KUALA LUMPUR: VISITORS and traders to Taman Muda commercial square are unhappy about faulty parking meters and the road name signages which have been plastered with advertisements.
Teratai public complaints bureau chief Ben Liew Pok Boon wants the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) to cancel parking summonses as motorists cannot be blamed for not paying for parking.
He said with the introduction of the new coins, the old coins have been slowly phased out of circulation by Bank Negara, which was a problem as there were still many machines which only accepted old coins.
Liew said that out of the 31 parking meters, five accepted new coins, and 20 accepted old coins. The remaining machines were faulty.
He said that residents had also approached the MPAJ to remove the advertisements from street name signs.
Local business owner, Robert Tay, said it was not that he did not want to pay for parking, but it was difficult to get old coins.
He added that most of his customers, too, found it troublesome to visit the square and would ask him to meet them by the roadside, rather than find a parking lot.
Salesman Chen Chee Hou said he often did not have enough of old coins for parking. And there had been occasions when coins were not returned after transactions were cancelled.
MCA Pandan division chairman Leong Kok Wee said MCA had received many complaints about the parking machines in Taman Muda commercial square.
“The parking rate is only 50 sen per hour and RM5 per day.
“When MPAJ issues a summons, motorists have to pay RM100. Although they can appeal for a reduction to RM50 or RM30, it is still a burden to them.”
Liew claimed that the complaints had fallen on deaf ears.
MPAJ is offering discounts on parking summonses to RM30 per summons this month.
