Jawi assemblyman H’ng Mooi Lye said it was wrong for councillor Cameron Kang to put up two posters without getting approval from the Penang Island City Council (MBPP).

Kang had pasted two A4-sized fliers with QR code links for bus users to see how many minutes away their Rapid Penang buses were. Another QR code was a link to a public transport journey planner app.

“Someone took a video of Kang and sent it to me, asking how a city councillor can stick posters on public property without permission.

“I agree (with the sender) and I urge the council to take action against him,” H’ng said.

Kang admitted to FMT that he was wrong and was prepared to be fined by MBPP.

He said he was conducting a trial run of the QR code system before proposing his plan to the authorities.

He said he did not want to risk wasting taxpayers’ money should his plan fail.

Kang, who is a Penang Forum appointee councillor in the Seberang Perai City Council, had pasted the posters at two bus stops along Jalan Air Itam to test how many people would use them.

At one bus stop, he said, he had received over 50 scans – until the posters were removed by MBPP workers.

MBPP councillor Nicholas Theng also criticised Kang’s “act of vandalism”.

“Since when are councillors above the law? He could have proposed this at a council meeting and I am sure the councillors would be more than happy (to put up the posters) if his idea was beneficial,” he said in a statement.