GRANTED, enforcement officers cannot be present everywhere around the clock to conduct surveillance, and a huge budget is needed to sufficiently install and monitor closed-circuit television or CCTV cameras.
But whenever traffic police arrived at a spot to carry out enforcement, motorists would not wait for summonses to be issued and quickly drive their vehicles away if illegally or double parked.
Drivers scurrying away are common sights in Kuala Lumpur, including Taman Maluri, a township closest to Kuala Lumpur City Centre, with the majestic Petronas Twin Towers just a short distance away.
Although there are many coffee shops, eateries and restaurants in this township, there are even more motor workshops, tyre shops, battery dealers, car detailers and motor accessories outlets.
Businesses catering to motor vehicles have been operating for many years in Taman Maluri and some are new.
But why is Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) allowing such services to operate from shophouses?
Be that as it may, DBKL seems to be oblivious to the fact that roadside parking bays are very limited and the public would not dare to park their vehicles in front of these shophouses for fear of reprisal.
Businesses operating from intermediate shop lots could displace the public from using two parking bays and those occupying corner lots could be monopolising up to six parking bays.
And they do not bother to officially reserve them by paying for private parking, which would be painted with red lines.
Some parking bays are privately painted with diagonal yellow lines to confuse the public.
In Taman Maluri, they can be found at Jalan Jejaka 5, which connects Jalan Jejaka 2 to Jalan Jejaka 4.
It is a short stretch with only 13 shophouses on each side.
Last Sunday morning, I took 14 photos where obstacles, mainly discarded tyres, were placed on parking bays to prevent the public from using them, although they were unlikely to be occupied for the day.
However, a Proton X70 with higher ground clearance was seen reversing into one parking bay as the discarded tyre was placed flat on the ground.
On the other hand, a family that came in a car was afraid to remove a big but light plastic container placed in a parking bay and initially parked in front of it but later decided to drive away to avoid trouble.
Mind you, it was Sunday and even those that have paid for reserved parking bays are not allowed to hog them after working hours, Sundays or public holidays.
And yet many selfish and irresponsible traders are denying the public from using roadside parking bays next to their premises round the clock, aside from illegally occupying many five-foot ways for business.
If authorities chose to be indifferent to the plight of motorists, then enforcement officers and those in charge of them are likely to be on the take.
Otherwise, such dereliction of duty would not go unpunished.
Another matter is the nearby low-cost flats at PPR Perkasa that were completed in 2004 and built on prime real estate, adjacent to the MyTOWN Shopping Centre and IKEA Cheras at Jalan Cochrane.
Many irresponsible tenants keep cats as pets, which is not allowed in any high-rise residence, and this has resulted in many passageways being covered with stinky cat poop.
The contract worker at Block A confirmed that many floors are afflicted with this problem and she only sweeps the passageways without removing the cat excrement .
This problem had been reported many times to DBKL’s site office at Block C by both the residents and cleaners, but the staff took little or no action.
Some neighbours have complained directly to the cat owners but have fallen on deaf ears or they remain indifferent.
One even retorted, “How do you know it was my cat that had defecated there?”
This is but just one of the deplorable situations at PPR Perkasa where DBKL staff failed to do their jobs, and no one is monitoring.
However, do not be mistaken that only poor people live in low-cost flats.
Many families own one or more cars. Many vehicles are double-parked on both sides of the road fronting Block A.
And the many roads in and around PPR Perkasa are usually lined with parked vehicles.
Even on weekdays during office hours, most of the parking bays are occupied, giving the impression that many residents do not need to go to work.
The authorities need to take their jobs seriously and carry out enforcement when needed to prevent these sorts of situations from occurring.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
