Kota Kinabalu: Complaints of over-zealous parking attendants making motorists poorer between RM30 and RM100 – depending on how soon you settle the compound – for parking past the deadline has taken a new turn.
The parking payment via the SSP app using the driver's mobile phone was received at 12:23 PM.A Kepayan motorist is challenging DBKK Holdings Sdn Bhd to provide evidence that its staff issued a summons to a senior citizen while the vehicle had nobody inside.
He claims the compound was issued while the engine was still running and while the elderly motorist was grappling with keying in the particulars on her smartphone.
The incident happened at Damai Plaza close to half past twelve on a recent week day.
“My 71-year-old mother-in-law was trying to make payment using the Sabah Smart Parking (SSP) App at the parking lot at Phase 4. My 16-year-old was with his grandmother and even tried to dissuade the parking attendant from proceeding with the penalty.
“My son argued but the staff said the compound stays,” claimed Chin.
“My mother-in-law was taken to task by a parking officer who was confused between a parked vehicle, with an expired parking fee, and one where the driver had just parked and was trying to make payment.”He said he queried DBKK Holdings about the matter but have yet to receive a reply.
He provided Daily Express with the pertinent details on the incident, which were forwarded to the firm.
DBKK Holdings Sdn Bhd is the wholly owned investment and commercial arm of City Hall, which handles the collection of parking charges around the State Capital, including the Damai area.
A spokesman for the company acknowledged receipt of Chin’s report and that it took a serious view to his feedback.
He said a check of its records showed that a compound notice was issued to the vehicle-owner at 12: 22: 55pm on the day in question, while payment for the parking fee via the SSP was only received 51 seconds later – at around 12: 23: 46pm.
He claimed that enforcement action was based on real-time information which was automatically captured by its system.
“As such, only payments which are successfully recorded before a compound notice is issued are deemed as valid for enforcement purposes,” he said.
“Upon reviewing our record system, we have confirmed that the timestamps for when the compound was issued, as well as for when the payment of the parking fee was recorded, are accurate. No one has meddled with or manipulated this data.”He said “gambar bukti (photographic evidence)” taken at the time of the enforcement effort was also examined.
“They show that neither the driver nor the passenger was inside the car when the compound notice was placed under the windscreen wiper of the vehicle.
“The DBKK Holdings personnel on duty was also questioned about what transpired during the incident. According to the attendant, there were no individuals within proximity of the automobile, when issued the compound notice.” Daily Express requested to see this “photographic evidence” as the time stated would prove crucial as to who was telling the truth but the firm refused. He insisted that the compound was issued adhered to the standard operating procedures (SOP) being enforced.
“These procedures include verifying the payment status in our system, a check of the vehicle, the taking of photos as evidence, the printing of the compound notice, as well as the placement of this document on the vehicle.
Based on these findings, he said the company had determined that the enforcement action was carried out “secara profesional, telus dan berintegriti (professionally, with transparency and integrity)”.
“The compound notice was issued in accordance with our SOPs, as well as our prevailing enforcement conditions. As such, the vehicle-owner’s claim on the ‘abuse of the system’ is unfounded and not upheld by the records in our system, the photographic evidence or the outcome of our investigation.”The spokesman advised the Chin to submit an official appeal, if he was dissatisfied with the firm’s conclusion on the matter.
“He should submit any supporting evidence, together with his letter, for the management’s consideration.”The spokesman declined to disclose the amount of the penalty imposed on the car-owner. A compound of up to RM500 can be levied motorists who contravene City Hall’s City Hall’s Provision of Parking Places By-laws 2014, including those whose parking charges have expired after their period of validity.
There have been numerous complaints of motorists being issued summonses upon few minutes expiry of their allowed parking time, especially in the banking area.
They said the Mayor should consider the tough economic times people are facing as even RM30 diverted to City Hall as penalty can go a long way in feeding a family.
The Liberal Democratic Party also appealed for consideration but to no avail.