Chinese tourist’s panda mural in Malaysia’s Penang turns crowd-puller amid review

The fate of the “panda on the scooter” is hanging in the balance.\nThe artwork, modified by a Chinese artist at Chew Jetty in Malaysia’s Penang state, has yet to be legalised although an application was made a month ago.\nThe Chinese tourist, known as Shen Shishi or Shi Shi, had painted a panda onto an existing mural on a wall at the jetty.\nThe panda has surprisingly become an additional attraction at the usually busy tourist hub, with more people flocking there.\nThe panda mural triggered online criticism from those who thought the artists had vandalised the original artwork.\nThe house owner later clarified that she had welcomed the addition and hoped to keep the piece, prompting the council to take action.\nIn a notice issued on November 13 by the Penang Island City Council’s (MBPP) Heritage Conservation Department, the building owner was ordered to erase and repaint the wall at Chew Jetty, which is recognised as part of George Town’s Unesco World Heritage site.\nOther unapproved murals were also ordered to be removed.\nMayor A. Rajendran said the council has received the application to keep the mural intact, adding that the matter was now under review by the Public Art Review Panel (PARP) under the George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI).\n“Once MBPP receives feedback from PARP, we will decide on the next course of action,” Rajendran said on Monday.\nPengkalan Kota assemblyman Wong Yuee Harng, with some help from the offices of Tanjong MP Lim Hui Ying and Berapit assemblyman Heng Lee Lee, together with several city councillors, have assisted the building owner to submit an application to obtain permits for the murals.\nAccording to GTWHI, public art refers to any artwork created for display in public spaces. PARP evaluates all mural proposals in the World Heritage site.\nWork that detracts from George Town’s outstanding universal value will be rejected.\nShen was also believed to have painted similar panda figures at several other locations in Penang, including Butterworth.\nChew Jetty, established by Chinese immigrants from Fujian province in the 19th century, is among the last surviving clan jetties in George Town and forms part of Penang’s heritage conservation plan. Its stilt houses and narrow wooden walkways attract thousands of visitors each month.\nThis story was first published by The Star\n