Malaysians show irresponsible side

JOHOR BARU: Business operators and residents near the Johor-Singapore causeway are up in arms over Malaysians working in Singapore who park their vehicles illegally along road pavements, road sides, parking spots and housing estates to avoid being slapped with summons by the town council.
These irresponsible Malaysians also park their vehicles haphazardly while they commute to Singapore through the Custom Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ).
Among those affected are Serene Park residents, those going to the Johor Baru Selatan Police headquarters in the city and those at Stulang Laut.
The Serene Park residents are the worst hit with these Malaysians parking on road pavements and road sides along Jalan Damai which has turned a two-way road into a single lane.
Ah Leong, who runs a food outlet, said the illegal parking is causing a lot of problem to residents and commuters with longer time spent to reach their destinations.
"They park very early in the morning and return late evening. Customers are forced to look elsewhere for a meal. Our businesses have dropped as much as 50% and authorities concerned are turning a deaf ear to our woes," he added.
He said even private medical practitioners are affected as patients have to park their vehicles far before walking to the clinics.
Several residents, when interviewed by theSun, said the authorities, including the police, should take action against those who park illegally. This irresponsible act can cause minor accidents and posed a danger to pedestrians and commuters.
Hazel Ong, who commutes along the stretch, said the roads leading to housing estates now have several humps making it even more difficult for vehicle owners to reach their destinations as they have to drive extremely slow.
Serene Park Resident Community and Policing chairman Raymond Koh said the community policing programme was a great success and the neighbourhood had achieved zero crime through its programmes but all that has changed with snatch thieves preying on Malaysians who park their vehicles illegally in their area.
"Robbery, snatch thefts and accidents are now on the rise. We want the authorities to look into their plight and initiate some form of action before something serious happens," he added.