teng told his Youth wing to lodge a police report.
Teng, who has received a notice of action for defamation from Lim after claiming that the latter had rejected a RM220 million profit deal for the Penang Development Corporation, also said he was right that people who criticised Lim would face the consequences.
State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said Gerakan had turned the demolition of the cafe’s toilet into a racial and political matter.
“It had nothing to do with the statement the cafe operator made against the CM on Dec 18, as the request for enforcement was made earlier, on Dec 14,” he said.
Chow said the building plan by the cafe owner was rejected on Sept 20 this year, and the submitting architect and airport authority were informed that the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) would take action.
“The operator did not take any action himself to demolish the illegal structure.
“The council’s building department then sent an enforcement request on Dec 14. The enforcement unit acted on the request on Dec 21,” he said.
Chow said notices had been sent to the cafe owner since 2015, with the first enforcement action taking place on July 25 last year.
“Gerakan has slammed the council for taking action against the Chinese, but the council is colour blind and will act against those who violate the law, no matter their colour.”
Chow also said MBPP had yesterday demolished illegal extensions at a bungalow in Batu Uban, that was reportedly the home of a well-known Penang Umno leader, Ahmad Ismail.
He said Gerakan was “quiet today” about the demolition, unlike what it had done about the cafe’s illegal toilet, making it seem like the council only dared to act against the Chinese.
“Maybe it should be Umno’s turn to cry that the council only dares to take action against the Malays,” Chow said in a posting on his Facebook page.
He said it was the “racial game” played by BN, and asked Teng — who is Penang BN chairman – to decide if the council was anti-Chinese or anti-Malay.