157 motorists penalised for Kota Kinabalu Illegal parking
Published on: Thursday, April 25, 2024
By: Sidney Skinner
An enforcement officer prepares to issue a compound to the driver of this car which was haphazardly near the 5-star hotel.
CITY HALL has been keeping tabs on roads between the Central market and Sinsuran shophouses, with 157 motorists compounded for illegal parking in this part of the State Capital since January.
The agency is also looking into claims about the traffic hazards posed by the oversized vehicles left along a Kolombong road, with a trailer-owner compounded earlier this month for parking on the verge.
The owner of this trailer, spotted on Jalan Kolombong, received a compound earlier this month.
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A spokesman for its Enforcement Department said City Hall officers had been periodically inspecting Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, Lorong Gomantong, Jalan Dua Puluh and Jalan Datuk Chong Thian Vun in Kota Kinabalu.
“A total of six motorists were taken to task for leaving vehicles in unmarked spaces during two separate inspections this month,” he said.
“Motorists can be deemed to have parked illegally, if there is no demarcation painted on either side of the road surface occupied by their vehicles,” he said.
“This is regardless of whether their automobiles obstruct the flow of traffic in the area.”
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Under the agency’s Provision of Parking Places By-laws (Coupon Parking) 2014, those who leave their vehicles in undesignated parking spaces could be liable to a compound of up to RM500, according to him.
This motorist being taken to task for occupying an unmarked space along the main road in front of The Citadines building.
He said repeat offenders and those who failed to settle their compounds could be taken to court.
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If they are found guilty they risk being slapped with a RM20,000 fine, serving a 12 month jail term or both, according to the spokesman.
“Our officers went down at various times of the day and night on 20 occasions in March. About 65 compounds were issued that month.
“Seventy nine others were compounded during 17 checks in February.”
He said seven compounds were served in the Sinsuran area during the first month of the year.
“We have been trying to deter incidents of illegal parking around a five-star hotel in this part of the City.”
The spokesman said there had been a marked increase in the number of parking offenders in Sinsuran over the past four months as compared to those who had been taken to task for similar misdeeds last year.
He said a total of 87 drivers were compounded for parking violations around Sinsuran in 2023.
“Four compounds were issued in December, three in October and 11 in September.”
He said 23 drivers were penalised in August and another 17 the month before.
Sixteen compounds were served in the Sinsuran area in June and 13 between February and May, according to him.
The spokesman said enforcement personnel would periodically monitor the goings-on along the various roads between the market and Sinsuran, as well as along Jalan Kolombong.
“We hope in this way to minimise the inconvenience caused by errant drivers who park haphazardly on these stretches.
The surveillance of the latter road was prompted by feedback from a motorist about the difficulties which drivers experienced in accessing and exiting from a budget store opposite the Malaysian Maritime building in Kolombong.
NANSY of Kolombong said there were frequently heavy vehicles, including lorries, 10-tonne trucks and trailers, parked on the side of the main road.
“These vehicles obstruct the view of the traffic on the main road, which makes it a hassle for drivers trying to enter and leave the compound for the budget store,” she said.
A City Hall staff takes down the details of the vehicles which were illegally parked near the Central Market.
She said she had twice highlighted this inconvenience to City Hall but, so far, little had been done to deter drivers from parking illegally on Jalan Kolombong.
“I first contacted the agency in November and again at the beginning of April.
“In the five months between these reports, more and more oversized vehicles have been left on the road-shoulder near the store,” Nancy said.
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