TANAH RATA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) has trained its guns on what it has claimed as excessive parking charges in Cameron Highlands by the local authority, which burdens the people by increasing their cost of living higher.
PH Cameron Highlands by-election candidate M. Manogaran said the charges by the Cameron Highlands District Council (MDCH) which are also imposed for seven days a week also does not make sense.
The lawyer said the political pact had received complaints from locals of being burdened by the parking charges.
“The people are not happy that are need to pay parking charges for seven days in a week. Even on a Sunday they need to pay parking charges. In Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur, they do not pay parking charges on Sundays.
“The new parking charges which had been enforced since October last year, are quite high and even the monthly parking charges are quite high. In Kuantan for example the monthly parking charges is around RM52, whereas if I am not wrong the charges are RM80 per month. I don’t know what is the reason (for such high charges),” he said.
He said the Tanah Rata state assemblyman had forwarded the people’s grouses to MDCH, but there is yet to be a proper clarification on the matter.
“The YB here had written to them (MDCH) but they replied that they were unable to reduce the parking charges, reasoning that they need to adhere to provisions under the Road Transport Act 1987, which could not be amended.
“As a lawyer, I would like to state that this is not true. Any legal provisions can be amended and does not need to go through Parliament,” Manogaran told reporters after attending the Ponggal (Harvest Festival) celebrations here today at the Sri Subramaniam temple.
Manogaran also claimed that he had received information that many a councillor appointed to MDCH were outsiders and not from Cameron Highlands.
“They are from other districts. I believe (those appointed) were due to them being crony for certain quarters. They do not know the needs and sentiments of locals. The state government needs to pay attention on this,” he said.
