GEORGE TOWN: You pop into a shop for a quick errand, skipping the parking payment, thinking you will not be long.
In the meantime, you keep an eye on your vehicle, ready to rush out upon seeing a local council enforcement officer.
However, with the introduction of the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system, the days of spotting enforcement officers issuing summonses are now a thing of the past.
Instead, enforcement now happens discreetly, through high-tech cameras mounted on enforcement vehicles that scan and capture number plates in real time.
Violations are detected instantly, and parking summonses are issued automatically to your Penang Smart Parking app.
In short, there is minimal warning and even less opportunity to evade penalties.
Just two weeks after its rollout, the system has sparked mixed reactions from drivers and consumer groups.
While some praise its efficiency and potential to improve traffic conditions, others express frustration over its uncompromising accuracy.
Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president Mohideen Abdul Kader, in welcoming the move, called it a significant step forward in urban management.
He said illegal and haphazard parking had been a persistent issue in Penang for decades, and the new system could finally bring much-needed discipline to the roads.
“The ANPR system can streamline enforcement, minimise human error and enhance overall efficiency,” he said.
“It certainly encourages better parking habits now that motorists are aware their actions are being automatically monitored.”
He said the rollout of the ANPR system was a long-overdue response to an issue that had been neglected for too long.
“If enforcement had been more consistent, manual or otherwise, we might not have reached this point.
“With ANPR, we finally have a chance at fairer and more consistent enforcement, assuming the technology is accurate and implemented correctly,” he said.
Business owner A. Mariappan, 56, said the move would undoubtedly boost the city councils’ coffers, adding that the funds could benefit the public.
“I don’t mind the ANPR system, but if you’re going to collect all this money from the public, then ensure it is put to good use.
“Reinvest in community infrastructure like beautifying the streets, maintaining pedestrian walkways, or installing better lighting in commercial areas.
“That way, people will feel the system is working for them, not against them,” he pointed out.
Tech-driven enforcement
The ANPR system was proposed and developed by Heitech Padu (HTP) as part of its contract to manage the city’s smart parking system.
Incorporating components sourced from several countries, it was fully customised and developed by HTP to suit local requirements.
Penang local government, town and country planning committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye said both Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) were committed to streamlining enforcement operations under the new system.
“Each city council will deploy five dedicated ANPR patrol teams to monitor their respective areas daily.
“The ANPR initiative will reduce the need for human enforcement by at least 60%.
“This means both councils can redeploy their existing parking enforcement personnel to other departments where manpower is urgently needed.
“It is also a cost-saving measure, as it reduces the need to hire additional staff in the future,” he said when contacted by StarMetro.
MBPP enforcement director Noorazrein Noorazlan Ong said the system was aimed at ensuring motorists complied with parking regulations without heavy reliance on manual patrols by enforcement officers.
“It will also ease congestion, encourage turnover of parking spaces and reduce disputes over parking fines,” he said in an interview with StarMetro.
He said vehicles parked illegally or without valid payment would now be automatically flagged and issued fines.
“The system checks for both offences during scanning.
“Otherwise, people might park outside the bays instead of within them.
“We advise the public not to park indiscriminately.
“If you park outside the designated areas, your car may be clamped or issued a summons carrying a higher fine by the traffic warden,” he said.
Noorazrein said the ANPR system was not intended to burden the public but meant to improve the efficiency, transparency and integrity of parking enforcement.
“The system uses special cameras mounted inside enforcement vehicles to scan and capture vehicle number plates in real time.
“As the patrol vehicles move along the roads, the system automatically checks whether payments have been made and the data is instantly transmitted to the enforcement officers’ laptops in the vehicles.
“If a vehicle is found without valid parking payment, the information is uploaded to the cloud, and the vehicle owner receives an immediate notification through the PSP app,” he said.
Noorazrein said only two officers were needed in each enforcement vehicle to monitor hundreds of parking bays.
“In the past, one officer was assigned to patrol between 300 to 400 parking lots, manually checking and recording parking violations.
“It was a task that could take one to two minutes per vehicle.
“With the ANPR, 30 to 40 vehicles can be scanned within a few minutes, making enforcement much faster and more efficient.
“Once scans are complete, officers cross-verify the licence plate images with the collected data to ensure accuracy before uploading any fines to the system.
“Vehicle owners then receive a real-time notification of any compounds issued, through their PSP app,” he said.
Noorazrein advised PSP users to enable the app’s notification settings to avoid missing an alert.
Addressing concerns that the system was a “money-grabbing” tool, as voiced by some motorists interviewed, Noorazrein assured the public that the system was aimed at streamlining operations and reducing dependency on human patrols.
“The system also minimises risks to enforcement officers, such as traffic accidents or altercations during manual checks.
“Users who pay for their parking as required will not be affected by the ANPR.
“The usage brings Penang in line with international standards, where similar technologies have long been used in shopping malls and private carparks for automatic entry and payment systems,” he added.
Noorazrein said that before the launch of the ANPR system, a one-year trial period was carried out to ensure stability and efficiency in real-world conditions.
“During the trial phase, over 2,000 compounds were issued using manual printing after vehicles were scanned,” he said.
“With the full launch, the latest version of ANPR now allows for compounds to be sent directly to users’ app.
“As Penang moves toward becoming a smarter city, motorists have to adapt quickly either by diligently paying for parking or risk an automated fine.”
While the authorities are hailing the initiative as a step toward modernising urban management, not everyone shares the same optimism.
Some view it as an added financial burden, while others argue that the focus should be on increasing the number of available parking bays.
Data entry analyst Ronan Ooi, 28, who frequently drives into the city, said the new system would leave him with no choice but to be more vigilant about paying for parking – especially after a 50% fee hike implemented in March on Penang island.
“First, the parking fees went up, and now this.
“Sometimes I forget to pay because I am just popping in and out of a shop but now, I will have to make a conscious effort to remember.”
Ronan said while he had considered switching to public transport, the services now were not convenient for his needs.
“It is not that I don’t want to take the bus into the city, but they just aren’t as frequent as I’d like,” he explained.
Housewife Pauline Ooi, 60, echoed similar frustrations, citing both the difficulty in finding parking and inconvenience of digital payment methods.
“Finding a parking spot in town is a nightmare because of how limited the bays are.
“On top of that, I am not very tech-savvy. Still, I have no choice but to start using the app.”Hanees says he may lose customers who fear being caught by the ANPR when stopping for a short while to pack food.
Hanees says he may lose customers who fear being caught by the ANPR when stopping for a short while to pack food.
Hanees Gani, 42, who sells mee goreng at the Pulau Tikus Food Market in Bangkok Lane, felt it was not the right time for the implementation of the ANPR system.
“The economy is already tight for small traders like us, and this will add to our burden,” he said, adding that he might lose customers if they were not able to stop for a while to pack their food.
Hanees suggested that MBPP delay the full roll-out of the system until the economic situation improved.
“At least give us time to adjust, or wait until people are in a better financial position,” he said.
Revised parking fees
Effective March 1, MBPP increased the parking rates by 50%, from 40sen to 60sen for 30mins, 80sen to RM1.20 for an hour, and RM6 to RM9 for a day.
The monthly pass remains at RM150.
On the mainland, MBSP’s parking fees went up 100% from Jan 1.
Under the revised rates, MBSP hourly parking is 80sen, up from 40sen, while the daily rate went up from RM3 to RM6.
Monthly parking passes rose from RM75 to RM150.
A new short-term option of 40sen for 30 minutes was introduced.
