Kota Kinabalu: The City Hall (DBKK) carries out parking enforcement, including vehicle towing, to ensure roads and footpaths remain free of obstructions for the sake of public safety and interest, said Mayor Datuk Seri Sabin Samitah (pic).
He said double parking and vehicular obstruction disrupt other road users and trigger congestion, particularly in frequent complaint hotspots such as the Kota Kinabalu Central Market, Anjung Kinabalu, Sinsuran, and the Safma night market area.
Compounds alone cannot immediately clear obstructions when vehicles are left unattended, prompting enforcement officers to issue warnings via sirens and public address announcements before resorting to towing as a final measure to reopen blocked lanes.
Sabin stressed that parking facilities in the city centre are generally sufficient, with 20,000 available bays comprising 4,005 public bays alongside multi-storey and commercial lots at locations including KK Plaza, Menara Jubili, The Shore, Wisma Merdeka, Warisan Square, and Oceanus.
City Hall records revealed that several towed vehicles had outstanding compounds, with certain repeat offenders accumulating up to 200 unsettled summonses worth up to RM40,000.
Affected owners are urged to contact the DBKK Enforcement Department immediately to reclaim their vehicles, with City Hall open to considering instalment payments and appeals on high accumulated compound amounts.
Clarifying that DBKK has never auctioned vehicles seized for parking offences, Sabin noted that public auctions have strictly involved derelict and abandoned scrap vehicles to address cleanliness, safety, and public space management.
