PENAMPANG: The Penampang Municipal Council (MPP) launched a Mobile Parking Operations Team, believed to be the first in Sabah, to improve management of 5,477 parking spaces across 29 locations in the district.
“This initiative is not intended to burden motorists, but rather to enhance convenience, fairness and accessibility for all road users,” said MPP President Noemi Dyena Johntren at the launching ceremony, here, Monday.
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“The presence of the Mobile Team is expected to promote better compliance through awareness, assistance and consistent monitoring,” she said, pointing out that the initiative was about serving motorists, not penalising them.
The Mobile Parking Operations Team, operating in collaboration with appointed operator Waja Alammega Sdn Bhd, will use motorbikes to patrol parking areas, monitor special needs (OKU) bays, respond to public feedback and deter criminal activity.
The team will cover designated parking zones from Donggongon to Towering and extending to the Millennium Centre near Rafflesia.
Operating under the Compliance Department, trained personnel including a Compliance Assistant Officer and parking attendants will also respond to incidents, identify abandoned vehicles and report maintenance concerns such as damaged signage and faded road markings.
Noemi acknowledged that many residents in Penampang had grown accustomed to parking indiscriminately, but said the introduction of a paid parking system had made it easier for authorities to identify and act on violations.
Compounds will be issued for offences, though she said the MPP would still exercise discretion in its enforcement approach.
She added that while some leniency may be given during festive seasons, violations would not be overlooked entirely.
“Wrong is still wrong,” she said, when asked if there would be some parking leniency especially during the Harvest Festival period.
“We will issue compounds, but we still have some consideration in how we carry out enforcement,” she added.
The council is also equipping enforcement personnel with body cameras and walkie-talkies to improve transparency and professionalism, establishing a Joint Consultative Committee on Parking Management and introducing License Plate Recognition mobile scanning technology to strengthen monitoring.
In addition, the MPP is also pushing ahead with efforts to make composting machines mandatory for large restaurants in Penampang.
“The MPP has begun encouraging all major food and beverage operators to install the equipment on their premises,” she said.
“There will be no enforcement action this year, but operators who fail to comply risk having their business licence renewal withheld from next year onwards.
“To ease the financial burden, restaurant owners may pay for the machines through instalments or apply for a loan from the machine supplier,” she added.
On that note, she said the MPP is committed to delivering efficient, transparent and community-focused municipal services and looks forward to the cooperation of the public in ensuring the success of its initiatives.
Present were Waja Alammega Sdn Bhd Directors Gerard Chin and Helen Willie Goh, as well as the Chief Executive Officer Lawrence Lim.
Also present were MMP Secretary Robert Malangkig and Enforcement Chief Norazirina Wilsa, among others.
