GEORGE TOWN: About 25 inconsiderate drivers who had parked their cars at lots for the disabled on mainland Penang were shocked to find their cars covered in cloth when they returned.
Some of them quickly removed the cloth while others claimed they meant to park there for just a short while. Their excuses were to no avail as all the errant motorists were fined.
This was the scene outside Sunway Carnival Mall in Seberang Jaya and outside the OCBC Bank in Jalan Song Ban Kheng in Bukit Mertajam during a one-hour joint exercise between the Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) and DreamcityNow, a non-governmental organisation.
The exercise was to introduce a month-long project themed ‘Park With Heart Campaign’, which began on Sept 30.
MPSP president Datuk Maimunah Mohd Sharif said the campaign was to educate the public not to take up parking spots meant for the disabled.
DreamcityNow chairman Jeffrey Lim said between 12 and 15 car owners were slapped with summonses by the MPSP in the joint exercise.
Maimunah said the council would look into a proposal by councillor Dr Tiun Ling Ta that the minimum fine of RM30 be raised to RM100 as punishment for errant drivers who take up parking lots meant for the handicapped.
Dr Tiun, who is also a disabled person, said the current minimum fine was "too little".
He said the MPSP should emulate their counterpart Penang Island City Council (MBPP) which increased the fine for the offence to RM100 in recent months.
Dr Tiun proposed this in his speech during a full council meeting at the MPSP headquarters in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam, recently.
He said there were 53,000 registered disabled people in the state.
He added that there were 49 parking lots for the disabled on the mainland with 313 car stickers being issued by the council.
Maimumah said the current minimum fine was RM30 if paid within 14 days, RM40 if settled between the 14th and 28th day and RM50 after 28 days.
“We can also slap the offenders with a maximum fine of RM300,” she said during a press conference after chairing the full council meeting.
She added that the council would still be issuing compounds during the campaign period.
“We want to see if there are any changes from the public on this cause.
“We will then decide on the next course of action,” she said.
