Kota Kinabalu: City Hall (DBKK) has found that some motorists continue to park their vehicles in undesignated areas despite the availability of more than 20,000 parking bays in and around the city centre.
DBKK, in a statement, said ample parking facilities have been provided to ensure smooth traffic flow, road user safety and the comfort of visitors conducting business in the city centre.
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DBKK currently provides approximately 4,005 public parking bays in the city centre and surrounding areas, in addition to multi-storey parking facilities at KK Plaza with 452 bays, Menara Jubili (276 bays) and KK Sentral (499 bays), all charging RM1 per hour.
Apart from facilities managed by DBKK, more than 19,000 parking bays are also available at commercial buildings and privately owned premises throughout the city centre.
Among the locations offering parking facilities are The Shore with 711 bays, Wisma Sabah (125), Wisma Merdeka (752), Warisan Square (510), Suria Sabah (2,016), Riverson (760), Plaza Shell (550), Oceanus (815), KK Times Square (3,287), KK Plaza (450), Jesselton Quay (1,148), Jesselton Mall (910), Imago (1,795), Kompleks Asia City (1,581), Centre Point (1,376) and Api-Api Centre (1,480).
DBKK noted that parking facilities at these privately owned buildings charge reasonable rates ranging from RM2 to RM4 for the first few hours.
However, some road users continue to park on road shoulders, entrances and exits to premises, no-parking zones, road junctions, pedestrian walkways, in front of business premises and other areas that obstruct traffic movement.
According to DBKK, such practices not only violate existing regulations but also contribute to traffic congestion, create safety risks for other road users and disrupt business activities as well as the daily affairs of the public.
In some cases, improperly parked vehicles also caused damage to public amenities such as urban landscaping, ornamental trees, pavements, road dividers and other infrastructure provided for community use.
DBKK stressed that enforcement action against parking offences is carried out progressively and in accordance with established standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Before further action is taken, enforcement officers will issue announcements through sirens or loudhailers to allow vehicle owners the opportunity to move their vehicles.
If vehicle owners fail to respond or the offence persists, compound notices will be issued in accordance with the relevant legal provisions.
DBKK said in cases involving obstruction to traffic, risks to public safety, repeated offences or failure to comply with instructions, vehicles may be towed as a last resort after all required checks and procedures have been followed.
At the same time, the public was reminded that walking a reasonable distance from parking facilities to their destination is a common practice in major cities around the world.
Parking facilities at nearby buildings such as KK Plaza, The Shore and other parking premises can be utilised to help reduce congestion and create a more orderly and comfortable urban environment.
DBKK also urged all road users to use designated parking bays, comply with existing regulations and plan their journeys more effectively when visiting the city centre.
According to DBKK, the cooperation and sense of responsibility of all parties are crucial in ensuring that Kota Kinabalu remains a clean, orderly, safe and user-friendly city.
