Monday January 7, 2013
By BAVANI M
bavanim@thestar.com.my
Photo by SHAHRUL FAZRY
Warning: A car illegally parked car in Jalan Telawi 9 was issued a department notice by Kuala Lumpur City Hall.THE Bangsar business community and some of its residents are alleging that that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is practising double standard by issuing department notices instead of compounds on cars parked along certain areas in the township.
A motorist who had parked along Jalan Telawi 3 on Thursday was slapped with compound after parking on a yellow line, but said his colleagues who were illegally parked along Jalan Telawi 7 were only slapped with a department notice which is also known as an administration notice. The notice comes with a mere warning to not park there.
“I find this odd and confusing, why the double standard?” Sabrina Teh complained. “Shouldn’t there be one rule for traffic offences?’’ she asked.
Ahmad Sarji, who had parked in Jalan Telawi 1, said he saw DBKL enforcement officers and their tow trucks towing off illegally parked vehicles that day.
“People who were having a quick bite in the area were seen running out to prevent their cars from being compounded and towed,”he said.
“But I heard that if you were to park in Jalan Telawi 7, 8 and 9, you will not get a summon,” he added.
A resident living in Jalan Telawi 9, who wished to remain anonymous, said at least 30 cars parked illegally in the area were issued department notices despite there being signboards warning people not to flout traffic rules.
“Why not just summon them?” he asked. “What is the rationale of just giving them a warning?” he lamented.
Bukit Bandaraya Residents’ Association (RA) chairman M. Ali blames the haphazard ruling on the blind commercialisation exercise by City Hall in areas such as Jalan Maarof and Jalan Telawi, which is creating the problem and denying residents access into and out of their houses.
“This is what happens when rules are carried out in an ad-hoc manner,” Ali said, adding that the residents wanted the Kuala Lumpur mayor and City Hall to engage with residents on community issues.
Bangsar Business Council president Ronnie Quay said the practice was not only unfair and would not resolve the congestion problem, but would worsen it.
Bangsar Village Complex manager Tan Joon Kai too found the practice of issuing department notices instead of compounds in residential areas puzzling.
“All I can say is that I do not condone illegal parking no matter where and the fact that City Hall is extra diligent in commercial areas is a good thing,” he said.
A check by StarMetro showed that some 50 cars parked illegally around Jalan Telawi 7, 8 and 9 were issued department notices.
City Hall enforcement director Mohd Sauffi Muhamad said administration notices were usually issued in housing areas but said that he needed time to investigate before making an official statement.
