RESIDENTS in Jalan Slim, Jelutong, received a shock yesterday when 167 of them were slapped with police summonses for parking offence along the road for the first time in 20 years.
They would be appealing to the northeast district traffic police chief through Jelutong MP R.S.N. Rayer and Batu Lancang assemblyman Ong Ah Teong to have their summonses cancelled.
Housewife Zarina Bee Ibrahim, 68, told reporters on behalf of a group of residents affected that they have been parking their cars by the roadside of Jalan Slim for over 20 years without problem.
“The summonses are causing more hardship for us. The compound is not RM10 but at least RM100. I can’t understand why we were given the summonses all of a sudden.
“We’ve been parking our cars by the roadside for years. Never before have we been given the summonses. Many of us have been residing here for over 20 years,” said Zarina, who is living with her family in Taman Yew Lean, which is a stone’s throw from the Perak Road public market.
Ah Teong said according to the police website, 167 vehicle owners in Jelutong were issued summonses yesterday. The offence, he said, was for obstructing traffic but there was no signage on the road or yellow lines drawn on it to warn motorists that they could not park their vehicles there.
“We do not question the police for carrying out their work. If there is any signage for no parking or yellow lines on the road, or double parking offence, I would not want to defend them. I just want to request the police to highlight to us the reason for their action,” Ah Teong said.
Rayer said he and Ah Teong would seek a meeting with the district traffic police chief and also appeal on behalf of the affected residents.
Another resident, Ong Pit Wooi, said he was fortunate to witness the police operation while having some food at a nearby coffeeshop.
“I quickly moved my car to another spot and escape getting a summons. But I feel for other residents who got the summonses,” said Pit Wooi, a 42-year-old electrician who has been living at Taman Sri Perak since 2001.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan