Solve parking problem first
SHAH ALAM - Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG) had been advised to postpone the implementation of prohibition on parking in front of houses which is scheduled to take place early next year.
Former housing and local government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said that the local authority (PBT) instead needed to find a solution to the problems of congestion and parking difficulties in residential areas first.
She said issuing tickets would trouble the residents.
"Actually, MBPG cannot make such a sudden decision because residents will face problems to park their vehicles.
"This decision is illogical and too drastic and unfair to the people there.
"Before enforcing this prohibition, we should first solve the existing parking problem in the residential areas," she told Sinar Harian yesterday.
She was commenting on MBPG's alleged plan to enforce a prohibition on parking in public spaces including on one's own house starting Jan 1, next year.
Meanwhile, Zuraida said the enforcement should not be executed as there was no policy that said each house cannot have more than one vehicle.
Therefore, the former Ampang MP suggested that MBPG provide a special parking space such as a multistorey car park in residential areas that are dealing with the problem.
She said PBT also needed to first find out in residential areas the actual number of vehicles that needed the accommodation.
"There is a concept that I can share as a former minister from my visits to other countries.
"I saw that their PBT built multistorey car parks in front of houses. They only used iron to build the parking lot and the cost was inexpensive.
"I saw it in Japan, Singapore and South Korea.
"However, if the residential area does not have enough land in front of the house, a multistorey car park can be built on empty land in the neighbourhood.
"This is perhaps a more decent alternative than the prohibition that will take place later," she suggested.
Zuraida added that MBPG also needed to hold a discussion with residents in regards to the best way to solve congestion and parking difficulties.
"Perhaps, the residents can give even better suggestions than mine," she said.
