Motorists fume at selfish lot

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/node/46489 (BY DAWN CHAN  27/10/2014)

KUALA LUMPUR: MOTORISTS are irked to see parking bays permanently occupied by abandoned vehicles in Medan Putra Business Centre, Bandar Menjalara, a busy commercial area where parking space is at a premium.

Almost 20 vehicles are parked in the public parking bays and in the back lanes, depriving motorists of precious parking space and City Hall of revenue from parking meter fees.

Many of these vehicles have been stripped of their engines, windows and doors. Some have been left there for years.

Restaurant manager Jimmy Ong, 34, said the abandoned vehicles were an eyesore as well as an inconvenience.

“City Hall should be proactive and act fast when it comes to matters like this. It is obvious that these cars have been left here for many years, which is frustrating because these spots can be freed up for motorists here,” he said.

Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, who visited the area on Saturday, said the owners did not want to take responsibility for the vehicles, yet did not want them to be towed away.

“When City Hall officers came and wanted to tow the vehicles away, some car workshop operators here said the vehicles belonged to their customers,” he said.

Lim said he had recently brought up the matter to Mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib, who had promised to get the council’s enforcement team to remove the abandoned vehicles.

“But nothing has happened so far. Phesal told me the towing of the vehicles could be carried out immediately as he was doing away with the old process of removing vehicles of this sort,” he said.

The process required City Hall to place a notice on the vehicle with instructions for the owner to remove it.

The owner is notified three times and given a grace period of over two weeks to comply, Lim said.

“However, when I spoke to Phesal recently, he said this process would be done away.

“According to him, there will be no questions asked or notices given. I brought up the matter again yesterday (Friday) but the vehicles are still here today,” he said.

Meanwhile, the new one-way traffic flow in the commercial centre becomes effective today. Directional signs have been repainted to reflect the change.

“This is done after a six-month study by City Hall. I hope motorists here will be patient during the transitional process.

“The one-way system is to combat the traffic congestion here and is for the improvement of the commercial centre,” said Lim.