Those who have lodged reports with the authorities in Selangor say phone calls and emails to the relevant authorities have fallen on deaf ears. The lack of enforcement has emboldened more people to abandon their vehicles at public areas.
A tenant along a row of shoplots in Glenmarie Industrial Park in Shah Alam said the place had become a graveyard for abandoned cars for more than two years now.
The 20-year-old development had few problems until workshops moved in and cars that could not be salvaged were left by the road.
“When we asked around, we found out that the cars were not being towed away because the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) could not issue compound notices to the owners for the towing and storage charges,” said the tenant, who wanted to be known as Shan.
He said his suspicions were raised after they had lodged many reports with MBSA but no action was taken on the complaints.
Another spot in Selangor for abandoned cars. This time, it's at Glenmarie Industrial Park, making the place look like a graveyard for vehicles.
Taman Sri Muda Zone A Rukun Tetangga chairman T. Mogan said the residents had gathered the licence plate numbers of all the abandoned vehicles and submitted it to MBSA.
“Nothing, however, was done."
In Subang, residents have given up waiting for councillors and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) to take action on abandoned cars in the municipality.
In each neighbourhood, Joe Mahinder Singh said, there were at least three cars that have been left to rot.
“It is just ugly and an eyesore. These cars are ruining the grass and more importantly, they are taking up precious parking space,” he added.
Former Petaling Jaya councillor Derek Fernandez said it was the duty of the council to tow the cars away whether the action generated income or not.
He said a sticker would be put on cars with no road tax or invalid road tax and a 30 day leeway would be given before it was towed away.
“MBPJ tows quite a number of cars on a daily basis and this costs at least RM500 to RM600 a day and RM150,000 a month. So buying more tow trucks is justified and will help generate revenue,” he said.
Moreover, the abandoned vehicles can be sold off as scrap metal once it is towed away since a 30-day notice had already been given before the towing exercise.
