Proposed parking fee hike in Penampang meets public resistance

KOTA KINABALU: Residents in the semi-rural Penampang district near here are upset over a proposed parking fees hike ahead of the township being upgraded to a municipality on April 1.

The folk in the laid-back district feel that the planned rates were too steep as compared to the charges in neighbouring Kota Kinabalu city.

Although there has not been an announcement, social media users speculated that the proposal suggested several categories of parking fees from Monday to Saturday, with the charges varying according to the colour code of the parking bays.

Among others, people felt that the proposed RM1.50 rate for one hour of parking in the yellow lots is too high compared to similar parking here, which is RM1 per hour.

Penampang Upko Youth chief Billy Joe Dominic has urged the Penampang District Council (MDPG) to review the fees for motorist parking.

This, he added, was important in order to lessen the burden on the people, particularly the lower-income households.

“Many people have complained about the (proposed) parking charges and I believe MDPG can re-evaluate the fees,” he said in a statement here on Friday (Jan 12).

He said at a MDPG briefing on the parking fees last year, attended by Penampang MP and Upko president Datuk Ewon Benedick too, they were notified that the decision and the agreement with the implementing company were made and signed before Benedick became the MP.

“In the same meeting, Benedick expressed his disagreement over the charges and requested the council to review the fees,” he said, adding the Upko chief also questioned the profit margin to be made by the concessionaire from the deal.

On this, MDPG chairman Francis Chong declined to comment when contacted, saying the policy had yet to be implemented.

Considering that the public transport system in Penampang still lagged behind, Benedick was reported as saying that the people had no choice but to use their own vehicles.

“Small traders and hawkers will surely be affected by the charges,” said the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister.

Meanwhile, Dominic told the MDPG to display to the public the agreement between the council and the concessionaire implementing the policy for transparency.