KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — The two-hour maximum parking limit to come into force in the central business district has drawn objections from businessmen and premise owners
They are concerned the implementation of the two-hour parking limit in the central business district, starting from July 18, would affect their livelihood as it would discourage customers from eating or shopping there.
The decision, announced by the Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor on Saturday, was part of the government’s efforts to encourage the public to use public transportation.
For 26-year-old Sam Yee, who runs a cafe in Jalan Imbi, he said parking options were already limited in the vicinity of his cafe, and the two-hour parking limit would bring more bane than boon to his business.
“This cafe is only three months old and I need to attract more crowd. It is difficult now as most people opt to eat at home. I cannot imagine how it is going to be when the new parking regulation starts,” he said.
While he appreciates the government’s move towards a greener Kuala Lumpur, he doubts it will be effective as there are other parking options available in every nook and cranny of the city.
“There are many open air car parks scattered around Bukit Bintang, for instance, and people can also park in nearby shopping complexes if they want to come into the city. I doubt it will encourage people to take the train or the bus,” he said.
Steamboat restaurant owner Su Feng Chin, 45, was also unhappy about the parking limit as she wants her customers to be able to enjoy their meals without having to worry about parking.
“People should be able to enjoy their food. You cannot expect customers to eat while checking the time every five minutes. They cannot eat in peace if they have to worry about the City Hall coming to tow their cars away,” she said.
Su, whose eatery faces Shaw Parade in Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah, also said the decision is confusing as no further details of the new parking system were disclosed after the announcement yesterday.
“Currently, parking is free after 6pm as the parking terminals only operate from 7.30am to 6pm. Will it be the same with the new system? If it is, does it mean there is no time limit for people to park after 6pm?”
A revised parking rate of RM2 for the first hour and RM3 for the second hour will also be implemented alongside the two-hour parking ruling which will first take place in KL’s central business district.
Tengku Adnan had also said the current rate of 80 sen per hour allows the public to hog a parking bay for as long as they please and does nothing to promote the use of public transport.
Store manager R. Bavathi, 34, who drives from Puchong to Berjaya Times Square for work, said she saw the move as a ‘‘burden’’ to urbanites who also have to cope with the rising cost of living.
“The fare will be increased by more than two-fold. It is expensive, just like everything else in the city. I hope the government retains the existing parking system as it is affordable,” she said.
Bavathi said using public transportation was not an option to some who live far away from their workplaces as it would cost them too much travel time.
“I would have to change trains a couple of times as there is no direct train from the city to Puchong, and the mall closes at 10pm. I would probably reach home by midnight. It is just not practical for me,” she said.
Marketing executive Alaudin Mohd Sallehudin, 31, said the whole exercise could hurt office workers who utilise roadside parking over the lack of parking bays in the city.
“It could be troublesome for guys like myself who face insufficient parking bays at the office and, even if we do manage to get one, the monthly fee will burn our pockets,” he said..
“Feeding the metre is also much cheaper than parking at the basement of major buildings in the area. Two hours are not enough as you cannot expect office workers to go out every two hours to hunt for a new parking spot.”
